China is growing as a maritime power and is refocusing their efforts on underwater warfare. Over 30 new submarines have been purchased by the Chinese navy over the last ten years. Diesel-powered attack boats, the SSBNs, are the latest. They have long-range offensive strike capabilities. The latest submarines are quieter than their predecessors and use less energy.
New type of diesel powered attack submarine
According to reports, China's navy is putting together a new type of diesel-powered attack submarine. This boat features a unique sail design that could increase stealth. A photo from the report shows sailors eating and handing over a Type 039 submarine.
The Type 039C Yuan will have four German MTU diesel engines and a new cylindrical bow-mounted sonar system. This vessel is expected be able track enemy ships and protect People's Liberation Army Navy plane carrier battlegroups. It also is expected to feature air independent power, or AIP, which allows the ship to cruise longer and recharge its batteries. The Chinese navy currently has the largest fleet of AIP submarines.
Long-range offensive strikes capabilities
China's navy is investing large in its submarine fleet with the goal of increasing their offensive capabilities. But in order to maintain its credibility, the SSBNs must be survivable. Although Beijing has made great efforts to make its nuclear submarines more resilient, there are still many challenges.
The Chinese Navy currently has 41 modern diesel submarines. The majority of them are equipped both with cruise missiles as well as torpedoes. These submarines can strike targets on the surface at distances up to ten to twenty-miles, far beyond the detection range of the vessel's sensors.
Bastion strategy
The bastion strategy is an approach to submarine deployment that the Chinese government has not yet officially acknowledged, but many military analysts believe Beijing has been systematically implementing it. The northern and central parts of the South China Sea are sufficiently deep to house large nuclear submarines. The water's salt content, temperature and composition make them sound-resistant. This is good news for Chinese SSBNs. You can also receive surface and aerial protection from the submarines.
To defend its nuclear submarine fleet, the Soviet Union employed a "bastion" strategy during the Cold War. The bastion concept refers to an area that is heavily patrolled and surrounded by friendly shorelines. For the Soviet Union the Sea of Okhotsk & Barents Sea were used as bastions for their submarine ships. This strategy is still very important for both the Russian Northern Fleet and the Pacific Fleet.