Improved Chinese nuclear submarines could counter US naval dominance

The publicity and show of force is the latest evidence that China is serious about its ambitions to build its nuclear submarine fleet.

China is building on decades of earlier failures to send a growing submarine force whose boats are more capable against modern US submarines in a sign that China believes its ambitions may boil down to an underwater fleet that can sink rivals and deter enemies from a nuclear attack.

Its vast shipbuilding industry is launching nuclear submarines at a rapid pace, with new designs also being developed.

Nuclear attack submarines

China’s interest in nuclear submarines dates back to the mid-1950s, right after the US Navy commissioned the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus. But since the Soviet Union was unwilling to transfer nuclear propulsion technology to China, the Chinese had to start from scratch.

China’s first attempt at creating a nuclear submarine was focused on the development of a nuclear attack submarine (classified as an SSN), since the design of a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine would require the development of a naval reactor, a submarine-launched ballistic missile, and an underwater launch system all at once.

The effort was given the go-ahead in 1958, but construction of the first boat would not begin until 1968. Although it began in 1970, construction was further delayed by the upheaval of the Cultural Revolution, and the vessel was not commissioned until 1974 .

Known as the Type 091, it was designated as the Han-class by NATO. Measuring 321 to 350 feet in length and displacing over 5,000 tons underwater, it was armed with six torpedo tubes in the bow that could fire at ships or other submarines. A total of five Type 091 SSNs were built between 1968 and 1990.

The Type 091 class were not as combat-capable as their peers, largely due to the fact that they were the first nuclear submarines ever built by China, and because they had no help to do so; the submarine’s reactor must be stable enough to continuously provide mechanical energy to turn the propeller and generate electricity. These submarines were significantly noisier than most of their contemporaries and were considered significantly outdated.

The Type 091 submarines did undertake numerous deployments and were involved in a number of incidents. They also received upgrades that improved their performance in the early 2000s. Ultimately, however, they served more as a springboard to future nuclear submarines than as front-line assets. Two of the five submarines have since been retired.

China’s second generation SSN, the Type 093, proved to be a drastic improvement over its predecessor. Designated by NATO as the Shang-class, development of the submarines began in the 1980s, but construction of the first submarine did not begin until 1998, four years after Chinese leaders decided to proceed with the construction of a new class of SSNs, for to better cope with the challenges of the coming century.

Unlike the Type 091, the Type 093 benefited from technology transfer from Russia. Russian design bureau Rubin has also consulted with the Chinese on the overall design of the class. In 2003, the first submarine was launched, and in 2006 it was put into operation.

At 351 feet long and displacing about 7,000 tons, the Type 093s have six torpedo tubes capable of firing cable, acoustic and homing torpedoes. They are also capable of firing YJ-18 and YJ-82 anti-ship cruise missiles and are equipped with bow and flank sonars.

Seven Type 093 SSNs were built in three variants; two Type 093s, four Type 093As and at least one Type 093B. The Type 093A is an improved design with improved silencing – noise is one of the submarine’s greatest gifts, detectable by passive sonars 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 ground attack role with long-range cruise missiles.

Submarines with nuclear ballistic missiles

Also known as “boomers” and given the “SSBN” classification, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are arguably the best nuclear deterrent any nation can possess. Designed to remain underwater for months on patrol, they carry long-range nuclear missiles and retain the country’s ability to retaliate if attacked with what is known as a second-strike capability. Deployed submarines are much more difficult to destroy than intercontinental ballistic missile silos and strategic bombers.

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

Like the Type 091, the troubled Type 092 was seen as little more than a test case.

Although commissioned in 1983, it was only active from 1987 onwards. It had a terrible safety record, with reports of it suffering from radiation leaks, and it was also remarkably powerful – so much so that there was no doubt it would be detected by its opponents.

The SLBM it carried, the JL-1, was also relatively unimpressive. Not fully operational until 1988, it was unable to carry multiple independently guided aerial vehicles (MIRVs), instead carrying only a single nuclear warhead ranging from 200 – 300 kilotons. Its range was also only about 1,056 – 1,335 miles, which severely limited its ability to engage the most suitable targets.

Consequently, the Type 092 never conducted a single deterrent patrol, but instead spent most of its time either in Chinese territorial waters or docked at Chinese naval bases. For all its shortcomings, however, the Type 092 acted as something of a stepping stone for the development of China’s next SSBN, the Type 094.

Designated the Jin-class by NATO, the Type 094 is a vast improvement over its predecessor, with a new propulsion system, improved electronics and sensors and, perhaps most importantly, lower noise levels.

With a length of 450 feet and an underwater displacement of about 10,000 tons, the submarine’s armament is similar to 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 – 5,592 miles. In 2022, it was reported that China had begun fielding new JL-3 SLBMs on its Type 094s.

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

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

Six Type 094s were built, with the first laid down in 2001. The two newest submarines are of the Type 094A upgraded sub-variant. The class represents China’s first credible maritime nuclear deterrent, with the US Department of Defense reporting in 2022 that China was “conducting continuous maritime deterrence patrols” for the first time.

Numbers, sophistication and use

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

And the growth isn’t just limited to numbers – it also includes capabilities, with China’s latest nuclear submarines closing the gap on their American counterparts. The Type 093, for example, is believed to be almost as quiet as the US Navy’s current Los Angeles-class SSNs.

China’s fleet of diesel-electric powered submarines is also getting bigger and more sophisticated, with recent upgrades aimed at increasing stealth and time underwater applied to their newest Type 039 class submarines.

The increase in numbers and sophistication reflects the importance China believes submarines, especially nuclear submarines, will have in potential future conflicts with its regional and global adversaries.

Chinese SSNs, with their ability to remain submerged for long periods of time, could act as hunter-killers for US and allied ships and submarines in the waters east of Taiwan, possibly pushing them towards the second island chain.

Meanwhile, China’s SSBNs are likely to operate from the safety of their bastions in the South China Sea, ready to launch their SLBMs whenever necessary. They could also operate in the Sea of ​​Japan, putting even more of the US mainland within range of their missiles.

All the while, they could be aided by their fleet of diesel-electric attack submarines and the Great Wall of the Sea, a network of sensors embedded on the floor of the East and South China Seas aimed at detecting rival submarines.

But China’s nuclear submarines still have limitations. The Type 094, for example, is reportedly noisier than Russia’s 1970-era Delta III-class SSBNs, and about twice as loud as its current American or Russian counterparts.

China’s nuclear submarine ambitions remain unabated. A new class of SSBN, Type 096, has been in development for years and is expected to be in service by 2030. New SSN, 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 an emphasis in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has been published in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.