Setback for Beijing’s navy: China’s new hunter submarine sinks

A setback for Beijing’s navy
China’s new hunting submarine sinks

September 26, 2024, 8:13 pm

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China has been expanding its navy for some time. Now the country has to deal with a significant loss. Beijing’s new hunting submarine is sinking at a shipyard, according to a report.

According to a media report, China’s new nuclear-powered hunting submarine sank at a shipyard several months ago. According to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, US officials are describing the loss as a serious setback for one of the People’s Republic’s most important weapons programs. Accordingly, the incident occurred in late May or early June at the Wuchang Shipyard near Wuhan, located on the Yangtze River. The authorities allegedly covered up the accident.

It is unclear whether anyone died in the accident and whether the submarine was loaded with nuclear fuel during the sinking. The sunken Zhou-class submarine is the first of a new class of nuclear-powered submarines and is characterized by an X-shaped stern, intended to make the vessel more maneuverable, the paper writes. Satellite images show an underwater vehicle on a ship in the Yangtze River in late May. Further photos from early June show large floating cranes on site to retrieve the sunken submarine from the riverbank.

“It’s no surprise that the People’s Liberation Army Navy is trying to hide the fact that its new, first nuclear-powered warship sank in the docks,” a senior US official told the newspaper. “In addition to obvious questions about training standards and the quality of equipment, the incident raises deeper questions about the People’s Liberation Army’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense ministry, which has been plagued by chronic corruption.”

According to the WSJ, China is moving ahead with the expansion of its navy, including its submarine fleet. With this move, Beijing is trying to exert political and military pressure on Taiwan. According to a Pentagon report released last year, the country had 48 diesel-powered warships and six nuclear-powered warships by the end of 2022. Accordingly, Beijing is trying to develop new models to thwart the US from coming to the island’s aid in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Hunter submarines are primarily designed to sink other submarines.