A recently revealed Chinese submarine, speculated to carry hypersonic missiles, signals a significant shift in naval deterrence strategy amid escalating regional military activity.
While the PLA has not confirmed the development of this larger submarine class, a report in Naval & Merchant Ships, a publication owned by China State Shipbuilding Corporation, describes its design and capabilities, indirectly confirming its existence and purpose.
New Chinese submarine could respond to US missile threat
A report published earlier this month suggests the submarine is meant to strengthen China’s naval power in response to the increasing foreign military presence in the region. It highlights the US deployment of Typhon missile launchers on Luzon Island in the Philippines during a joint exercise last April. These launchers can fire long-range multipurpose missiles capable of striking targets in China, Russia, and North Korea, the South China Morning Post reported.
According to the report, the new submarine is capable of carrying advanced hypersonic missiles, allowing for covert strikes beyond enemy defenses and the option to deploy nuclear warheads if needed. Working with other military forces, it will help deter enemy carrier groups and bases within the first island chain.
The first island chain, which runs from Japan to the Philippines, is a key part of US strategy and a crucial defensive barrier against the PLA. The report suggests that China’s new submarine, whether operating alone or in small groups, could force enemy forces to spread out, creating an asymmetrical deterrent. This approach, it says, would give China’s main forces a decisive advantage in firepower and manpower, increasing their chances of victory in key operational zones.
Satellite images first spotted the new submarine at a Wuhan shipyard in mid-2024. It appears to incorporate advanced technologies, including a vertical launch system (VLS) for cruise and anti-ship ballistic missiles, as well as an X-shaped tail fin for better agility and stability.
Beijing criticizes US Typhon missile systems in the Philippines
During wartime, the submarine could perform some roles of nuclear submarines, including saturation attacks on surface ships and long-range precision strikes on land targets, such as US missile defense systems in the northern Philippines.
Beijing has consistently criticized the US deployment of Typhon launchers on Luzon Island, calling for their removal and labeling the system as “a strategic asset and an offensive weapon.”
The US is also negotiating the deployment of Typhon systems in Japan, Germany, and Denmark as part of a broader strategy to “deter by denial” – aiming to block key passages into and out of the western Pacific to counter China when necessary.
To counter military actions near its borders, the Chinese navy has significantly expanded its strategic and tactical weapons, emphasizing long-range, covert, and precise strikes against enemy homelands and overseas bases.
The air-independent propulsion system could prove especially useful in the disputed South China Sea, which has an average depth of over 3,900 feet and complex underwater features like islands, reefs, and deep trenches, creating a challenging but strategically valuable environment for stealth operations.