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

Lime

Junior Member
Registered Member
IMO, 09IIIB is just a test model which may not be produced much.
Its old power system limited further development.
Its VLS and shroud propeller can be seen as technical test for 09V.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Colonel
Registered Member
Yes it has been, but I suspect most people didn't see it the first time around when it was posted, so that's fine.
Understood.

In a previous post by lyman2003 on Weibo via @tphuang early last month, the VLS luanch tubes on the 093B should be the large diameter (1.3 meters) VLS launch tubes that can house and launch AShBMs and/or AShHMs.

This relates to the following - Recall this 12-meter diameter circular hull section spotted at Bohai from late-October last year:
Fh8huuNX0AAcBXD.jpeg

These 2 tubes definitely aren't the typical VLS missile tubes we identify to be present on many SSNs. Even the 1.3 meter-diameter VLS launch tubes for the 093B is much smaller than the 2 tubes right here.

I believe that there are only two probable explanations regarding the presence of the 2 large tubes inside the 12-meter diameter circular hull section:
1. Some kind of housing units for the Chinese (though smaller) counterpart to the Virginia SSN's Virginia Payload Module (VPM) on the sole 095 SSN expected for construction; or
2. Launch tubes for the JL-2A SLBMs for the two 094B SSBNs expected for construction.

Personally, I think the latter option is more likely.
 
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Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Understood. In a previous post by lyman2003 on Weibo via @tphuang early last month, those VLS on the 093B should be the large diameter (1.3 meters) VLS launch tubes that would launch AShBMs and/or AShHMs.

I don't trust everything that lyman says without reservations. In fact I personally don't include his statements as something I read to begin with.

Then, recall this 12-meter diameter circular hull section spotted at Bohai from late-October last year:
View attachment 106483

I believe that there are only two possibilities to explain the presence of the 2 large tubes inside the hull section:
1. Some kind of housing unit for the Chinese counterpart to the Virginia SSN's Virginia Payload Module (VPM) on the sole 095 SSN expected for construction; or
2. Launch tubes for the JL-2A SLBMs for the two 094B SSBNs expected for construction.

You missed a third possibility -- that those aren't tubes at all, and they're just decks, which the shadow cast by the sun makes it resemble a tube.

In any case I don't think there's a reason to get too excited or read too much into that particular module.
In fact, I would say that trying to individually allocate/associate potential nuclear sub hull modules with a particular submarine that it may be for, is a bit of a fruitless task at this stage.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Colonel
Registered Member
I don't trust everything that lyman says without reservations. In fact I personally don't include his statements as something I read to begin with.
Alright then.

You missed a third possibility -- that those aren't tubes at all, and they're just decks, which the shadow cast by the sun makes it resemble a tube.

In any case I don't think there's a reason to get too excited or read too much into that particular module.
In fact, I would say that trying to individually allocate/associate potential nuclear sub hull modules with a particular submarine that it may be for, is a bit of a fruitless task at this stage.
Now looking back at the photo, I think your possibility is the more accurate one.
 

zbb

Junior Member
Registered Member
How often do Chinese SSBNs go on patrols? I guess they still don't have regular strategic deterrence patrols since there are 5 x 094 in dock at the same time in Sanya.
 

henrik

Senior Member
Registered Member
How often do Chinese SSBNs go on patrols? I guess they still don't have regular strategic deterrence patrols since there are 5 x 094 in dock at the same time in Sanya.

They don't let you see all of them at the same time.
 
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