09III/09IV (093/094) Nuclear Submarine Thread

[Totoro]

Basis for speculation is flimsy but it's still not worse than 50-50 percent probability. US DOD report to Congress had mentioned 095 previously. But in last report they mentioned the same time table as before yet replaced 095 with 093b.

That doesn't have to mean much of course. But it is certainly plausible that the project some people were calling 095 is actually going to be named 093b. And that first subs coming out of the new facility will be 093b. That doesn't mean we won't see 095 some day. But it may mean that name will be given to another design. Perhaps one to come out of the said facility after 2025.

 

[gelgoog]

I remember seeing a model of the next generation nuclear attack submarine on the web some time back and it looked pretty conventional. Still if this is it, it looks like a pretty underwhelming upgrade, taking into consideration what other nuclear powers have. China would be better off buying some Akulas.

The UK, with a much smaller defense budget, has the Astute class which looks like 3 generations better than this submarine.

 

[taxiya]

It's unlikely that 09-V wouldn't use a pump-jet.

but how would you tell whether pump-jet is used by looking at the photos? You can't. So back to the point, you can't tell the class of what you are seeing.

More importantly, having AIP did not make a 040 class, so having a pump-jet will not necessarily make a new class.

 

[Iron Man]

The other thing to consider is that a "09B" could be dramatically different from a "093A", and that the 093 variants we have been seeing recently are all some kind of "A" variant, including the ugly looking one in post #1926. In other words "093B" may be nothing more than "095" with another name.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

but how would you tell whether pump-jet is used by looking at the photos? You can't. So back to the point, you can't tell the class of what you are seeing.

One of the pictures @SinoSoldier posted was of a model with a skewback propeller. From what was visible above the water line, the model and the submarine look identical - so I conclude that they look identical under the water line.

More importantly, having AIP did not make a 040 class, so having a pump-jet will not necessarily make a new class.

Having a pump-jet is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a new class. Honestly, if this is the best China's submarine yards can come up with these days then the situation is deeply problematic.

 

[azesus]

It's the whole manufacturing supply chain doctrine principle that makes a new class, 093 concept started during late 80's when China was still dirt poor, and then having iterations as China gradually became wealthier. 093A short hump squeezed in a new reactor design and therefore is seemed out of place, 093B long hump have VLS, 095 is completely new design from scratch and won't have a hump using CAE(Computer Aided Engineering) with every nail and screw communicated database with all the supply chain

 

[Iron Man]

It's the whole manufacturing supply chain doctrine principle that makes a new class, 093 concept started during late 80's when China was still dirt poor, and then having iterations as China gradually became wealthier. 093A short hump squeezed in a new reactor design and therefore is seemed out of place, 093B long hump have VLS, 095 is completely new design from scratch and won't have a hump using CAE(Computer Aided Engineering) with every nail and screw communicated database with all the supply chain

There is no evidence of any kind of VLS on any 093 variant.

 

[SinoSoldier]

There is no evidence of any kind of VLS on any 093 variant.

POP3 seems to believe that there is on the 09IIIB.

 

[Iron Man]

POP3 seems to believe that there is on the 09IIIB.

And what does he mean by "09IIB"? The 093 on the last page? The one that everyone is saying is the "095"? What is the exact quote from POP3? Without a common frame of reference nobody knows what anyone else is talking about.

 

[SinoSoldier]

And what does he mean by "09IIB"? The 093 on the last page? The one that everyone is saying is the "095"? What is the exact quote from POP3? Without a common frame of reference nobody knows what anyone else is talking about.

The exact quote is that the 09IIIB can carry vertically-launched anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles. He used the designation "09IIIB", but obviously whether that is the same boat as the rumored "09V" is a question for many, myself included.