09III/09IV (093/094) Nuclear Submarine Thread

[Blitzo]

This:

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Not sure where H I Sutton got his info from though.

As far as I know there is no significant evidence of that, and the original idea was that 09III had an arrangement similar to Victor III with tandem reactors.

 

[Lime]

IMO, 09IIIB is just a test model which may not be produced much.
Its old power system limited further development.
Its VLS and shroud propeller can be seen as technical test for 09V.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Yes it has been, but I suspect most people didn't see it the first time around when it was posted, so that's fine.

Understood.

In a previous post by lyman2003 on Weibo via @tphuang early last month, the VLS luanch tubes on the 093B should be the large diameter (1.3 meters) VLS launch tubes that can house and launch AShBMs and/or AShHMs.

This relates to the following - Recall this 12-meter diameter circular hull section spotted at Bohai from late-October last year:


These 2 tubes definitely aren't the typical VLS missile tubes we identify to be present on many SSNs. Even the 1.3 meter-diameter VLS launch tubes for the 093B is much smaller than the 2 tubes right here.

I believe that there are only two probable explanations regarding the presence of the 2 large tubes inside the 12-meter diameter circular hull section:
1. Some kind of housing units for the Chinese (though smaller) counterpart to the Virginia SSN's Virginia Payload Module (VPM) on the sole 095 SSN expected for construction; or
2. Launch tubes for the JL-2A SLBMs for the two 094B SSBNs expected for construction.

Personally, I think the latter option is more likely.

 

[Blitzo]

Understood. In a previous post by lyman2003 on Weibo via @tphuang early last month, those VLS on the 093B should be the large diameter (1.3 meters) VLS launch tubes that would launch AShBMs and/or AShHMs.

I don't trust everything that lyman says without reservations. In fact I personally don't include his statements as something I read to begin with.

Then, recall this 12-meter diameter circular hull section spotted at Bohai from late-October last year:
View attachment 106483

I believe that there are only two possibilities to explain the presence of the 2 large tubes inside the hull section:
1. Some kind of housing unit for the Chinese counterpart to the Virginia SSN's Virginia Payload Module (VPM) on the sole 095 SSN expected for construction; or
2. Launch tubes for the JL-2A SLBMs for the two 094B SSBNs expected for construction.

You missed a third possibility -- that those aren't tubes at all, and they're just decks, which the shadow cast by the sun makes it resemble a tube.

In any case I don't think there's a reason to get too excited or read too much into that particular module.
In fact, I would say that trying to individually allocate/associate potential nuclear sub hull modules with a particular submarine that it may be for, is a bit of a fruitless task at this stage.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

I don't trust everything that lyman says without reservations. In fact I personally don't include his statements as something I read to begin with.

Alright then.

You missed a third possibility -- that those aren't tubes at all, and they're just decks, which the shadow cast by the sun makes it resemble a tube.

In any case I don't think there's a reason to get too excited or read too much into that particular module.
In fact, I would say that trying to individually allocate/associate potential nuclear sub hull modules with a particular submarine that it may be for, is a bit of a fruitless task at this stage.

Now looking back at the photo, I think your possibility is the more accurate one.

 

[Maikeru]

Sanya recently. 5 x 094 & 1 x 93. From @ben_reuterIMINT

 

[tphuang]

Sanya recently. 5 x 094 & 1 x 93. From @ben_reuterIMINT

View attachment 107711

That's a sight. Don't think we have ever seen that many 094s together. Don't they still have one in north sea fleet?

 

[zbb]

How often do Chinese SSBNs go on patrols? I guess they still don't have regular strategic deterrence patrols since there are 5 x 094 in dock at the same time in Sanya.

 

[A.Man]

How often do Chinese SSBNs go on patrols? I guess they still don't have regular strategic deterrence patrols since there are 5 x 094 in dock at the same time in Sanya.

It was a statement: SSN's are out, and we will play.

 

[henrik]

How often do Chinese SSBNs go on patrols? I guess they still don't have regular strategic deterrence patrols since there are 5 x 094 in dock at the same time in Sanya.

They don't let you see all of them at the same time.