The Type 039 submarine (
NATO reporting name
NATO uses a system of code names, called reporting names, to denote military aircraft and other equipment used by post-Soviet states, former Warsaw Pact countries, China, and other countries. The system assists military communications by providi ...
: Song-class) is a class of
diesel-electric submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
s of the
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...
. The class is the first diesel-electric submarine to be made in China and also the first Chinese made diesel-electric submarine to use the
teardrop hull
A teardrop hull is a submarine hull design which emphasizes submerged performance over surfaced performance. It was somewhat commonly used in the early stages of submarine development, but was gradually abandoned in the early 20th century in favo ...
shape. Altogether thirteen vessels were completed to the ''Song'' Class design between 1999 and 2006, with three variants as the type developed.
Design
The submarines resemble the Russian Kilo class submarines which China operates. The submarine uses a modern teardrop-shape hull for underwater performance. The hull incorporates four rudders and is propelled by a single propeller. The engine is imported from
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. For quieter operation, the engine was mounted with shock absorbers and the hull is plated in rubber tiles for sound deadening. Development was not without problems, as a lengthy testing period for the first vessel (''320'') attests. Problems with noise levels and underwater performance led to revisions in the design and only a single boat was ever built to the original specification.
Improvements led to the specification for the ''Type 039G'', which became the bulk of production, with five of the type entering service, followed by seven of a slightly improved. Elimination of the stepped design for the conning tower is the primary visual cue for identification of the G variant.
This class has three versions: the original Type 039 (only the prototype, commissioned 1999, and bearing the hull number ''Changcheng 320''; Type 039G (five vessels commissioned 2001 to 2004, bearing the hull numbers ''Changcheng 321'' to ''Changcheng 325''); and the improved Type 039G1 (three vessels commissioned 2003 to 2005, bearing the hull numbers ''Changcheng 314'' to ''Changcheng 316'', and four vessels commissioned 2006, bearing the hull numbers ''Changcheng 326'' to ''Changcheng 329''). Hull numbers 315, 316, 320 to 323, 327 and 328 are active with the North Sea Fleet, 324, 325 and 314 with the East Sea Fleet, and 326 and 329 with the South Sea Fleet.
[''Jane's Fighting Ships'', 2023-24 Edition, ISBN 978-0-7106-3428 3, page 135.]
The most obvious visual difference between the first two variants is the conning tower. The ''Type 039''s conning tower is stepped, rising aft. In an effort to shrink the submarine's acoustic signature, the ''Type 039G''s conning tower was given a more conventional shape without any step.
Weapons
Primary weapon for the Type 039 is the 533 mm
Yu-4 torpedo
Yu-4 (鱼-4) torpedo is the Chinese development of the Russian SAET-50 ASuW passive acoustic homing torpedo, and it is the Russian SAET-50 torpedo incorporating active acoustic homing guidance. Yu-4 torpedo is often erroneously claimed by many so ...
, a locally produced passive homing torpedo based on the
SAET-50 and roughly comparable to the
SAET-60. Surface targets may be attacked at up to 15 km. Yu-6 wire-guided torpedoes may also be used for targeting submarines. It is also likely that the ''Type 039'' is capable of carrying the
YJ-8
The YJ-8 (; NATO reporting name: CSS-N-4 Sardine) is a Chinese air and surface-launched subsonic anti-ship cruise missile. It is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Third Academy.Gromley et al.: page 101 ...
missile, a
cruise missile
A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...
which can be launched from the same tube as the boat's torpedoes, and
can target surface vessels at up to 80 km. The missile is subsonic and carries a 165 kg warhead. For mining operations, in place of torpedoes, the submarine can carry 24 to 36
naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive weapon placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Similar to anti-personnel mine, anti-personnel and other land mines, and unlike purpose launched naval depth charges, they are ...
s, deliverable through the torpedo tubes. The general designer of the torpedo and missile launching system is Mr. Sun Zhuguo (孙柱国, 1937-), and the launching system is compatible with AShM, ASW, torpedoes of both China and Russian/Soviet origin.
Although ''Type 039'' has successfully test fired the
CY-1
The CY-1 (Chang Ying 长缨, ''Long Tassel'', often erroneously referred as ''Chian Yu'', 剑鱼, or ''Swordfish'') is a People's Republic of China, Chinese ASROC, anti-submarine rocket carried on a variety of surface platforms, including the Type ...
ASW Missile under water like the , the status of the missile is in question because nothing is heard about it entering mass production. The CY-1 ASW missile has a maximum range of 18 km (10 nm).
Sensors
The main sensor is the medium-frequency
sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects o ...
mounted in the bow of the submarine, with passive and active modes, which is used for both search and attack. In addition, the system offers a method of underwater communications, and also functions as a torpedo approach warning system. This sonar is the Chinese development of French
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market.
Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Hous ...
TSM-2233 sonar, and is capable of simultaneously tracking 4 to 12 targets depending on the function it is used for. To enhance passive search capabilities, a low frequency sonar of French
Thomson-CSF
Thomson-CSF was a French company that specialized in the development and manufacture of electronics with a heavy focus upon the aerospace and defence sectors of the market.
Thomson-CSF was formed in 1968 following the merger of Thomson-Hous ...
TSM-2255 design is mounted on the flanks of the hull, with a maximum range in excess of 30 km and capable of simultaneously tracking four targets. The system is further enhanced with the integration of a domestic Chinese passive ranging sonar on board, designated as H/SQG-04 sonar. For surface search, a small I-band radar is fitted.
This class is the first Chinese submarine to be fitted with an integrated
electronic support measures
In military telecommunications, electronic support (ES) or electronic support measures (ESM) gather intelligence through passive "listening" to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. They are an aspect of electronic warfare involving ...
/
radio direction finder
Direction finding (DF), radio direction finding (RDF), or radiogoniometry is the use of radio waves to determine the direction to a radio source. The source may be a cooperating radio transmitter or may be an inadvertent source, a natural ...
/
radar warning receiver
Radar warning receiver (RWR) systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected, like a fighter aircraft's fire control radar. The warning can ...
system designated as SRW209 Submarine Radar Reconnaissance Equipment, which works at S - Ku bands with 100% detection rate. The SRW209 is fully automatic and can be either operated by a single operator with a console with a color CRT (which can be replaced by LCD) display console, or linked to the combat data system, which is capable of tracking multiple targets.
Notable incidents
*On October 26, 2006, a Chinese ''Song'' class submarine "popped up" and "surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected" within of the carrier while she was operating in the East China Sea between Japan and Taiwan. It was spotted by an F/A-18C aviator and confirmed by the crew of an EA-6B from the ''Kitty Hawk''s Air Wing.
Export potential
* - China offered the 039 submarine for sale to Thailand in 2007. However, the Royal Thai Navy lacks the infrastructure to support submarine this time.
Thailand later ordered S26T submarine, an export version of the
Type 039A .
See also
*
People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force
The People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force (PLANSF) is the submarine service of the People's Liberation Army Navy. It consists of all types of submarines in operational service organized into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet, the East Se ...
*
List of submarine classes in service
The list of submarine classes in service includes all submarine classes currently in service with navies or other armed forces worldwide. For surface combatants, see the list of naval ship classes in service.
Ballistic missile submarines
C ...
*
Hai Lung-class submarine
The ''Chien Lung'' ( zh, c=劍龍) class of submarine, also known as the ''Hai Lung'' (Sea Dragon) class, was manufactured in the Netherlands for Taiwan and is currently in service with its navy. They are a modified version of the Dutch Navy's ...
*
Harushio-class submarine
The ''Harushio'' class is a diesel-electric submarine class operated by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The design is an evolution from the being slightly larger and with better noise reduction. ''Asashio'', has been modified ...
*
Dolphin-class submarine
The ''Dolphin'' class () is a diesel-electric submarine developed in Israel and constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany, for the Israeli Navy's Shayetet 7 flotilla. The first boats of the class were based on the exp ...
*
Walrus-class submarine
The ''Walrus''-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy. The boats have been in service since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.
Background
In 1974, the Royal Netherlands Navy announ ...
*
Upholder/Victoria-class submarine
The ''Upholder''/''Victoria''-class submarines, also known as the Type 2400 (due to their displacement of 2,400 tonnes), are a Ship classification, class of Diesel-electric transmission, diesel-electric submarines built in the United Kingdom in ...
*
Collins-class submarine
The ''Collins''-class submarines are Australian-built diesel-electric submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ''Collins'' class takes its name from Australian Vice Admiral John Augustine Collins; each of the six submarines ...
*
Lada-class submarine
Lada class, Russian designation Project 677 ''Lada'' (, meaning "Lada", NATO reporting name St. Petersburg) is the new advanced class of diesel-electric attack submarine designed by the Russian Rubin Design Bureau. A program to develop a "fourth ...
*
S-80-class submarine
The S-80 Plus class (or ''Isaac Peral'' class) is a Spanish class of four submarines being built by the state-owned Spanish company Navantia at its Cartagena (Spain), Cartagena shipyard for the Spanish Navy. In common with other contemporary su ...
References
External links
Type 039 Song Class Diesel-Electric Submarines at sinodefense.com
{{Ship classes of the Chinese Navy
Submarine classes