China’s Submarine Fleet, Evolution & news
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samsara
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A rare look: China's first air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarine unit conducts training at sea.
This tweet by the Xinhua News on 2018-06-26 8:37 pm contains a footage of 91 seconds of the said AIP-equipped sub in drill.
On a side note, just recently I peeped into a TV series released in the 2017 highlighting the life and challenges faced by the Chinese Navy personnels incl. the submarine ones: The Deepwater Forces 深海利剑（Shenhai Lijian), the protagonist actress is so beautiful, Liu Lu 刘璐
very lovely, herself was born in a military family. I just learned about this actress from this series! Find the series at YT and other movie sites. I may spend some time to watch the whole series when I can find time for that (36 episodes, unfortunately no Engsub available) 
This tweet by the Xinhua News on 2018-06-26 8:37 pm contains a footage of 91 seconds of the said AIP-equipped sub in drill.
On a side note, just recently I peeped into a TV series released in the 2017 highlighting the life and challenges faced by the Chinese Navy personnels incl. the submarine ones: The Deepwater Forces 深海利剑（Shenhai Lijian), the protagonist actress is so beautiful, Liu Lu 刘璐
very lovely, herself was born in a military family. I just learned about this actress from this series! Find the series at YT and other movie sites. I may spend some time to watch the whole series when I can find time for that (36 episodes, unfortunately no Engsub available)
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JSCh
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China’s first AIP submarine unit breaks records
(People's Daily Online) 17:32, July 04, 2018
China’s first submarine unit using air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology recently broke a number of records set by the Chinese navy, Science and Technology Daily recently reported.
Records such as the longest sailing distance, maximum submergence depth and sinking target ships under boundary conditions were all broken by the unit.
Military commentator Zhang Haixiong disclosed that submarines equipped with AIP technology prolong operation duration underwater to about two or three weeks, indicating the increasing stealth of the submarines.
The time a conventionally powered submarine can spend underwater ranges from 10 to 100 hours, as they need to surface regularly to charge. However, submarines can be charged underwater if they are equipped with the AIP system.
Zhang noted that AIP submarines, with higher combat effectiveness, are second only to nuclear submarines, adding that although AIP submarines are more expensive right now, in the future they will become the conventional option.
(People's Daily Online) 17:32, July 04, 2018
China’s first submarine unit using air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology recently broke a number of records set by the Chinese navy, Science and Technology Daily recently reported.
Records such as the longest sailing distance, maximum submergence depth and sinking target ships under boundary conditions were all broken by the unit.
Military commentator Zhang Haixiong disclosed that submarines equipped with AIP technology prolong operation duration underwater to about two or three weeks, indicating the increasing stealth of the submarines.
The time a conventionally powered submarine can spend underwater ranges from 10 to 100 hours, as they need to surface regularly to charge. However, submarines can be charged underwater if they are equipped with the AIP system.
Zhang noted that AIP submarines, with higher combat effectiveness, are second only to nuclear submarines, adding that although AIP submarines are more expensive right now, in the future they will become the conventional option.
China military developing unmanned AI submarines to launch a new era of sea power
Robotic subs, expected in the 2020s, could challenge the advantage Western naval powers have in strategic waters like the South China Sea
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 22 July, 2018, 11:03pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 22 July, 2018, 11:22pm
China is developing large, smart and relatively low-cost unmanned submarines that can roam the world’s oceans to perform a wide range of missions, from reconnaissance to mine placement to even suicide attacks against enemy vessels, according to scientists involved in these artificial intelligence (AI) projects.
The autonomous robotic submarines are expected to be deployed in the early 2020s. While not intended to entirely replace human-operated submarines, they will challenge the advantageous position established by Western naval powers after the second world war. The robotic subs are aimed particularly at the United States forces in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, the researchers said.
The project is part of the government's ambitious plan to boost the country's naval power with AI technology. China has built the world's largest testing facility for surface drone boats in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. Military researchers are also developing an AI-assisted support system for submarine commanders. As the South China Morning Post reported earlier this year, that system will help captains make faster, more accurate judgments in the heat of combat situations.
The new class of unmanned submarines will join the other autonomous or manned military systems on water, land and orbit to carry out missions in coordinated efforts, according to the researchers.
The submarines will have no human operators on board. They will go out, handle their assignments and return to base on their own. They may establish contact with the ground command periodically for updates, but are by design capable of completing missions without human intervention.
Type 039A diesel electric submarine (pictured). Photo: Handout
But the researchers also noted that AI subs had limits, especially at the early stages of deployment. They will start with relatively simple tasks. The purpose of these projects is not to replace human crews entirely. To attack or not to attack, the final decision will still be in the hands of commanders, the researchers said.
Current models of unmanned underwater vehicles, or UUVs, are mostly small. Their deployment and recovery require another ship or submarine. They are limited in operational range and payload capacity.
Now under development, the AI-powered subs are “giants” compared to the normal UUVs, according to the researchers. They station in dock as conventional submarines. Their cargo bay is reconfigurable and large enough to accommodate a wide range of freight, from powerful surveillance equipment to missiles or torpedoes. Their energy supply comes from diesel-electric engines or other power sources that ensure continuous operation for months.
The robotic submarines rely heavily on artificial intelligence to deal with the sea’s complex environment. They must make decisions constantly on their own: changing course and depth to avoid detection; distinguishing civilian from military vessels; choosing the best approach to reach a designated position.
They can gather intelligence, deploy mines or station themselves at geographical “chockpoints” where armed forces are bound to pass to ambush enemy targets. They can work with manned submarines as a scout or decoy to draw fire and expose the position of the adversary. If necessary, they can ram into a high-value target.
Lin Yang, marine technology equipment director at the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, confirmed to the South China Morning Post this month that China is developing a series of extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles, or XLUUVs.
“Yes, we are doing it,” he said.
The institute, in China’s northeast Liaoning province, is a major producer of underwater robots to the Chinese military. Lin developed China’s first autonomous underwater vehicle with operational depth beyond 6km. He is now chief scientist of the 912 Project, a classified programme to develop new-generation military underwater robots in time for the 100-year anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2021.
Lin called China’s unmanned submarine programme a countermeasure against similar weapons now under intensive development in the United States. He declined to elaborate on technical specifications because the information was “sensitive”.
“It will be announced sooner or later, but not now,” he added.
The US military last year made a deal with major defence contractors for two prototype XLUUVs by 2020. The US Navy would choose one prototype for the production of nine vehicles.
Lockheed Martin’s Orca system would station in an area of operation with the ability to establish communication to base from time to time. It would return home after deploying payloads, according to the company’s website.
“A critical benefit of Orca is that Navy personnel launch, recover, operate, and communicate with the vehicle from a home base and are never placed in harm’s way,” the company said in a statement announcing the system.
Technical details on Orca, like its size or operational endurance, are not available. The company did not respond to the Post’s queries.
Boeing is developing the other prototype, basing it on its Echo Voyager, a 50-ton autonomous submarine first developed for commercial uses like the mapping of the sea floor.
The Echo Voyager is more than 15 metres long and 2.6 metres in diameter, according to Boeing. It can operate for months over a range of 12,000km, more than enough to sail from San Francisco to Shanghai. Its maximum speed reaches 15km an hour.
The vessel needs to surface periodically as its batteries need to be recharged by air-breathing diesel engines. It can dive to 3km while carrying up to eight tons of cargo, Boeing said.
Russia has reportedly built a large underwater drone capable to carry a nuclear weapon. The Status-6 autonomous torpedo could cruise across large distances between continents at high speed and deliver a 100-megaton warhead, according to news accounts.
The Chinese unmanned submarine would not be nuclear-armed, according to a researcher involved in a separate programme in China.
The main advantage of the AI subs is that they can be produced and operated on a large scale at a relatively low cost, said the researcher, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Traditional submarines must attain a high level of stealth to increase the chance of survival. The design has to consider other things including safety, comfort and the mental health of the crew to ensure human safety. All these elements add costs.
In the 1990s, an Ohio-class submarine for the US Navy cost US$2 billion. The research, development and purchase of the first 12 of its new Columbia-class submarines, scheduled for delivery in the early 2020s, is more than US$120 billion.
In contrast, the budget of the entire Orca programme is about US$40 million, according to Lockheed Martin.
An AI sub “can be instructed to take down a nuclear-powered submarine or other high-value targets. It can even perform a kamikaze strike,” said the researcher, referring to the suicide attacks some Japanese fighter pilots made in the second world war.
“The AI has no soul. It is perfect for this kind of job,” the researcher added.
Luo Yuesheng, professor at the College of Automation in Harbin Engineering University, a major development centre for China’s new submarines, contended that AI subs would put the human captains of other vessels under enormous pressure in battle.
It is not just that the AI subs are fearless, Luo said, but that they could learn from the sinking of other AI vessels and adjust their strategy continuously. An unmanned submarine trained to be familiar to a specific water “will be a formidable opponent”, he said.
AI submarines are still at an early stage, Luo noted, and many technical and engineering hurdles remain before they can be deployed in open water.
Hardware on board, for instance, must meet high standards of quality and reliability, since no mechanics will be on board to fix a broken engine, repair leaking pipes or tighten a screw, he said.
The missions of unmanned submarines will also likely be limited to specific, relatively simple tasks, Luo said.
“AI will not replace humans. The situation under water can get quite sophisticated. I don’t think a robot can understand or handle all the challenges,” he added.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: race is on to develop unmanned submarine
Robotic subs, expected in the 2020s, could challenge the advantage Western naval powers have in strategic waters like the South China Sea
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 22 July, 2018, 11:03pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 22 July, 2018, 11:22pm
China is developing large, smart and relatively low-cost unmanned submarines that can roam the world’s oceans to perform a wide range of missions, from reconnaissance to mine placement to even suicide attacks against enemy vessels, according to scientists involved in these artificial intelligence (AI) projects.
The autonomous robotic submarines are expected to be deployed in the early 2020s. While not intended to entirely replace human-operated submarines, they will challenge the advantageous position established by Western naval powers after the second world war. The robotic subs are aimed particularly at the United States forces in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, the researchers said.
The project is part of the government's ambitious plan to boost the country's naval power with AI technology. China has built the world's largest testing facility for surface drone boats in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. Military researchers are also developing an AI-assisted support system for submarine commanders. As the South China Morning Post reported earlier this year, that system will help captains make faster, more accurate judgments in the heat of combat situations.
The new class of unmanned submarines will join the other autonomous or manned military systems on water, land and orbit to carry out missions in coordinated efforts, according to the researchers.
The submarines will have no human operators on board. They will go out, handle their assignments and return to base on their own. They may establish contact with the ground command periodically for updates, but are by design capable of completing missions without human intervention.
Type 039A diesel electric submarine (pictured). Photo: Handout
But the researchers also noted that AI subs had limits, especially at the early stages of deployment. They will start with relatively simple tasks. The purpose of these projects is not to replace human crews entirely. To attack or not to attack, the final decision will still be in the hands of commanders, the researchers said.
Current models of unmanned underwater vehicles, or UUVs, are mostly small. Their deployment and recovery require another ship or submarine. They are limited in operational range and payload capacity.
Now under development, the AI-powered subs are “giants” compared to the normal UUVs, according to the researchers. They station in dock as conventional submarines. Their cargo bay is reconfigurable and large enough to accommodate a wide range of freight, from powerful surveillance equipment to missiles or torpedoes. Their energy supply comes from diesel-electric engines or other power sources that ensure continuous operation for months.
The robotic submarines rely heavily on artificial intelligence to deal with the sea’s complex environment. They must make decisions constantly on their own: changing course and depth to avoid detection; distinguishing civilian from military vessels; choosing the best approach to reach a designated position.
They can gather intelligence, deploy mines or station themselves at geographical “chockpoints” where armed forces are bound to pass to ambush enemy targets. They can work with manned submarines as a scout or decoy to draw fire and expose the position of the adversary. If necessary, they can ram into a high-value target.
Lin Yang, marine technology equipment director at the Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, confirmed to the South China Morning Post this month that China is developing a series of extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles, or XLUUVs.
“Yes, we are doing it,” he said.
The institute, in China’s northeast Liaoning province, is a major producer of underwater robots to the Chinese military. Lin developed China’s first autonomous underwater vehicle with operational depth beyond 6km. He is now chief scientist of the 912 Project, a classified programme to develop new-generation military underwater robots in time for the 100-year anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2021.
Lin called China’s unmanned submarine programme a countermeasure against similar weapons now under intensive development in the United States. He declined to elaborate on technical specifications because the information was “sensitive”.
“It will be announced sooner or later, but not now,” he added.
The US military last year made a deal with major defence contractors for two prototype XLUUVs by 2020. The US Navy would choose one prototype for the production of nine vehicles.
Lockheed Martin’s Orca system would station in an area of operation with the ability to establish communication to base from time to time. It would return home after deploying payloads, according to the company’s website.
“A critical benefit of Orca is that Navy personnel launch, recover, operate, and communicate with the vehicle from a home base and are never placed in harm’s way,” the company said in a statement announcing the system.
Technical details on Orca, like its size or operational endurance, are not available. The company did not respond to the Post’s queries.
Boeing is developing the other prototype, basing it on its Echo Voyager, a 50-ton autonomous submarine first developed for commercial uses like the mapping of the sea floor.
The Echo Voyager is more than 15 metres long and 2.6 metres in diameter, according to Boeing. It can operate for months over a range of 12,000km, more than enough to sail from San Francisco to Shanghai. Its maximum speed reaches 15km an hour.
The vessel needs to surface periodically as its batteries need to be recharged by air-breathing diesel engines. It can dive to 3km while carrying up to eight tons of cargo, Boeing said.
Russia has reportedly built a large underwater drone capable to carry a nuclear weapon. The Status-6 autonomous torpedo could cruise across large distances between continents at high speed and deliver a 100-megaton warhead, according to news accounts.
The Chinese unmanned submarine would not be nuclear-armed, according to a researcher involved in a separate programme in China.
The main advantage of the AI subs is that they can be produced and operated on a large scale at a relatively low cost, said the researcher, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Traditional submarines must attain a high level of stealth to increase the chance of survival. The design has to consider other things including safety, comfort and the mental health of the crew to ensure human safety. All these elements add costs.
In the 1990s, an Ohio-class submarine for the US Navy cost US$2 billion. The research, development and purchase of the first 12 of its new Columbia-class submarines, scheduled for delivery in the early 2020s, is more than US$120 billion.
In contrast, the budget of the entire Orca programme is about US$40 million, according to Lockheed Martin.
An AI sub “can be instructed to take down a nuclear-powered submarine or other high-value targets. It can even perform a kamikaze strike,” said the researcher, referring to the suicide attacks some Japanese fighter pilots made in the second world war.
“The AI has no soul. It is perfect for this kind of job,” the researcher added.
Luo Yuesheng, professor at the College of Automation in Harbin Engineering University, a major development centre for China’s new submarines, contended that AI subs would put the human captains of other vessels under enormous pressure in battle.
It is not just that the AI subs are fearless, Luo said, but that they could learn from the sinking of other AI vessels and adjust their strategy continuously. An unmanned submarine trained to be familiar to a specific water “will be a formidable opponent”, he said.
AI submarines are still at an early stage, Luo noted, and many technical and engineering hurdles remain before they can be deployed in open water.
Hardware on board, for instance, must meet high standards of quality and reliability, since no mechanics will be on board to fix a broken engine, repair leaking pipes or tighten a screw, he said.
The missions of unmanned submarines will also likely be limited to specific, relatively simple tasks, Luo said.
“AI will not replace humans. The situation under water can get quite sophisticated. I don’t think a robot can understand or handle all the challenges,” he added.
This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: race is on to develop unmanned submarine
JSCh
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The following globaltimes report obviously refer to the report on top ^^^^
Well, SCMP, especially Stephen Chen, has been known to frequently report on Chinese science and technology. And always from a military angle with overblown exaggeration on capabilities and threat.
Unless China has solve the problem of long distance underwater high speed communications, otherwise I do not think the current development state of AI is smart enough to handle the type of mission that the SCMP report described.
==========
Report on China's unmanned submarines overblown, confrontational: expert
By Guo Yuandan and Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2018/7/23 23:23:40
Report on unmanned submarines ‘overblown’
A report that China is developing unmanned submarines to "challenge Western naval powers," was slammed by Chinese experts as overblown and confrontational.
China's large unmanned submarines will be able to perform missions including reconnaissance, mine placement and suicide attacks via artificial intelligence, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday.
They are expected to be deployed in the early 2020s, the Hong Kong-based newspaper said.
Many countries are developing unmanned submarines, and China is only one of them, a submarine expert, who asked not to be named, told the Global Times on Monday.
However, such a submarine - capable of carrying out multiple missions as the report suggested - does not exist as of yet, the expert noted, adding that even if one had reached the experimental phase, it was still far off deployment.
It is normal for China to develop such weapons to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The development is not directed against any specific country, Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday.
The South China Morning Post reported that China will use the unmanned submarines to challenge the advantageous position established by Western naval powers in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean.
The report echoed "rhetoric of the China threat theory" and was "trying to create a confrontational atmosphere between China and the US," Zhang said.
"The US is by far leading the world in the development of unmanned submarines, and so it is an exaggeration to say that China is challenging the advantageous position established by Western naval powers," he said.
Well, SCMP, especially Stephen Chen, has been known to frequently report on Chinese science and technology. And always from a military angle with overblown exaggeration on capabilities and threat.
Unless China has solve the problem of long distance underwater high speed communications, otherwise I do not think the current development state of AI is smart enough to handle the type of mission that the SCMP report described.
==========
Report on China's unmanned submarines overblown, confrontational: expert
By Guo Yuandan and Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2018/7/23 23:23:40
Report on unmanned submarines ‘overblown’
A report that China is developing unmanned submarines to "challenge Western naval powers," was slammed by Chinese experts as overblown and confrontational.
China's large unmanned submarines will be able to perform missions including reconnaissance, mine placement and suicide attacks via artificial intelligence, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday.
They are expected to be deployed in the early 2020s, the Hong Kong-based newspaper said.
Many countries are developing unmanned submarines, and China is only one of them, a submarine expert, who asked not to be named, told the Global Times on Monday.
However, such a submarine - capable of carrying out multiple missions as the report suggested - does not exist as of yet, the expert noted, adding that even if one had reached the experimental phase, it was still far off deployment.
It is normal for China to develop such weapons to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The development is not directed against any specific country, Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told the Global Times on Monday.
The South China Morning Post reported that China will use the unmanned submarines to challenge the advantageous position established by Western naval powers in strategic waters like the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean.
The report echoed "rhetoric of the China threat theory" and was "trying to create a confrontational atmosphere between China and the US," Zhang said.
"The US is by far leading the world in the development of unmanned submarines, and so it is an exaggeration to say that China is challenging the advantageous position established by Western naval powers," he said.
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China's Advanced Submarines Are 'Breaking Records'
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has a sizable force of AIP boats that can be armed with advanced anti-ship cruise missiles.
July 26, 2018
by Dave Majumdar
While Russia is the most technologically sophisticated undersea warfare threat faced by the United States Navy, there is one area where the threat from Beijing exceeds the one posed by Moscow.
China has successfully developed and fielded diesel-electric submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, unlike Russia, which has thus far failed to develop a comparable analogue for its future Project 677 Lada-class vessels. Indeed, Beijing’s conventional AIP submarine units have been breaking their own records in recent months.
“China's first submarine unit using air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology recently broke a number of records set by the Chinese navy,” reported the People’s Liberation Army and Central Military Commission’s China Mil site, citing a report from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology’s Science and Technology Daily in a recent posting.
“Records such as the longest sailing distance, maximum submergence depth and sinking target ships under boundary conditions were all broken by the unit.”
As the Pentagon’s 2017 report to Congress on the Chinese military notes, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has a sizable force of AIP boats that can be armed with advanced anti-ship cruise missiles.
“China continues to commission advanced, anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM)-capable submarines,” the report notes .
“Since the mid-1990s, it has built 13 SONG-class SS units (Type 039) and 17 YUAN-class diesel-electric air-independent power attack submarines (SSP) (Type 039A), with a total of 20 YUANs projected for production by 2020.”
Beijing is well prepared to expand its submarine fleet and has built up its industrial capacity to grow its fleet rapidly.
“China’s shipbuilding industry appears capable of producing three Yuan-class submarines a year; two at Wuchang and a third at Jiangnan, if required,” reads a 2017 report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies .
“With the successful construction of at least 17 hulls, estimates of a total of 20 Yuan-class boats in service by 2020 seem to be entirely reasonable, offering the prospect of modest fleet expansion should the PLAN seek it. However, such expansion would require the training of additional crews, as well as keeping all of the remaining Ming-class hulls in service despite their age, high-noise levels and relative lack of capability.”
The Pentagon report takes the view that the Chinese submarine fleet will be expanding very rapidly in the coming years.
“The PLAN places a high priority on the modernization of its submarine force,” the report states.
“It currently possesses five nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN), four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), and 54 diesel-powered attack submarines (SS). By 2020, this force will likely grow to between 69 and 78 submarines.”
The IISS report takes a much more measured view, stating instead that the Chinese submarine fleet will improve qualitatively but it likely remain about the same size as today’s fleet.
“In light of the continuing presence of legacy submarine platforms in the fleet, the PLAN is likely to continue to use its submarine-production capacity to replace these older vessels in the near term,” the IISS report notes.
“This focus on improving quality rather than expanding quantity will limit the PLAN’s requirement for heavy investment in extra personnel and infrastructure, although the 72nd Flotilla’s Mings may need to be retained at Xiachuan Dao until its berths can be upgraded to accept newer submarine designs. Much like today, the operational fleet in 2020 is likely to be around 58 boats.”
The IISS assessment is likely closer to reality than the Pentagon’s. The Defense Department often grossly inflates threats in order to secure funding for its pet programs. In the case of the Chinese submarines fleet, the U.S. Navy has used its estimates of the sheer size of Beijing’s force to help justify to Congress why it needs many more Virginia-class attack submarines than its previously stated requirements even as the service acknowledged the relative technological backwardness of PLAN vessels.
Indeed, the U.S. Navy has increased it stated requirement for attack submarines from 48 to 66 boats in recent years as demand has skyrocketed. It is true that the U.S. Navy needs more submarines, but that is due to a shrinking fleet that has meet the increasing global demands placed on the sea service than any threat from China by itself.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/chinas-advanced-submarines-are-breaking-records-26811
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has a sizable force of AIP boats that can be armed with advanced anti-ship cruise missiles.
July 26, 2018
by Dave Majumdar
While Russia is the most technologically sophisticated undersea warfare threat faced by the United States Navy, there is one area where the threat from Beijing exceeds the one posed by Moscow.
China has successfully developed and fielded diesel-electric submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, unlike Russia, which has thus far failed to develop a comparable analogue for its future Project 677 Lada-class vessels. Indeed, Beijing’s conventional AIP submarine units have been breaking their own records in recent months.
“China's first submarine unit using air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology recently broke a number of records set by the Chinese navy,” reported the People’s Liberation Army and Central Military Commission’s China Mil site, citing a report from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology’s Science and Technology Daily in a recent posting.
“Records such as the longest sailing distance, maximum submergence depth and sinking target ships under boundary conditions were all broken by the unit.”
As the Pentagon’s 2017 report to Congress on the Chinese military notes, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has a sizable force of AIP boats that can be armed with advanced anti-ship cruise missiles.
“China continues to commission advanced, anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM)-capable submarines,” the report notes .
“Since the mid-1990s, it has built 13 SONG-class SS units (Type 039) and 17 YUAN-class diesel-electric air-independent power attack submarines (SSP) (Type 039A), with a total of 20 YUANs projected for production by 2020.”
Beijing is well prepared to expand its submarine fleet and has built up its industrial capacity to grow its fleet rapidly.
“China’s shipbuilding industry appears capable of producing three Yuan-class submarines a year; two at Wuchang and a third at Jiangnan, if required,” reads a 2017 report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies .
“With the successful construction of at least 17 hulls, estimates of a total of 20 Yuan-class boats in service by 2020 seem to be entirely reasonable, offering the prospect of modest fleet expansion should the PLAN seek it. However, such expansion would require the training of additional crews, as well as keeping all of the remaining Ming-class hulls in service despite their age, high-noise levels and relative lack of capability.”
The Pentagon report takes the view that the Chinese submarine fleet will be expanding very rapidly in the coming years.
“The PLAN places a high priority on the modernization of its submarine force,” the report states.
“It currently possesses five nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN), four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), and 54 diesel-powered attack submarines (SS). By 2020, this force will likely grow to between 69 and 78 submarines.”
The IISS report takes a much more measured view, stating instead that the Chinese submarine fleet will improve qualitatively but it likely remain about the same size as today’s fleet.
“In light of the continuing presence of legacy submarine platforms in the fleet, the PLAN is likely to continue to use its submarine-production capacity to replace these older vessels in the near term,” the IISS report notes.
“This focus on improving quality rather than expanding quantity will limit the PLAN’s requirement for heavy investment in extra personnel and infrastructure, although the 72nd Flotilla’s Mings may need to be retained at Xiachuan Dao until its berths can be upgraded to accept newer submarine designs. Much like today, the operational fleet in 2020 is likely to be around 58 boats.”
The IISS assessment is likely closer to reality than the Pentagon’s. The Defense Department often grossly inflates threats in order to secure funding for its pet programs. In the case of the Chinese submarines fleet, the U.S. Navy has used its estimates of the sheer size of Beijing’s force to help justify to Congress why it needs many more Virginia-class attack submarines than its previously stated requirements even as the service acknowledged the relative technological backwardness of PLAN vessels.
Indeed, the U.S. Navy has increased it stated requirement for attack submarines from 48 to 66 boats in recent years as demand has skyrocketed. It is true that the U.S. Navy needs more submarines, but that is due to a shrinking fleet that has meet the increasing global demands placed on the sea service than any threat from China by itself.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/chinas-advanced-submarines-are-breaking-records-26811
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