Huang Xuhua, father of Chinese nuclear submarine, has passed away on Feb 6, 2025 at Wuhan at the age of 99. He was born when China was in its darkest moment, he passed away when China is in its brightest moment, and he contributed to the strengthening of the national defence.

Launch of SSN 401 in Dec 26, 1970.

Launch of SSN 402.

Launch of SSN 404 on Mar 4,1988. Taken with Huang Xuhua.

Launch of SSN 405.

Launch of SSBN 406.

092 SSBN 406.

Launch of 093 SSN.

Launch of SSBN 094.

094 and 093 at Huludao.

093 SSN.

093A SSN 418.

093A SSN 419.

094A SSBN 421 enter service on Apr 23, 2022.

093A SSN.

Models of 093B and 094B.

To refresh your memory, I'm reposting following two pieces of info from previous PLAN thread.

According to satellite photos, the number of SSN 093B launched in Bohai shipyard tallied as follow. The SSN launch rate has increased from 7.5 months to about 4 months, or 3 SSN launch in a year. With 12 building bays for SSN and 8 for SSBN, Bohai shipyard capacity is estimated at 3 to 4 SSN per year and 1.5 to 2 SSBN per year. Total six 093B has been launched between May 2022 and Jul 2024 in the span of approx 2 years. At this rate, from 2025 to 2030, Huludao can launch 18 more SSN/SSBN.

If I’m not being conservative, based on table 3 below, Bohai shipyard is capable of building 3-4 SSN per year and 1.5 to 2 SSBN per year, totaling 4.5 to 6 SSN/SSBN per year. Then in 6 years Bohai shipyard is capable of building 27 to 36 SSN/SSBN.

Comparison of Bohai shipyard against other SSN/SSBN shipyard in US, Russia and UK. Notice the number of building bays in Bohai shipyard is 20 against 22 of the other four foreign shipyards combined, not counting the old facility in Bohai shipyard.

A pretty reliable source said this is the 8th 093B seen ready to launch this year at Huludao. The 7th was launched in Nov 2024. This is the last boat of the current SSN order. The next batch of SSN order will be of larger boat (095?) and the number is said to be much higher than the current batch. It's said if the 093B is equivalent to 052D, the new boats will be equivalent to 055. PLAN is entering the SSN/SSBN era.

So my personal estimate on the number of SSN/SSBN is as follow. Based on SSBN 421 entered service in Apr 2022, the first 093B launched in May 2022, and the six 091/092 have retired.

Assume SSBN 421 was launched a year before it enter service in Apr 2021. Between Apr 2021 to May 2022, only two SSN were launched. So by the time the first 093B was launched in May 2022, there're 23 - 6 = 17 SSN/SSBN of 093/093A/094/094A class. By Feb 2025, the batch of 8 093B/094B have launched, bringing the total to 17 + 8 = 25. From Feb 2025 to Dec 2030, another 17 095/096 will be built. By the end of 2030, I estimate PLAN would field around 25 + 17 = 42 SSN/SSBN. The ratio of SSN to SSBN said, is 3:1, so around 32 SSN to 10 SSBN. An equivalent number of SSK, if not more, would operate within the first island chain. Note that I’m making conservative estimation here.

PLAN will field a mixture of SSK and SSN, but the mainstay will be SSN. What this PLAN officer said is literally official statement.

Two SSN 093B. As can be seen, each has 2 x 12 VLS tubes.

Launch of another 093B. It's said four can be seen outside Huludao, and four inside.

Electromagnetic railgun test platform can be seen near the site.