First Virginia took around 1 year and a half to be commissioned post launch while Seawolf took two years. So soonest we can except the first 09V to be comissioned in mid-2027 and latest some time in early 2028. Although that is just IOC, FOC will probably take a while longer.
Seems strange they'll go with a two tiered system especially when the lower end is already handled by SSKs leaving only high end missions to SSNs of which you'd probably want the best for those anyways.
There is quite a bit of rumors that 09V is using EM VLS cells instead of conventional gas propelled ones, there is also a patent somewhere
雷弹 means 鱼雷torpedo and 导弹missile, must be torpedo tube not VLS, that's a standard terminology.
Is there anything from the grapevine about this? I use the 052D/055 analogy in that I don't really see a single hull clean sheet successor to the 09IIIB much like we don't see a clean sheet destroyer in the 052D's weight class. I could see a 09IIIC or 09IIIB Pro Max that keeps the double hull architecture while iterating with improved technology from the 09V program (even fundamental tech like the reactor, much like the 052D is getting a new generation of gas turbines).