Japanese media has analyzed satellite images of a submarine under construction in China, concluding it may be a new attack nuclear submarine.
The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 23rd that a new Chinese military submarine with a significantly reduced conning tower size had been confirmed at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China.
The newspaper obtained satellite images of a submarine under construction at the Jiangnan Shipyard, photographed on May 29 by U.S. satellite company BlackSky, and commissioned analysis from a former commander of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine fleet, among others. The submarine measures about 120 meters in length and about 10 meters in width, making it smaller than the Type 094, which can carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, but considerably larger than the conventional Type 039 submarine.
The submarine is characterized by an extremely miniaturized conning tower, which houses equipment such as periscopes and communications antennas. A smaller conning tower reduces underwater resistance, increasing speed and allowing the submarine to approach targets covertly. It also reduces the externally exposed surface area, making the submarine harder to detect.
Masao Kobayashi, a former Self-Defense Force vice admiral, told the Asahi Shimbun, "The United States has built experimental submarines with reduced conning tower sizes, but I understand it was unable to put them into actual deployment." He added, "If China puts a submarine with an extremely small conning tower into practical use, it would be a world first."
