Rumoured "mini-nuke/diesel" Submarine SSK-N(?) thread

[TK3600]

The game changer is coming. First batch and already 4. Rest assured if the early batch is 4, normal batch will be dozen or more! Nuclear submarine with quantity and stealth of SSK.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

@鎏鎏岁月 on Weibo has claimed that the bidding process for components of the first circulation system (一回路) (of what could be the nuclear propulsion system/nuclear engine) for the rumored SSK-N (tentatively designated 041-class) has began. Said components are scheduled for delivery to Jiangnan in November this year.

 

[Totoro]

That would suggest that the new longer conventional sub with x tails that we saw - does not have a nuclear power generating pack.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

So that's why this is the decade when underwater balance of power might really change.

first you need those mini-nukes because then your lower cost fleet can spend more time at sea and need to be dealt with.

Then you can as many attack subs sailing around as possible so they can get more time outside of first island chain.

It is one thing to have 7 subs and only 1 or 2 can leave the port at a time. It's quite another thing to have 25 and 8 of them are out at patrol.

Honestly pondering about the eventual compositions of the proper SSNs versus the "mini-nuke" SSKNs in the PLAN's subsurface fleet, especially with the recent acknowledgement that the PLAN will put forth greater focus on the development of the nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Will there be more SSNs than SSKNs, or will there be more SSKNs than SSNs? And how large should the PLAN's eventual overall underwater fleet be (excluding UUVs)?

 

[tphuang]

Honestly pondering about the eventual compositions of the proper SSNs versus the "mini-nuke" SSKNs in the PLAN's subsurface fleet, especially with the recent acknowledgement that the PLAN will put forth greater focus on the development of the nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Will there be more SSNs than SSKNs, or will there be more SSKNs than SSNs? And how large should the PLAN's eventual overall underwater fleet be (excluding UUVs)?

that would be hard to say. I'm hoping conventional subs go away if they have something like mini-nuke. And if they can get the noise level manageable.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

that would be hard to say. I'm hoping conventional subs go away if they have something like mini-nuke. And if they can get the noise level manageable.

A 3 tier fleet isn't that bad.

SSKs have application in super shallow littoral < 50 m ie Yellow Sea and some strait. Here it's all about numbers and maneuverability. Even North Korean SSKs have proved themselves in this regime and would be extremely foolish to discard this capability against adversary SSKs that slip past the net.

 

[tphuang]

A 3 tier fleet isn't that bad.

SSKs have application in super shallow littoral < 50 m ie Yellow Sea and some strait. Here it's all about numbers and maneuverability. Even North Korean SSKs have proved themselves in this regime and would be extremely foolish to discard this capability against adversary SSKs that slip past the net.

Maybe you don't need to get rid of them in the near future. But longer term, I don't see why you would want diesel subs. They are just so limited and can basically only be used for ambush against USN. You can't really have them outside of first island chain. Operationally, they are just so limited.

 

[blindsight]

Maybe you don't need to get rid of them in the near future. But longer term, I don't see why you would want diesel subs. They are just so limited and can basically only be used for ambush against USN. You can't really have them outside of first island chain. Operationally, they are just so limited.

Mini-nukes will be useful though. So why not just make them modular? You can always keep the mini-nukes exclusively for PLAN but conventional variants tailored for export.

 

[FairAndUnbiased]

Maybe you don't need to get rid of them in the near future. But longer term, I don't see why you would want diesel subs. They are just so limited and can basically only be used for ambush against USN. You can't really have them outside of first island chain. Operationally, they are just so limited.

Russians keep SSKs even though they have SSNs, for the Baltic and Black Seas.

Likewise we can't assume SK or Japan are going anywhere.

 

[tphuang]

Russians keep SSKs even though they have SSNs, for the Baltic and Black Seas.

Likewise we can't assume SK or Japan are going anywhere.

I would hope we are not going to Russians as guidance on what smart strategies are.

Mini-nukes will be useful though. So why not just make them modular? You can always keep the mini-nukes exclusively for PLAN but conventional variants tailored for export.

Maybe UUVs for export? I'm not sure if mini-nukes will be use Yuan sized hull like some have said.