New Chinese Ballistic Missile Submarine Spotted

[satcom]

Hi, I found this on the FAS website.

.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/07/new_chinese_ballistic_missile.php




By Hans M. Kristensen

A new satellite image appears to have captured China's new ballistic missile submarine.

A commercial satellite image appears to have captured China's new nuclear ballistic missile submarine. The new class, known as the Jin-class or Type 094, is expected to replace the unsuccessful Xia-class (Type 092) of a single boat built in the early 1980s.

The new submarine was photographed by the commercial Quickbird satellite in late 2006 and the image is freely available on the Google Earth web site.

A Comparison of SSBN Dimensions

Two satellite images are now available (see figure below) that clearly show two missile submarines with different dimensions. One image from 2005 shows what is believed to be the Xia-class (Type 092) SSBN in drydock at the Jianggezhuang Submarine Base approximately 14 miles east of Qingdao. The submarine is approximately 390 feet (120 meters) long of which the missile compartment makes up roughly 80 feet (25 meters). Twelve missile launch tubes are clearly visible.

The second image from late 2006 shows what appears to be the new Jin-class (Type 094) SSBN moored at the Xiaopingdao Submarine Base south of Dalian, approximately 193 miles north of Qingdao. The Jin-class appears to be approximately 35 feet (10 meters) longer than the Xia-class SSBN, primarily due to an extended mid-section of approximately 115 feet (35 meters) that houses the missile launch tubes and part of the reactor compartment.

Xia- and Jin-Class SSBN Comparison

These two commercial satellite images of the old Xia-class SSBN (top) and the new Jin-class SSBN show the different major compartments. The Jin-class appears to be approximately 35 feet (10 meters) longer with an extended missile compartment. Both images view the submarines from a "eye-altitude" of approximately 500 feet (152 meters).

The extended missile compartment of the Jin-class seems seems intended to accommodate the Julang-2 sea-launched ballistic missile, which is larger than the Julang-1 deployed on the Xia-class. Part of the extension may also be related to the size of the reactor compartment. The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence estimated in 2004 that the Jin-class, like the Xia-class, will have 12 missiles launch tubes (see figure below). Other non-governmental sources frequently claim the submarine will have 16 tubes. The satellite image is not of high enough resolution to show the hatches to the missile launch tubes.

Estimated Jin-Class SSBN Layout

The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence estimated in 2004 (bottom) that the Jin-class SSBN would have 12 missiles.

The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence estimated in December 2006 that China might build five Jin-class SSBNs. The estimate has been widely cited by non-governmental institutes and some news media as a fact, but the Pentagon's annual report on China's military forces from May 2007 did not repeat the estimate

 

[cheetah]

The Jin-class is about 35 feet longer than the Xia-class SSBN, "primarily due to an extended mid-section of approximately 115 feet (35 meters) that houses the missile launch tubes and part of the reactor compartment," according to the report.

 

[nero]

The Jin-class is about 35 feet longer than the Xia-class SSBN, "primarily due to an extended mid-section of approximately 115 feet (35 meters) that houses the missile launch tubes and part of the reactor compartment," according to the report.

How does the JIN-class submarine compare with the AMUR-class subs of russia ??


.

 

[contedicavour]

How does the JIN-class submarine compare with the AMUR-class subs of russia ??


.

Amur is a SSK, hardly comparable with a much larger SSBN...

I'd love to know which performance the new "Julang2" ICBM (or IRBM) has (especially range) and who helped with the building. The size is still much smaller than the latest Russian SSBN (Delta IV, Typhoon, Dolgoruki)

cheers

 

[nero]

Rsm-54

Amur is a SSK, hardly comparable with a much larger SSBN...

I'd love to know which performance the new "Julang2" ICBM (or IRBM) has (especially range) and who helped with the building. The size is still much smaller than the latest Russian SSBN (Delta IV, Typhoon, Dolgoruki)

cheers

.


so, what i heard was true after all !

the JIN-class is armed with the chinese version of the RSM-54 missile of russia.

how does the RSM-54 compare with the DF-31 missiles??

any idea ??


how many torpedoes can the JIN-class carry ?? 18?? 22 ? 28?

please provide a ballpark figure if possible


cheers!!




.

 

[govahnator]

Silly contedicavour,

the basic performance specs of the Julang-2 are all over the web. Have you been living under a rock? As for who helped build the Julang-2, that's a strange and funny question. It is built by some secret institute within the Chinese strategic forces establishment, of course. If you want the name or number of the institute(s), they are of course not available to the public.

 

[kickars]

.so, what i heard was true after all ! the JIN-class is armed with the chinese version of the RSM-54 missile of russia. how does the RSM-54 compare with the DF-31 missiles??.

Who told you JIN-Class uses Chinese version of the Russian RSM-54? Julang-2 has nothing to do with Russian made RSM-54. It's basically an improved Julang-1.

And also that Google Earth photo is just an improved version of 092 that PLAN received at the beginning of the 21st century. It's suppose to be a test bed for 094 (but not the base, the base of 094 is 093). There's no way PLAN just left its latest 094 in the open. In fact, this top view photo is at exactly the same place as the photo somebody took on the last PLA's day (01/08/2006), which was a side view of this sub (I'm sure you can find the photo on the web). And at that time people already identified it as an improved 092 (two 092s in total, the first one is the original one with a new coat of black paint, the second one is based on the first one but much improved).

But again everything we are talking about here are not official. Coz PLAN has never released any official details of its nuclear subs (not even the old 091s).

 

[ahussains]

well chinees are going with a nice speed to upgrade there force ... and to dominate in the area .. nice Work

 

[contedicavour]

Ok ok sorry I should have done some more internet homework...

This is what I found :
China is in the process of developing a follow-on, the Julang-2 (JL-2/CSS-N-4) submarine launched ballistic missile. The JL-2 is reported to be a three-stage solid fuel missile with a range of over 4,000 nautical miles. It is derived from the DF-23 road-mobile, solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile (which was later named the DF-31). China successfully test fired the rocket engine for the missile at the end of 1983 and flight tested the land variant (DF-31) of the missile in May 1995 for the second time. According to one report, the test flight included multiple reentry vehicles, suggesting the missile will carry multiple warheads. It is estimated the warheads will yield 200-300 kilotons each. With these missiles, China will be able, for first time, to target parts of the United States from submarines operating near the Chinese coast.

At 4000 nm range is still well below latest ICBMs...

cheers

 

[speed651]

Although some information actually is wrong, it is still a Great analysis made by western country people.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Although some information actually is wrong, it is still a Great analysis made by western country people.

speed651.

Please make the effort to comment further. Participation is furthered by meaningful debate - it does not prosper on "throw away lines"

Make the effort to address and support your comments. The above comment by you makes no attempt to provide your own supporting statements and is therefore not of a quality of engagement that we expect in here.

I have already edited one of your other posts. As such, this is additional and thus constitutes a warning.

http://defencetalk.com/forums/rules.php

 

[link16]

Admin: Text deleted. Please refer to Forum Rules on posting discipline before posting any future comments.

One liners that do not contribute to the debate or can't be supported as part of prev posts are not permitted.

Thanks in Adv.

 

[Izzy1]

govahnator

The publicly available chinese sources have already given the range of the basic version as 8,810 km. Now, you do the math converting it to miles. But that original version is not even going to be deployed. Rather, more than one improved versions are already coming out that rival the longest range available. It looks like you get your research from those places that have a habitual mentality of living ten years in the past when "estimating" data about Chinese weapons systems. These places know even less than publications like Janes, which already depends most of its "analyses" on outdated guesses. And laughably, I have read from some of these "idiot tanks" that they still think the 094 can only carry 12 or 16 SLBMS. LOL! Just like the saying goes: "Old habits die hard" LOL!

Admin: First, you only have three posts on DT and already have had a warning. This is your second and last.

If your in any doubt, here are the rules, I suggest you read them:
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Thank You.

 

[Pathfinder-X]

Wow this one went downhill fast......

While the pros on the site may not always get it right on the mark, given the lack of available information even to their industry, they opinions are valued because some of them are involved in this field. Even if the opinion you disagree is from an average poster, you should make your counter-argument instead of throwing insults. Personal attacks are one of the traits of 12 years olds, and certainly not tolerated on DT.

Personally I agree with the opinion that the 094 Jin Class may not be an advanced SSBN by any means, but it's China's first usable SSBN.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Personally I agree with the opinion that the 094 Jin Class may not be an advanced SSBN by any means, but it's China's first usable SSBN.

Exactly, the notion that the PLAN should demonstrate contemp capability by coming out with an equiv to seawolf/virginia/astute/triomphant at first cut is "a bit rich".

PLAN has already demonstrated that skimmer and boat development is an iterative process for them. the 094 is a continuation of that philosophy IMO.

 

[Pathfinder-X]

Exactly, the notion that the PLAN should demonstrate contemp capability by coming out with an equiv to seawolf/virginia/astute/triomphant at first cut is "a bit rich".

PLAN has already demonstrated that skimmer and boat development is an iterative process for them. the 094 is a continuation of that philosophy IMO.

There was an image on google earth that showed two 093 and one 094 docked in Dalian. It seems they are satisfied enough with the design they are actually committed to producing it, unlike the troublesome 091 and 092 projects.

 

[crobato]

The GE image of the alleged 094 sub does not match the design model that was shown in an interview of the 094's designer. You can find the pic here.

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php?t=920&page=33

http://mil.eastday.com/eastday/mil/node62186/node62671/node62673/node135714/images/00667539.jpg

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php?t=920&page=34

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5030/jinlr0.jpg

It is however consistent to the gold models of an enhanced Xia class.

The Chinese boomers are supposedly conversions of a parent SSN class. The Xia shares design elements of the Han class. The sub seen in GE is much more like the lengthened Xia rather than the what we expect of the 094, which should have at least a squared sail similar to the 093 as you can see with the sub model shown with the sub's designer.

In my opinion, the sub shown in GE, allegedly the 094, is actually an enhanced Xia class (092G) that is probably a test bed for future technologies and for JL-2 launching. The real 094 may still be somewhere.

 

[BlahBlahBlah1]

In my opinion, the sub shown in GE, allegedly the 094, is actually an enhanced Xia class (092G)

I highly doubt that everyone just missed China building another Xia...it's not easy to hide the money and resources going into a nuclear sub.

 

[contedicavour]

I highly doubt that everyone just missed China building another Xia...it's not easy to hide the money and resources going into a nuclear sub.

I remember reading old articles talking of a 2nd Xia under construction, but that was years ago. May be China did try but did not complete given the failure this SSBN is. However if China wants to build new SSBNs its options are quite limited : (i) evolved Xia or (ii) extend the SSN design which resembles the Soviet Victor III class or (iii) plead for Russian help to build some sort of adapted Delta boomer - though I doubt Russia is willing to sacrifice one of the areas where it still has a big superiority on China...

cheers

 

[BlahBlahBlah1]

plead for Russian help to build some sort of adapted Delta boomer - though I doubt Russia is willing to sacrifice one of the areas where it still has a big superiority on China...

With how things are going with US these days, I think it's an advantage for Russia if more and more nations holds better SSBNs...just so that ABMs are gonna get outnumbered.