Meet China’s nuclear submarines

Two days before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in China in April this year for meetings with the country’s leader and other senior Chinese officials, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy released footage of a nuclear submarine firing a ballistic missile.

The video, which also showed three other submarines making up the Shandong carrier strike group, was released as part of the country’s navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations. Two months after it was released, a Chinese ballistic missile submarine surfaced in the Taiwan Strait near Taiwan’s Kinmen Islands.

This public display and show of force is the latest evidence that China is serious about its ambitions to strengthen its nuclear submarine fleet.

China has built on decades of past failures to build a growing submarine force, whose vessels are becoming more capable of countering advanced U.S. submarines, indicating that China believes its ambitions may depend on an undersea fleet that can sink rivals and deter enemies from nuclear strikes.

Its vast shipbuilding industry is producing nuclear submarines at a rapid pace, with new designs also under development.

Nuclear attack submarines

China’s interest in nuclear submarines dates back to the 1950s, shortly after the U.S. Navy commissioned the world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus. However, because the Soviet Union was unwilling to transfer nuclear propulsion technology to China, the Chinese had to start from scratch.

China’s first attempt at a nuclear-powered submarine focused on developing a nuclear attack submarine (classified as a SSN), because designing a nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles would have required the simultaneous development of a naval reactor, a submarine-launched ballistic missile, and an underwater launch system.

The project was approved in 1958, but construction of the first submarine did not begin until 1968. Although it was launched in 1970, construction was further delayed by the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, and the vessel was not commissioned until 1974.

Known as the Type 091, it was designated the Han class by NATO. Measuring between 98 and 107 meters in length and displacing over 5,000 tons submerged, it was armed with six torpedo tubes in the bow, which could fire at ships or other submarines. In total, five Type 091 SSNs were built between 1968 and 1990.

The Type 091 class was not as combat capable as its peers, largely because it was the first nuclear submarines China had ever built, and because it lacked power assistance; the submarine’s reactor must be stable enough to continuously provide mechanical power to turn its propeller and generate electricity. These submarines were substantially noisier than most of their contemporaries and were seen as considerably outdated.

The Type 091 submarines performed multiple missions and were involved in several incidents. They also received upgrades that improved their performance in the early 2000s. However, they served more as stepping stones for future nuclear submarines than as front-line assets. Two of the five submarines have already been retired.

China’s second-generation SSN, the Type 093, represented a dramatic improvement over its predecessor. Designated the Shang class by NATO, development of these submarines began in the 1980s, but construction of the first submarine did not begin until 1998, four years after Chinese leaders decided to move forward with building a new class of SSNs to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Unlike the Type 091, the Type 093 benefited from technology transfers from Russia. Russia’s Rubin Design Bureau also reportedly consulted with the Chinese on the overall design of the class. In 2003, the first submarine was launched, and in 2006, it was commissioned into service.

At 107 meters long and displacing about 7,000 tons, the Type 093s have six torpedo tubes capable of firing wire-guided, acoustic and wake-seeking torpedoes. They are also capable of launching YJ-18 and YJ-82 anti-ship cruise missiles, and are equipped with bow- and side-mounted sonars.

Seven Type 093 SSNs were built in three variants; two Type 093, four Type 093A and at least one Type 093B. The Type 093A is an upgraded design with improved noise reduction—noise is one of the most telling signs of a submarine, which can be detected by passive sonar and hydrophones. The Type 093B is a further improved version, equipped with a pump-jet thruster and the ability to deploy a towed sonar array. It is expected to play more of a land attack role with long-range cruise missiles.

Submarines with nuclear ballistic missiles

Also known as “boomers” and classified as “SSBNs,” nuclear ballistic missile submarines are perhaps the greatest instrument of nuclear deterrence any nation can possess. Designed to remain submerged for months on patrol, they carry long-range nuclear missiles and preserve a country’s ability to retaliate in the event of an attack, known as a second-strike capability. Operational submarines are much more difficult to destroy compared to ICBM silos and strategic bombers.

China’s first SSBN, the Type 092 (designated by NATO as the Xia class), was based on the Type 091 SSN. Launched in 1981 and commissioned in 1983, only one example was built. About 393 feet long and with a submerged displacement of approximately 8,000 tons, it was equipped with six torpedo tubes and 12 launch silos for SLBMs.

Like the Type 091, the troubled Type 092 is considered little more than a test prototype.

Although it was commissioned in 1983, it only became operational in 1987. It had a terrible safety record, with reports of radiation leaks, and was also quite noisy — so much so that it was almost certain to be detected by its adversaries.

The SLBM it carried, the JL-1, was also relatively unimpressive. Only fully operational in 1988, it was incapable of carrying multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), carrying only a single nuclear warhead with a yield of between 200 and 300 kilotons. Its range was also limited, varying between 1,056 and 1,335 miles, which severely restricted its ability to strike important targets.

As a result, the Type 092 never conducted a single deterrent patrol, remaining mostly within Chinese territorial waters or docked at naval bases in China. Despite all its shortcomings, the Type 092 served as a springboard for the development of China’s next SSBN, the Type 094.

Designated by NATO as the Jin class, the Type 094 represents a major improvement over its predecessor, with a new propulsion system, improved electronics and sensors, and, perhaps most importantly, reduced noise levels.

At 450 feet long and with a submerged displacement of about 10,000 tons, the Type 094’s armament is similar to that of the Type 092 (six torpedo tubes and 12 SLBM launchers), but it carries a different SLBM: the JL-2.

Capable of carrying a one-megaton nuclear warhead or 3-8 MIRVs, the JL-2 was introduced in 2015 and has an estimated range of between 4,970 and 5,592 miles. In 2022, it was reported that China began deploying the new JL-3 SLBM on its Type 094s.

Capable of carrying a single 1-megaton nuclear warhead and possibly multiple MIRVs, the JL-3 is believed to have a range in excess of 6,200 miles — putting the US West Coast within range of Chinese SLBMs for the first time.

By comparison, the US Navy’s Ohio-class SSBNs are armed with 20 Trident II SLBMs, which reportedly have a minimum range of 1,242 miles and a maximum range of 7,456 miles.

Six Type 094s have been built, with the first launched in 2001. The two most recent submarines are of the upgraded Type 094A subvariant. This class represents China’s first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent, with the U.S. Department of Defense reporting in 2022 that China “is conducting continuous deterrent patrols at sea” for the first time.

Numbers, sophistication and use

The growth of China’s nuclear submarine fleet is impressive, especially considering the timeline. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, China has built 12 nuclear submarines in the past 15 years.

This growth isn’t just limited to numbers — it also extends to capabilities, with China’s newest nuclear submarines closing in on their American counterparts. The Type 093, for example, is said to be as quiet as the U.S. Navy’s current Los Angeles-class SSNs.

China’s fleet of diesel-electric submarines is also growing in size and sophistication, with recent upgrades aimed at increasing stealth and submerged time being implemented on its newest Type 039-class submarines.

The increase in numbers and sophistication reflects the importance China places on submarines, especially nuclear ones, in potential future conflicts with its regional and global adversaries.

Chinese SSNs, with their ability to remain submerged for long periods, could act as hunters for American and allied ships and submarines in the waters east of Taiwan, possibly forcing them to retreat toward the Second Island Chain.

Meanwhile, Chinese SSBNs would likely operate from the safety of their strongholds in the South China Sea, ready to launch their SLBMs whenever needed. They could also operate in the Sea of ​​Japan, further extending the missiles’ reach toward the U.S. mainland.

At the same time, they could be supported by their fleet of diesel-electric attack submarines and the Great Undersea Wall, a network of sensors embedded in the seabed of the East and South China Seas designed to detect rival submarines.

However, China’s nuclear submarines still face limitations. The Type 094, for example, is reportedly louder than Russia’s Delta III-class SSBNs from the 1970s, and about twice as loud as their current American or Russian counterparts.

China’s nuclear submarine ambitions remain firm. A new class of SSBN, the Type 096, has been in development for years and is expected to be operational by 2030. A new SSN, the Type 095, is also planned.

Benjamin Brimelow is a freelance journalist covering international military and defense issues. He holds a master’s degree in global affairs with a concentration in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has appeared in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

Read the original article on Business Insider.