Chinese Submarine That Sunk Had Exotic Hybrid Nuclear Powerplant: Report
3rd October 2024
The mysterious Chinese submarine that apparently sunk in a shipyard earlier this year was the first of a new class featuring a hybrid nuclear/conventional propulsion system, according to a new report. The latest development in the saga of the Type 041 Zhou class submarine would seem to clear up some of the previous uncertainty about the boat as well as signal that China is working on novel solutions for its fast-growing underwater fleet.
In a recent report citing unnamed defense officials, the Washington Times notes that the Type 041 “employs both conventional and nuclear propulsion,” specifically, “a small nuclear reactor” in addition to a conventional powerplant.
When the Type 041 was first identified in Wuchang Shipyard, it was assessed as being one of the Type 039A series boats, also known in the West as the Yuan class or a variant of it. The Type 039A is the first Chinese submarine with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, which greatly increases the time that it can remain submerged and makes it harder to detect, compared with traditional conventionally powered subs.