China - Yuan Class Diesel-Electric Submarine

The Type 039A/B, codenamed Yuan Class by the NATO, is a new type of non-nuclear submarine introduced by the PLA Navy in 2004. The submarine was built by Wuchang Shipyard in the inland Hubei Province. The Type 039A is reportedly China’s first submarine to be incorporated with an advanced air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which enhances the submarine’s underwater performance and reduce its vulnerability to detention.

The Yuan Class appears to be a mixture of Chinese indigenous designs and Russian influence, with four diving planes and a single large shaft. The teardrop shaped hull and large sail suggest heavy Kilo influence. A pair of foreplanes are positioned in the middle of the sail. The hull of the submarine is covered with rubber anti-sonar protection tiles to reduce the risk of detection.

It was reported that the Yuan Class was equipped with an indigenously-developed AIP system, which allows the submarine to remain submerged on battery at slow speed for days or even weeks without having to surface to recharge batteries. The tactical flexibility, small size, and inherent stealth of such a system offers conventional diesel-electric submarines a remarkable increase in capability, making them dangerous threat to conventional and even nuclear submarines. It is believed that the AIP system used by the Type 039A may be a 100 kilowatt Stirling-cycle heat engines with external combustion design, developed by the 717 Institute of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC).

The submarine has six 533mm bow torpedo tubes (2 above, 4 below), which can launch a range of Chinese indigenous or Russian wire-/acoustic-/wake-homing torpedoes, as well as the 80km-range YJ-82 submarine-launched anti-ship missile. For mine warfare missions, the submarine can carry 18~24 mines in its torpedo tubes.

The first-of-class hull No. 330 was launched on 31 May 2004, but its commission may have been delayed due to technical difficulties. Construction of the second hull began in 2006 and the submarine was launched in 2007. The two boats differ in the sail design and water holes arrangement.