Yuan Class AIP & Kilo Submarine Thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
antiterror13
Brigadier
Yuan class is already fitted with YJ-18, not sure about Song
039C is like Yuan II and is expected much more advanced
Song can use YJ-83. So can the original Type 09III.
What I have heard from HI Sutton is that, it is difficult to fire supersonic and hypersonic missiles through torpedo tubes (because of size?), and that is why only the Russians have mastered that capability with VLS cells on board the Oscars and the Yasens. Other countries, like the US, also has VLS cells on nuclear subs, but they don't have a dedicated anti-ship supersonic missile.
The Song and Yuan classes do fire cruise missiles from torpedo tubes, but these are YJ-83 and YJ-18 with subsonic speed (except YJ-18 turns supersonic in the terminal phase).
The US aspect is not because of difficulty but simply because they have neglected AShM development for a very long time. New systems are coming online in the next few years including supersonic and perhaps hypersonic elements, and these will be fired from both VLS and tubes. Traditionally Western/NATO countries have relied on Harpoon for far too long and are just now fixing that. Sorry for OT, but I thought that's worth clarifying.
