Story by Front Page Detective Staff
Open-source satellite images have identified a suspected new class of diesel-electric submarine at China's Wuchang shipyard, according to sources.
This new submarine appears to be larger than the conventional Yuan-class Chinese submarines. While the Yuan-class submarines typically measure nearly 253 feet in length, the new submarine appears to be between 272 and 279 feet long, Knewz.com reported.
An analysis of the new submarine has revealed an x-shaped stern, a feature not present on any other Chinese submarines, further suggesting it belongs to a previously unseen class.
The images, captured on April 26 by California-based global imaging company Planet Labs, were shared by former United States Navy submariner and defense analyst Tom Shugart.
"I recently acquired this interesting image of the shipyard from 26 April 26 2024. On the left, you can see what appears to be a freshly-launched Hangor II-class submarine, the 1st of 8 being built for Pakistan. You can also see the other, possibly new class of boat," Shugart wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Comparing the Hangor with images of earlier 039A class boats—and the new boat—the difference is plain to see. The new boat appears substantially longer, and looking at multiple images of it, also appears to have an X-stern, a feature not seen before on any Chinese submarine," Shugart added in a separate post.
Reports indicate that an X-shaped stern provides more maneuvering force and minimizes the chance of an accidental dive compared to the traditional cruciform-shaped design. Additionally, it is believed to help reduce noise, allowing the submarine to avoid enemy detection while lurking in deep waters.
"Even the new-ish type 039C [one of the newer Yuan-class submarine models]... doesn't have an X-stern," Shugart mentioned in another post on X. He previously theorized that this "unidentified" new submarine was a "presumably new construction" of the Type 039 variant of Yuan-class submarines.
Maritime security analyst H.I. Sutton attributed the larger hull length of the supposed new class of submarine to the possibility of vertical launch tubes onboard. Vertical launch tubes are a standard weapons system in naval vessels, consisting of several cells capable of firing a wide range of missiles.
Sutton's belief is echoed by Chinese navy expert Alex Luck, who also thinks China is adopting vertical launch tubes on conventional submarines.
A 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Defense noted that China operates 48 diesel-electric-powered submarines, 21 of which are Yuan-class. These submarines are capable of firing anti-ship missiles.
Additionally, the Chinese navy possesses 12 nuclear-powered submarines. Both nuclear and diesel-electric powered submarines have their distinct advantages; diesel-electric models are smaller, stealthier and more maneuverable in coastal waters, while nuclear-powered submarines offer long endurance for sustained high-speed submerged missions.
Brian Hart, a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Newsweek that China is possibly investing in its submarine fleet to counter potential threats posed by the U.S. Navy's all-nuclear-powered submarines.
