09III/09IV (093/094) Nuclear Submarine Thread
- Thread starter SinoSoldier
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Which Dock? The old Western dry dock near the fitting out piers, or the new Eastern drydock near the new assembly halls with the blue launch barge?
Likely just a zoomed-in satellite imagery of a 093B SSN at pier from 3 months ago. Posted by @牧是家 on Weibo.
This could be the 8th or 9th Type 093B? That on top of around six original 093 and 093A?
According to several analysts, between seven and eight Type 093B submarines have been built in just the past three years, a production rate that exceeds the number of attack submarines China has constructed over the past three decades.
We don't know. This SSN was spotted at the Sanya 3 months ago. She could be any of the spotted 8x 093B boats.
China will not match US SSN numbers because they will also maintain a large SSK fleet for first island Chain scenario. SSKs are much cheaper, quiter and more suitable for closer to shore cases and choke points. China is only building its SSN fleet now cause China overall is shifting its strategy to focus on both the 1st island Chain domination and blue water capabilities. That's why its starting to build more carriers, bigger destroyers and now SSNs
Whats stopping PLAN from having both a comparable nuclear fleet while maintaining a large conventional fleet? China is the largest exporting nation and also a large importer, most of these goods are transported via ships, making sure these routes stay open even in war time is important. IMO its logical for PLAN to maintain a large fleet of advanced SSN to contest USN superiority in true blue water.
Sometime ago, the PLAN has already announced that their subsurface fleet will move towards a dual conventional-nuclear fleet + emphasis/focus on nuclear-powered submarines.
This means that there will/should be more SSNs and SSBNs than SSKs in the PLAN subsurface fleet in the coming years.
In the meantime, whether the SSK-N (which would be much more superior than SSKs in the latter's present-day roles and missions) will be counted as part of the conventional fleet or the nuclear fleet is another question. Howevet, given the absolute lack of information and updates on the SSK-N's progress, the very existence of the SSK-N is still very much up in the air at this point.
This means that there will/should be more SSNs and SSBNs than SSKs in the PLAN subsurface fleet in the coming years.
In the meantime, whether the SSK-N (which would be much more superior than SSKs in the latter's present-day roles and missions) will be counted as part of the conventional fleet or the nuclear fleet is another question. Howevet, given the absolute lack of information and updates on the SSK-N's progress, the very existence of the SSK-N is still very much up in the air at this point.
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I expect China to eventually build a larger Navy than the US, which will include SSNs.
After all, China is a larger seaborne trading nation and derives greater benefit from international trade, and can't rely on the US to protect the sealanes.