Usually, strategies and other military secrets are well kept. Nevertheless, in the era of public satellite data and social networks, some projects are being updated. Recently, a submarine specialist said that China has a new kind of device.
A great new kid in the navy
China, which is currently very active in space travel, is making a major energy transition and is even working on very powerful quantum computers. However, let’s not forget that this country is especially ubiquitous in the arms race. Recently, the James Martin Center Nonproliferation Studies (JMCNS) claimed that China built more than a hundred nuclear silos in a desert area.
On June 25, 2021, the Naval News site published an article by a certain HI Sutton, a writer, illustrator and analyst who specializes in submarines and other devices that operate below the surface of the water. The person concerned claims to have identified and located a great new kid in the navy Chinese. Based on satellite images and other photos on China’s Twitter, Weibo, the analyst recalls a submarine docked in the Huangpu River, in Shanghai. According to him, it would be a variation of Type-039A Yuan class, already in service.
A speculative analysis, for want of something better
HI Sutton claims that this submarine is distinguished from others by the shape of its kiosk, in other words the superstructure that protrudes above the hull. This includes a oblique and therefore angular upper part, instead of slick like other subs. The expert notes that this design reminds him of that of stealth air fighters, suggesting that the submarine could have the same functions. Reducing the surface area of the radar equivalent could make the craft less detectable during surface navigation. The design could also enable the submarine to: reduce its wake on takeoff to the surface to disable his periscope.
The expert confirms that this type of kiosk is not really new, as far as the last one is inspired by the Blekinge class A-26, Swedish submarines. On the other hand, the rest of the body of the machine is indeed the subject of a loan from the Yuan-class submarines. Of course, this is all pure speculation. Indeed, nothing is official and no other specialist has spoken about the matter. Nevertheless, HI Sutton thinks the Chinese craft can carry lithium ion batteriesa first in the world of electrically powered submarines.
