China has unveiled the design of an unprecedented large unmanned diesel-electric drone submarine.

An online defense news report reports that the design is reconfigurable to perform various missions, including attacking enemy ships, minute laying, supporting special operations and serving as a mother ship for smaller unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) released the model of the “small special operations unmanned submarine” at the Zhuhai Airshow.

According to the product details, the drone submarine ranges in length from around 38 meters (124 feet) to 43 meters (141 feet), depending on its version and configuration.

The submarine is designed to operate at depths of 300 meters (984 ft) to 450 meters (1,476 ft). According to experts, the new submarine design may be linked to a CCSC prototype discovered in 2017.

Versatile submarine design

The drone boat model, unveiled by CSSC at the Zhuhai Airshow, features a streamlined design with a low-profile hump instead of a traditional sail.

According to The War Zone (TWZ), the cutaway model reveals a torpedo tube, central battery system, propulsion system driving a single unprotected stern propeller, and mission systems located in the bow. A collapsible mast, typical of large UUVs such as Boeing’s Orca, is located at the rear.

CSSC’s product card describes three configurations: Type A, which can carry 8–12 torpedoes or torpedo tube-launched missiles; Type B, which can support 6–8 special operations divers with their equipment; and Type C, which can carry either 8–12 mines or 4 large or several small UUVs.

The submarine’s length ranges from 124 to 141 feet (38 to 43 meters), and its surface displacement is between 380 tons (836,000 pounds) and 450 tons (990,000 pounds).

The design can dive to depths of 984–1,476 feet (300–450 meters). It reaches a maximum speed of 20 knots (23 mph) and cruises at 8 knots (9 mph) on the surface, with an underwater speed of 6 knots (7 mph). It can cover 3,000 nautical miles (3,452 miles) underwater and 10,000 nautical miles (11,507 miles) to the surface, both at a steady 6-knot (7 mph) pace.

Autonomous submarine potential

The autonomy envisioned for the CSSC’s new drone submarine remains uncertain. However, the product card highlights human interface capabilities via satellite communications and underwater acoustic links, with the mast on the model facilitating data transmission. Advanced autonomy would be essential for the proposed missions.

According to TWZthe design lacks clear features for acoustic or other signature reduction, as evidenced by the unprotected single propeller. The product card mentions the submarine’s potential for blockade operations, a strategy often linked to Taiwan and regularly practiced by the PLA. The Type B variant, specifically, is tailored for special operations raids.

This great, long endurance drone submarine can prove versatile for missions in coastal waters or open seas. Its potential to work independently would allow for extended underwater pilot lines, improving submarine presence and operational capabilities at lower costs. The submarines could also cooperate with manned fleets to enhance tactical advantages.

Progress on this ambitious design remains unclear, although signs point to significant progress. In 2018 CSSC’s JN yard had launched a new one Submarine design with a low-profile dorsal hump, confirmed by 2019 images. Naval analysts estimated the length of the design at 150 feet (45 meters), which is in line with the model recently displayed by the CSSC.