The sinking of China’s advanced nuclear submarine in a naval yard earlier this year raises concerns about the country’s ability to build a navy capable of rivaling America’s maritime might. The incident occurred at a shipyard near Wuhan, where the Chinese Zhou-class, the first of its kind of nuclear-powered attack sub, went down in late May or early June. Despite the setback, China has continued to promote its “maritime superiority” in the South China Sea and possibly an invasion of Taiwan.
Nuclear submarines are advantageous due to their ability to run longer and at higher speeds than conventional subs, which China already operates. Attack submarines like the Zhou-class are designed to discreetly track and attack enemy ships, including US aircraft carrier groups, without detection. The sinking of this submarine could signal a new, more dangerous capability for China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN.
The incident likely involves China’s new fleet that was outlined in a Pentagon report last year on the country’s military power. This report claimed that China is developing new subs, naval ships, and aircraft carriers to counter the US and its allies in an event of a Taiwan invasion. Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery suggests that the submarine’s failure would represent “a real setback for China because the first ship in class basically sets the track for the ships to follow.
Delays caused by repairing this sunken submarine may hinder future production, and such issues are not unheard of. In the 1960s and 1970s, US and Soviet subs sank while docked. The incident was first flagged in July by Thomas Shugart, a former US submarine officer, who noticed strange actions at the Wuchang Shipyard.
It is still unclear why the submarine sank, if there were any casualties, or whether it was carrying nuclear fuel at the time. American officials informed the Wall Street Journal that there have been no signs of Chinese tests for radiation in the nearby water.
