In February of this year, an unknown Chinese diesel-electric submarine got into the lenses of observers. According to the China Times information portal, most experts agree that this is a small submarine intended for export.
China ?? PLA new Export Variant submarine … will be given to Pakistan ??, Myanmar ?? and Thailand ?? @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/8sKDwVQQaX
— MORPHEOUS (@WilliamsonRonw) February 8, 2022
Experts note that the hull of the new submarine is smaller than that of diesel-electric submarines of the Yuan type (Type 039), whose length is 76 m. According to experts, the length of the new submarine does not exceed 50 m. In addition, they assume that it is a single-hull submarine, while the Type 039 design is double-hulled. Some experts suggest that we may be talking about a small diesel-electric submarine of the S600 type, the model of which China first presented at the Defense & Security exhibition in 2017. The external similarity of the submarines is also confirmed by the parameters: the length of the S600 hull is about 50 m, the displacement is 600 tons. Previously, it was assumed that submarines of this type would be equipped with air-independent power plants. The development was initially export-oriented, with Pakistan, Myanmar and Thailand among the potential customers.
The Chinese shipbuilding state Corporation CSIC (China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) has not yet commented on the images and videos that have appeared on the web.
