The Yuan-class is a NATO reporting name. In recent years, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has been busy building attack subs. These large-sized, conventional submarines are very similar to those of the Russian Kilo-class. They can operate in deep water in the near-seas. They are also capable of operating in deep water areas and near-seas, making them very effective antiship cruise missile platforms.
There are three types Yuan-class submarines. Each model has a different sail type. They are called Type 039A, Type 039C, and Type 041. The first version was manufactured at Wuhan Shipyard. Rumours abound that the second Yuan may be in construction. These vessels will join the fleet of PLAN by 2028.
According to Chinese-language Internet, 77.2 meters is the overall length of the new Yuan. The beam is larger than that of the Song class. The optronic masts and periscopes on the new boats are much more effective that the rubber tiles used in earlier vessels.
The Type-035 Ming Class submarines had their aft cases modified around 2010. A chined upper sail was added to the sail. A towed array sounder is also available on vessels of the Chinese Navy. In the future, it is possible that the Yuan class will be equipped with long-range antisubmarine ballistic missiles.
The Yuan-class was recently assessed by the US Naval Institute as an anti-ship cruise-missile platform. They also assessed their ability to operate under water and at sea. They found that the submarine's AIP was capable of keeping it submerged for at least two weeks. They also found that the submarine could carry small missiles out. The C-802 long-range cruise missile, which can travel up to 180 km, is fitted to the submarine.
Holst wrongly stated that Yuan-class submarines were equipped with the C-802 ASCM in his essay. While Holst claims that the submarines were built with this weapon, the US intelligence community requires that any submarine carrying a missile have dedicated launchers. The Yuanclass is thought to have two or more Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), meaning that the submarine does NOT need to have its own oxygen supply. AIP systems are also capable of allowing modern SSKs to stay submerged up to four weeks.
Chinese Navy has a long tradition of building submarines. China has constructed thirteen Type 039A subs. Four more are expected by 2023. China's Type 039A submarine was launched in 2005. It was built by Wuhan Shipyard. Sea trials were completed in 2006. However, there is still no reliable information about the other variants.
China's Yuan-class submarines had been exported to Thailand (Pakistan) and Myanmar (as of July 2010). China plans to purchase eight additional submarines for its own navy. It is expected that the Chinese Navy will be equipped with at least 25 Yuan Class submarines by 2025.