China’s Submarine Fleet, Evolution & news

[unrequitted_love_suzy]

Isn't it a historic Irony that Russian submarines are code named Kilo ...
Quantity makes for Quality ,

 

[S10]

Most of China's submarines are SSK, conventional boats with slower speed and diving depths. On top of that, less than half of those are equipped with AIP. Numbers doesn't tell the whole picture. In terms of capability, it will take at least 2 decades at current pace to be on par with USN in this area.

 

[LKJ86]

Via @南海舰队 from Weixin

 

[LKJ86]

Via @人民海军 from Weixin

 

[samsara]

View attachment 704053
Via @南海舰队 from Weixin

From Henri Kenhmann at East Pendulum on 2021.01.07:

According to the official South Sea Fleet account on Weixin, a "new submarine" assigned to this fleet left the base port for the first time in 2021.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1347199024865021953

 

[LKJ86]

Via @北海舰队 from Weixin

 

[samsara]

View attachment 704836View attachment 704837View attachment 704838View attachment 704839
Via @北海舰队 from Weixin

From 逆襲 @horobeyo on 2021.01.08:

大连老虎尾，北海舰队039B出航

图自北海舰队公众号

Dalian Laohuwei, North Sea Fleet 039B set sail

Pictured from the North Sea Fleet Public Number

https://twitter.com/x/status/1347569226391830528

 

[LKJ86]

Via 解放军画报

 

[LKJ86]

Via 舰船知识

 

[Deino]

Wow ... if true!

First Image Of China's New Nuclear Submarine Under Construction - Naval News

New commercial satellite imagery appears to show the first hull section of a new submarine in China. It could be either the first Type 095 / Type 09V Tang-class attack submarine (SSN) or the first Type 096 / Type 09VI ballistic missile sub (SSBN).

www.navalnews.com

 

[Akasa]

Wow ... if true!

First Image Of China's New Nuclear Submarine Under Construction - Naval News

New commercial satellite imagery appears to show the first hull section of a new submarine in China. It could be either the first Type 095 / Type 09V Tang-class attack submarine (SSN) or the first Type 096 / Type 09VI ballistic missile sub (SSBN).

www.navalnews.com

View attachment 712306

There was a recent CJDBY post by fzgfzy claiming that the 09-V and 09-VI might come soon.

https://lt.cjdby.net/thread-2686561-1-9.html

 

[samsara]

From 逆襲 @horobeyo on 2021.02.01:

狗哥地图更新显示葫芦岛新黑鱼生产线开始产出一堆零件和一个大的构造。出处见图3

形状看应该是一个尾部分段，开口直径约12米，
09IV尾部没有12米宽，09III中间最宽处都没有12米，
判断是新型黑鱼

An update to Google Earth's map shows that Huludao's new nuclear submarine production line began to produce a pile of parts and a large structure. The source is shown in Figure 3

From the shape, it should be a tail section with an opening diameter of about 12 meters,
the tail of 09IV is not 12 meters wide, and the widest part in the middle of 09III is not 12 meters,
it's a new type of nuclear submarine

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356211834823405568

新厂房车间长度接近300米，6扇拉门可同时打开3扇，6条轨距约7米的双轨，可转移SSN，相邻两道双轨内侧轨距约13米，可转移SSBN，新厂房可同时建造12条SSN，或3条SSBN，或2条SSBN+4条SSN。另有位于西南面的新建厂房，车间长度300米，4条双轨，图3、4为去年11月中旬到12月底近一个半月的建造进度。

可见跟过去10年在神盾舰规模上急速甩开其他国家并向米军接近相比，十四五、十五五这10年将在黑鱼上着重发力，时机已经成熟。

The length of the workshop of the new plant is close to 300 meters. Three of the six sliding doors can be opened at the same time. Six double tracks with a gauge of about 7 meters can transfer SSN. The inner track gauge of two adjacent double tracks is about 13 meters, which can transfer SSBN. The new plant can build 12 SSNs, or 3 SSBNs, or 2 SSBNs + 4 SSNs at the same time.

In addition, there is a new workshop in the southwest with a workshop length of 300 meters and four double tracks. Figures 3 and 4 show the construction progress from the middle of November to the end of December last year for nearly a month and a half.

It can be seen that compared with the past 10 years when Aegis ships rapidly outnumbered other countries and approached the USN, the time is ripe for the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans [2021-2025 & 2026-2030] to focus on the nuclear submarines.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356216845255147523

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From Henri Kenhmann at East Pendulum on 2021.02.01:

Huludao, Bochuan Shipyard, November 11, 2020.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356235574206586887

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Alex Luck @AlexLuck9 on 2021.02.01:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1356182749774659589

 

[samsara]

Wow ... if true!

First Image Of China's New Nuclear Submarine Under Construction - Naval News

New commercial satellite imagery appears to show the first hull section of a new submarine in China. It could be either the first Type 095 / Type 09V Tang-class attack submarine (SSN) or the first Type 096 / Type 09VI ballistic missile sub (SSBN).

www.navalnews.com

View attachment 712306

First Image Of China’s New Nuclear Submarine Under Construction

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) reveals what appears to be the first publicly available image of China's new nuclear powered submarine. The commercial satellite image was taken by Maxar and is part of a recent Google Earth image refresh.

By H I Sutton | Naval News | 01 Feb 2021

The satellite image, taken by Maxar on 2020-11-11 and uploaded to Google Earth, shows the aft section of the submarine outside the construction hall.

China has built a massive new yard for building nuclear submarines. The site, near to the legacy Bohai shipyard [Henri K calls it Bochuan Shipyard, Huludao] where all of China’s nuclear submarines are currently built, is still being developed. But the main construction halls have been complete for some time. New commercial satellite imagery, available to anyone via Google Earth, appears to show the first hull section of a new submarine.

The exact class of submarine has not yet been confirmed. But it is possibly either the first Type-095 Tang-class attack submarine (SSN) or the first Type-096 ballistic missile sub (SSBN).

The section is the tail of the submarine. This is to be expected as most submarines are assembled such that the nose (bow) comes out of the construction hall first. Witness US Navy and Royal Navy nuclear submarines for example.

The new submarine will be part of the Chinese Navy’s (PLAN) massive expansion. Nuclear powered submarines will be critical to its ambition of becoming a true blue-water Navy. New Type-095 (more properly written Type-09V) is an attack submarine which is expected to be more closely comparable to the US Navy’s Virginia-class. And the Type-096 (Type-09VI) which increase the survivability and reach of China’s at sea nuclear deterrent.

I first spotted the hull section in Sentinel-2 low-resolution commercial satellite imagery in early November 2020. That was before this high-resolution imagery became available.

The hull section is approximately 30-32 meters long and roughly 11-12 meters across. This points to the new Type-095 and Type-096 boats. The other possibility is an improved version of the current Type-093 Shang-class. This would logically be the Type-093B cruise-missile optimized version. This is expected to feature vertical launch tubes similar to the Russian Yasen-class. These will allow it to carry more YJ-18 cruise missiles.

However the approximate measurements are making the completely NEW classes a safer bet at this stage.

These NEW classes will be more advanced than the Type-093, with increased levels of stealth. The Type-095 in particular may become very relevant if the PLAN increases its prescience in the Indian Ocean.

Analysts using commercial satellite imagery, often Open Source, will be watching the submarine modules as they make their way to the construction hall. The next one should be the machinery compartment, followed by the reactor compartment. We will literally see the submarine in parts before it is assembled. However careful analysis will be needed to interpret what we are seeing.

 

[Figaro]

First Image Of China’s New Nuclear Submarine Under Construction

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) reveals what appears to be the first publicly available image of China's new nuclear powered submarine. The commercial satellite image was taken by Maxar and is part of a recent Google Earth image refresh.

By H I Sutton | Naval News | 01 Feb 2021

View attachment 712690
The satellite image, taken by Maxar on 2020-11-11 and uploaded to Google Earth, shows the aft section of the submarine outside the construction hall.

China has built a massive new yard for building nuclear submarines. The site, near to the legacy Bohai shipyard [Henri K calls it Bochuan Shipyard, Huludao] where all of China’s nuclear submarines are currently built, is still being developed. But the main construction halls have been complete for some time. New commercial satellite imagery, available to anyone via Google Earth, appears to show the first hull section of a new submarine.

The exact class of submarine has not yet been confirmed. But it is possibly either the first Type-095 Tang-class attack submarine (SSN) or the first Type-096 ballistic missile sub (SSBN).

The section is the tail of the submarine. This is to be expected as most submarines are assembled such that the nose (bow) comes out of the construction hall first. Witness US Navy and Royal Navy nuclear submarines for example.

The new submarine will be part of the Chinese Navy’s (PLAN) massive expansion. Nuclear powered submarines will be critical to its ambition of becoming a true blue-water Navy. New Type-095 (more properly written Type-09V) is an attack submarine which is expected to be more closely comparable to the US Navy’s Virginia-class. And the Type-096 (Type-09VI) which increase the survivability and reach of China’s at sea nuclear deterrent.

I first spotted the hull section in Sentinel-2 low-resolution commercial satellite imagery in early November 2020. That was before this high-resolution imagery became available.

The hull section is approximately 30-32 meters long and roughly 11-12 meters across. This points to the new Type-095 and Type-096 boats. The other possibility is an improved version of the current Type-093 Shang-class. This would logically be the Type-093B cruise-missile optimized version. This is expected to feature vertical launch tubes similar to the Russian Yasen-class. These will allow it to carry more YJ-18 cruise missiles.

However the approximate measurements are making the completely new classes a safer bet at this stage.

These new classes will be more advanced than the Type-093, with increased levels of stealth. The Type-095 in particular may become very relevant if the PLAN increases its prescience in the Indian Ocean.

Analysts using commercial satellite imagery, often Open Source, will be watching the submarine modules as they make their way to the construction hall. The next one should be the machinery compartment, followed by the reactor compartment. We will literally see the submarine in parts before it is assembled. However careful analysis will be needed to interpret what we are seeing.

Are we sure this is the 095/096 as opposed to the 093B?

 

[samsara]

Are we sure this is the 095/096 as opposed to the 093B?

See Horobeyo's post #1006, one post above Sutton's article -- sorry, just revamped my earlier post to add more tweets he gave out the measurements why this cannot be other than a NEW TYPE of NUCLEAR SUBMARINE!!