The head of US naval intelligence said that the Chinese navy has substantially increased its submarine production and may soon deploy a new type of submarine. This submarine would be capable of launching nuclear missiles from protected nearshore Chinese waters to strike large areas of the United States.
According to Bloomberg on the 3rd, US Office of Naval Intelligence chief Rear Admiral Brooks stated in a submission to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission that China's two new submarine types, Type 095 and Type 096, are "expected to enter service between the late 2020s and 2030s." This statement was prepared for a hearing scheduled for the 9th.
Brooks said these submarines will achieve major improvements in nuclear propulsion system design, sensor performance, weapons integration, and noise reduction technology.
Brooks pointed out that the Type 096 submarine is expected to be equipped with JL-4 nuclear missiles, "able to strike large areas of the US from protected nearshore Chinese waters." He added that this new capability fundamentally increases the credibility of China's strategic deterrence.
According to reports, Brooks' statement is currently the most complete, up-to-date, and unclassified overview of China's undersea capabilities.
The statement provides the US assessment of China's ramped-up production and rapid deployment of increasingly advanced technologies and notes that Beijing is continually