New satellite images reveal China's next SSN design

New imagery exposes China's SSN design

Commercial satellite images of a Chinese shipyard have given open-source analysts their clearest look yet at Beijing's next nuclear-powered attack submarine, confirming two major design features for the first time¹.

Why it matters: Analysts previously had to infer the boat's stern design from partial, waterborne images; a dry-dock shot removed the guesswork and let two outlets independently confirm the same features from separate satellite passes days apart¹².

Driving the news:

• Vantor imagery from 1 September, analysed by Janes, shows the submarine in dry dock at the Bohai Shipyard in Huludao, revealing a shrouded pumpjet propulsor and an X-tail stern-plane arrangement, both firsts for a Chinese SSN¹.
• A second Vantor image obtained by The War Zone, taken 18 September, shows the same features and an obscured rectangular section aft of the sail that analysts believe will house a vertical launch system for cruise or hypersonic missiles².
• The design, widely referred to as the Type 095, builds on the Type 093B but adds the pumpjet and X-tail seen on China's newer Type 041 and an unnamed Jiangnan Shipyard design, suggesting the features are converging across China's next-generation submarine fleet².