China to commission 3 nuclear submarines

China to commission 3 nuclear submarines

PTIUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 02:51 AM IST
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Beijing: China would soon commission three indigenously-built advance nuclear-powered attack submarines having a vertical launcher capable of delivering its latest supersonic anti-ship missiles, state media reported today. China Central Television (CCTV) showed a satellite picture earlier this week of three submarines anchored at an unidentified port, and reported that the vessels were China’s most advanced Type-093G nuclear-powered attack submarines, just completed by a Chinese shipyard and awaiting delivery.

With a teardrop hull, the submarine is longer than its predecessor, the Type-093, and has a vertical launching system, China Daily reported. Another article carried by the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s website said the Type-093G’s wing-shaped cross-section is designed to improve speed and mobility as well as reduce noise, and that the vertical launcher is capable of delivering the country’s latest YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship missiles.

The Type-093G is reported to be an upgraded version of Type-093, China’s second-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine, which has entered active service. The strategic force of the PLA Navy now has about four nuclear-powered Type-094 ballistic missile submarines, up to six Type-093 nuclear-powered attack submarines and about three old Type-091, CCTV quoted foreign media reports as saying.

Cui Yiliang, editor-in-chief of Modern Ships magazine, said: “Though China was comparatively late in developing advanced nuclear-powered submarines such as the Type-093G, we used a lot of the most cutting-edge technologies and equipment on our submarines, enabling them to compete with their foreign counterparts.”

He noted that China has researched the vertical launching system for many years and has installed it on other submarines and surface ships. “Judging from the vessel’s design, the Type-093G should have strong anti-ship and counter-submarine capabilities,” Yin Zhuo, a senior expert with the navy told the Daily.

“It is also likely to be upgraded with the capability of striking land targets with cruise missiles in the near future,” he said. China established its nuclear-powered submarine force in the early 1970s but had never shown it to the outside world until 2009, when two nuclear submarines took part in a parade marking the 60th anniversary of the PLA Navy’s founding, the report said.

The information about the nuclear subs came a day after China confirmed it plans to sell eight diesel electric submarines to Pakistan in a nearly USD 5-billion deal.

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