The Type 096 (
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 ...
:
Tang class)
[https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7860661] is a projected class of
nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) for China's
People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force. The submarine is expected to begin construction in the early 2020s and be armed with the
JL-3 SLBM.
Recent analysis deduced that China is on track to complete the first Type 096 and make it operational before the end of the decade.
Specifications and details
The Type 096 will be compared to the most modern Chinese submarines in terms of stealth, sensors and weapons. The capabilities of the Type 096 is speculated to be a significant jump to its predecessors, which would flip the balance in the
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a vast biogeographic region of Earth. In a narrow sense, sometimes known as the Indo-West Pacific or Indo-Pacific Asia, it comprises the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the ...
.
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.
The vessel is also speculated to be significantly larger than the old
Type 094 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.
See also
*
People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force
References
Submarines of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Submarine classes
Ballistic missile submarines
Nuclear program of the People's Republic of China
Nuclear-powered submarines
Nuclear submarines of the Chinese Navy
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