Type 096 submarine
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Type 096 |
| Operators |  People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceded by | Type 094 submarine |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | SSBN |
| Displacement | 20,000 tons (submerged) |
| Propulsion | Nuclear reactor |
| Armament | JL-3 SLBMs (?) |
The Type 096 (NATO reporting name: Tang class) is a projected class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) for China's People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force. The submarine was expected to begin construction in the early 2020s and be armed with the JL-3 SLBM.[1][2]
Recent analysis deduced that China is on track to complete the first Type 096 and make it operational before the end of the decade.[3] Type 096 submarine is believed to improve China's undersea second strike capability.[4][5]
The submarine is believed to have similar acoustic quieting technology used in Russia's Akula-class submarine.[6]
Specifications and details
[edit]The Type 096 will be the most modern Chinese submarines in terms of stealth, sensors and weapons. The capabilities of the Type 096 are speculated to be a significant jump to its predecessors, which would flip the balance in the Indo-Pacific.[3] In November 2023, satellite imagery on the Huludao shipyard showed pressure hull sections for a large submarine being worked up, which was then stated to likely be the Type 096 in early construction.[3] The vessel is also speculated to be significantly larger than the old Type 094, estimated to displace 20,000 tons when fully submerged,[7] and follows a design similar to that of Russia's; allowing it to contain an internal raft mounted on complex rubber supports that helps dampen the noise of the submarine's engines.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "United States Office of the Secretary of Defense: Annual Report To Congress 2017" (PDF). Department of Defense. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 28, 2017.
- ↑ "2021 Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" (PDF). Department of Defense. p. 49.
- 1 2 3 4 Greg Torode. "Inside Asia's arms race: China near 'breakthroughs' with nuclear-armed submarines, report says". Reuters.
- ↑ Roblin, Sebastien (March 15, 2021). "Second-Strike: China's Jin-Class Nuclear Submarine Is Ready to Nuke". The National Interest. Archived from the original on April 1, 2026. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ↑ Erickson, Andrew S. (2 March 2026). "Statement for the Record—U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission Hearing—"Part of Your World: U.S.-China Competition Under the Sea"". Retrieved 2026-03-22.
- ↑ "China is gaining troubling military know-how from Russia". The Economist. 23 July 2026. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ Tamim, Baba. "China's advancement in stealth submarine 'a nightmare' for US and allies". Interesting Engineering. Retrieved 2026-03-22.
 | This article related to nuclear weaponry is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
 | This submarine-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
 | This article related to the military of China is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |