Deutsche Welle reported that China’s new generation submarine research and development plan has attracted widespread international attention. According to the latest research report, China’s new submarine will have ultra-high stealth technology, which poses a huge challenge to the ability of the United States and its allies to track and monitor the submarine.
China is expected to put into use the Type 096 ballistic missile submarine in 2030. This submarine has made a major breakthrough in silent technology, thanks in part to Russian technical support. A report from the U.S. Naval War College pointed out that the Type 096 submarine will be comparable to Russia’s most advanced submarines in terms of stealth, sensors and weapons equipment.
In addition, China’s Type 094 submarine has been performing patrol missions in the South China Sea, but it is noisy. In comparison, the Type 096 submarine will have a larger hull and may use a “raft” device similar to Russian technology to further improve its stealth performance.
The United States and its Indo-Pacific allies have expressed deep concern about China’s new submarine technology. To address this challenge, the United States is undertaking the largest update of its undersea surveillance network since the 1950s. In addition, the United States, Britain and Australia have also signed the “Australia, Britain and the United States Trilateral Security Partnership” (AUKUS) and plan to increase the deployment of submarines in Western Australia.
Experts believe that although China’s submarine technology is advancing rapidly, further training and practice are needed to reach a level comparable to AUKUS. At the same time, Kashin of the Moscow Higher School of Economics pointed out that China may have acquired some of Russia’s core technologies, but it is unlikely to have the latest generation of technologies.
China’s new submarine technology will have a profound impact on the maritime strategic pattern in the Indo-Pacific region. Countries must re-evaluate their naval deployment and anti-submarine strategies to deal with this new challenge.
Source : Rti
