STARTLING satellite images show that China is building the world’s first mothership capable of deploying state-of-the-art submarine drones.
The vessel – spotted at a Shanghai dockyard – can carry up to four huge autonomous subs that could blow competitors out of the water.
Intimidating satellite pics show China is building a new submarine drone mothership Credit: Vantor
It comes after satellite images last year revealed that China was creating top secret 148ft submarine drones to carry weapons thousands of miles.
Images taken by US defence company Vantor show a red vessel under construction at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard.
Sign up for The Jattvibe newsletter
Thank you!
China has previously used the dock to build large amphibious assault warships.
It is the first known country to have developed an uncrewed submarine this large, with Beijing coining the term extra-extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle (XXLUUV).
STAR WARS
US deploys SPACE weapons for first time ever in warning to Russia and China
RED MENACE
China ‘can bring UK to a complete STANDSTILL with weapons of mass disruption’
H I Sutton, an underwater defence expert, told Naval News: “The most plausible explanation is that it is a special drone submarine mothership.”
He estimated that, based on the ship’s size, it could probably carry around four of China’s top secret sub drones.
The sub drones, first revealed last January, are full-size uncrewed vessels being tested in the South China Sea off the island of Hainan.
They would be stored in an internal hangar in the new mothership, which Sutton said makes a “civilian or research explanation unconvincing”.
The state-of-the-art vessel has the capacity to carry four massive sub drones Credit: Vantor
China has historically managed to design and build submarines in secret Credit: AFP
Two types of the submarines have been observed so far – one is around 115ft and the larger is 148ft.
This makes them six to eight times larger than the American Orca extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV), which is only 51ft.
While little is known about China’s sub drones, Sutton said the American iteration can typically carry around eight heavyweight torpedoes.
The larger uncrewed sub, therefore, should be able to carry a greater payload over 10,000 nautical miles.
It was probably developed as a competitor to Orca, which has around a 6,500 nautical mile range and can be used for covert, long-range missions.
Britain has developed its own version, known as XV Excalibur, under Project Cetus.
The vessel is slightly smaller – measuring just 39ft – than the Orca and nearly four times smaller than the Chinese vehicle.
It also has a significantly shorter endurance, being able to travel up to 1,000 miles.
Satellite imagery from January 9, 2025 appears to show the new Chinese submarine Credit: X/@MT_Anderson
The Excalibur began underwater trials in July and is expected to be operational by 2028.
China’s new mothership appears to have a hangar built near the bow, which could be used to transport a helicopter.
Beijing is the world’s largest producer of warships by far and the latest addition to its impressive naval arsenal.
China is estimated to have a shipbuilding capacity at least 200 times greater than the US, and its fleet is more than double the size.
A key reason for this is China’s focus on naval supremacy, with its defence leaders believing the greatest threats are at sea.
Xi Jinping has been rapidly expanding his presence in the South China Sea, as an aggressive landgrab of Taiwan looms.
