China Deploys its Most Heavily Armed Nuclear Submarine Class For New Operations

Chinese state media has released a rare footage of a new Type 094 Class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine departing on a long-range patrol, with the broadcast featuring a declaration from one of the crew pledging fire the ship’s nuclear missiles “without hesitation” if ordered. The ship departed from Longpo Naval Base, a heavily fortified underground facility on Hainan Island that hosts the bulk of the Chinese strategic submarine fleet. The facility has recently seen new J-20 fifth generation fighter and J-16 heavyweight fighter brigades deployed nearby, likely as means to strengthen its defences. This footage is the first known instance in which Chinese state media has publicly acknowledged the active deployment of the submarine class. Although China has emerged as a world leader in many areas of its military capabilities, its fleet of modern ballistic missile submarines remains small at an estimated four ships. The Type 094 Class has nevertheless provided a major leap forward in capabilities that has largely bridged the technological gap with the American and Russian fleets.

New technical details of the Type 094 Class were disclosed during a Navy open day on April 23, with the submarines confirmed to have a maximum submerged speed of 30 knots and an operational depth of 400 meters – significantly exceeding the previously estimated 20 knot speed and 300 meter maximum depth. The recent integration of JL-3 ballistic missiles has significantly improved the ships’ firepower, with each able to carry up to twelve, although it remains uncertain how widely these missiles have been integrated across ships in the fleet. It is expected that the Chinese ballistic missile submarine fleet will expand significantly over the next decade, as the country continues to increase the size of its nuclear arsenal in response to rising tensions with countries in the Western world.

Further strengthening the fleet’s capabilities, a successor to the Type 094 Class is expected to be brought into service boasting higher levels of automation, greater firepower, and a number of revolutionary new quieting technologies. Where the Type 094 Class bridged the gap with leading ships fielded abroad, its successor the Type 096 is expected to provide a distinct edge over the nuclear submarine fleets of many rival powers. The new ships are expected to carry up to 24 JL-3 ballistic missiles, making them among the most heavily armed submarines in the world. Investments in developing new submarine launched ballistic missiles and strategic submarines have been made in parallel to the development of ambitious clean sheet new programs for the other arms of the Chinese nuclear triad, including hypersonic glide vehicles for he country’s intercontinental range ballistic missiles, and intercontinental range stealth bombers.