China’s Type 09V nuclear submarine sighted at Huludao facility

Beijing: China's Type 09V submarine has been spotted for the first time in the launch bay at Huludao, outside the submarine yard Bohai Shipbuilding. The Type 09V, or 095, is a nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). It has been spotted for the first time via satellite imagery. This submarine is being seen as a milestone in China's aspirations to build a blue-water navy. This new submarine could increase tensions with India in the Indian Ocean and the United States in the Pacific. China already has the world's largest navy. Despite this, China is rapidly adding new warships and submarines to its naval fleet.

Get to know about the Type 09V submarine

According to a report in Naval News, satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 L2A dated February 9th showed a Type 09V submarine in the Huludao launch bay. Its overall length is approximately 110-115 meters. This figure is not much different from the previous Type 09III SSN. However, the new design is significantly wider than older submarines. Its estimated beam is 12 to 13 meters. Due to this dimension, it is estimated that China's new submarine will have a displacement of 9,000 to 10,000 tons.

Why is the Type 09V submarine dangerous?

The report states that the Type 09V submarine features a unique X-tail rudder arrangement with very large control surfaces. This configuration is a first for a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine. This arrangement is similar to the one previously seen on a different, newer, smaller design being laid down at Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan in 2024, which US officials and Western media have referred to as the "Type 041" or "Zhou-class."

Main Weapons of the Type 095 Submarine

Satellite imagery revealed an unfinished open compartment at the rear of the Type 095 submarine. It is believed to be a vertical launch system (VLS) for anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles. This is similar to China's previous Type 09IIIB submarine. The Type 09IIIB submarine featured 18 launchers in three-tiered arrangements for long-range anti-ship missiles (AShM) and land-attack cruise missiles (LACM). It is also believed that China is working on a reactor compartment in the rear open compartment of the Type 095 submarine.

Why are India and the United States a threat?

China views India in Asia and the United States in the world as the only two countries that can challenge its military capabilities. Consequently, China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities against these countries. It is believed that China's new nuclear submarine, the Type 09V, could play a major role in this mission. The Type 09V submarine can patrol from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. Being nuclear-powered, it can easily carry out long-range missions.