Overview
- Rear Adm. Michael Brookes testified that by 2040 China’s undersea force may credibly challenge U.S. regional maritime dominance.
- U.S. projections put China’s fleet at roughly 70 submarines by 2027 and about 80 by 2035, with around half expected to be nuclear-powered.
- Investments at multiple shipyards have lifted nuclear-sub production from less than one boat per year to significantly higher rates, enabling sustained growth into the 2030s.
- New capabilities include Type 093B attack boats with 24 vertical launch cells, and development of Type 095 guided‑missile and Type 096 ballistic‑missile submarines, with the latter expected to carry JL‑4 missiles reaching large portions of the U.S. from protected waters.
- China is expanding undersea surveillance with satellite‑linked buoys, UUVs, and sonar arrays to monitor key waterways, while U.S. submarine leaders call for more unmanned systems, larger payload capacity, and greater readiness to counter the threat.