According to Chinese media citing The EurAsian Times, a military enthusiast from Zhejiang province publicly shared a video on Weibo, revealing the presence of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) Type 039C stealth submarine in the East China Sea. Military analysts, upon viewing the footage, speculated that the Type 039C may be equipped with torpedoes and the YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile with a reported range of up to 340 nautical miles (approximately 550 kilometers). Following the submarine’s “appearance” on Weibo, the PLAN released photos of the submarine navigating in the sea.
This submarine, constructed in Wuhan and outfitted in Shanghai, took just over a year from construction to deployment and entered service with the East Sea Fleet in 2022 – this is considered fast for a submarine of its class.
The Type 039 submarine was initially designed as an anti-ship cruise missile platform, requiring extended underwater endurance. To achieve this, the PLAN developed the Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, which was first installed on the Type 039A submarine. With substantial production capabilities, this submarine class became one of the most numerous AIP-equipped submarines globally.
Experts noted that the upgraded Type 039C features a “mushroom head” command tower casing, and its unique inclined surfaces serve as stealth defense to reduce the “signal strength” detected by enemy active sonar. In submarine design, the trend of incorporating stealthy inclined surfaces is gaining popularity, as seen in Sweden’s A-26 class submarine and Germany’s next-generation Type 212CD class submarine.
Military commentator Chen Guangwen pointed out that this submarine can be considered China’s most advanced AIP submarine and possibly the world’s first stealth submarine, given its highly stealthy casing.
It is reported that the first Type 039C submarine entered service with the East Sea Fleet in 2022, and two more may be delivered this year.
Some believe that the Type 039C can carry torpedoes and the YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile with a range of up to 550 kilometers, making it China’s future main force for underwater operations in the Western Pacific.
Reports indicate that, considering the development of a blue-water navy, the focus of the Chinese navy has been on nuclear submarines. However, progress in the construction of traditional conventional submarines has not been neglected.
After completing the shipbuilding plan for the Type 039B, production was temporarily halted. However, after a brief hiatus, a large number of the latest Type 039C AIP submarines were simultaneously produced at the Wuhan and Jiangnan shipyards.
Compared to the Type 039B, the most significant external feature of the Type 039C is the presence of three white bars on the casing, along with the introduction of the world’s first stealthy casing.
As China’s latest and advanced conventional submarine, the Type 039C incorporates a range of state-of-the-art detection, noise reduction, and propulsion technologies, making it one of China’s, and possibly the world’s, most advanced conventional submarines.
While China has made significant progress in nuclear submarines, there is still a slight gap with the world’s most advanced technology, particularly in the field of nuclear reactor noise reduction.
The Type 039C AIP submarine differs significantly, primarily in four aspects:
1. It utilizes an AIP power system with a total power of up to 150 kilowatts, enabling it to cruise underwater at speeds surpassing the “Blue Dragon” class, with a submerged endurance of nearly three weeks in low-noise conditions.
2. It is equipped with world-leading multi-line array flank sonars on both sides of the hull, known as the “underwater Aegis,” offering greater detection range and precision compared to global counterparts.
3. It is the first globally to apply a “covered acoustic tile with multiple angled casing” technology, significantly reducing the reflection of active sonar echoes from opponents, providing maximum self-protection.
4. It carries China’s leading long-range anti-ship cruise missile, the YJ-18, with a range that allows it to launch attacks beyond the defense range of carrier battle groups, making it China’s underwater anti-carrier assassin.
With these four cutting-edge technologies, the Type 039C AIP submarine can rightfully be considered one of the world’s most advanced conventional submarines, a view widely accepted by most military experts globally.
Analysts suggest that the Type 039C AIP submarine’s formidable underwater combat capabilities, including anti-ship, anti-submarine, land-attack, and mine-laying blockade, make it a versatile tool capable of operations in the Western Pacific, especially within the first and second island chains.
For instance, the recent high-profile deployment of U.S. nuclear submarines to Korea is expected to make them the primary targets for the Type 039C AIP submarine—note the use of “interception” or “invitation,” a long-practiced tactic of the Chinese navy.
It would be a mistake to assume that advanced conventional submarines cannot deal with nuclear submarines; times have changed. Of course, dealing with Japan’s “Soryu” class and “Taigei” class will likely be among its responsibilities!
