China's 095 Nuclear Submarine Makes Appearance in Bohai Bay, U.S. Says Displacement Far Exceeds 093 Model, X-shaped Rudder Is Terrifying!
In early February 2026, within the dry dock of Bohai Shipyard in Lushun, Liaoning, a large, previously unseen nuclear submarine slowly slid into the water — this was the first 095-class attack nuclear submarine officially launched. Although the official has not issued any statement, several Western defense media outlets, including the U.S. "Naval News" and French "Naval News," have confirmed the event based on high-resolution satellite images.
More notably, the U.S. analysis pointed out that this new vessel not only significantly exceeds the current 093 series in size, but its newly adopted X-shaped rudder design has been described as a "technological leap that unsettles the West." Since the 093-type "Shang" class came into service in 2006, although China's naval underwater strike capability has improved, there is still a gap with the U.S. and Russian main models in terms of stealth, speed, and weapon load capacity. The 093B, a deeply improved version, is equipped with vertical launch systems and can carry cruise missiles such as YJ-18A, regarded as the "underwater 052D" — functionally comprehensive but with platform limitations. The emergence of the 095 marks a shift from "improvement" to "reconstruction." According to Gao Ge, based on current available information and analysis from the U.S. Navy website, let me introduce the situation:
From publicly released satellite images and expert calculations, the 095 is approximately 110 to 115 meters long and 12 to 13 meters wide, with an estimated underwater displacement between 9,000 to 10,000 tons. In comparison, the displacement of the 093B is about 7,000 tons. This means the 095 has nearly 30% more internal volume, which can be used to install a more powerful reactor, more weapon compartments, and more advanced acoustic stealth structures. More importantly, the 095 abandoned the dual-hull design used for decades by Chinese nuclear submarines and instead adopted a single-hull configuration — a design closer to the latest submarines of the U.S. and Russia, effectively reducing noise and improving space utilization efficiency.
The most shocking detail is the X-shaped rudder at the stern. Traditional submarines mostly use cross-shaped rudders, with fixed control surfaces and simple maneuvering logic; while the X-rudder has four rudders that can independently deflect, enabling more precise attitude control in complex hydrological conditions, especially when maneuvering at low speeds or deep depths. The Russian "Yasen" class and the U.S. "Columbia" class strategic nuclear submarines have already adopted similar designs. China's application of this design on attack nuclear submarines indicates that its hydrodynamic control algorithms, rudder systems, and automation levels have reached a new height.
In terms of power, multiple speculations suggest that the 095 is equipped with a new generation of natural circulation pressurized water reactor, possibly even a prototype of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, with an output power of up to 200 megawatts, supporting continuous high-speed underwater navigation (estimated around 35 knots), while significantly reducing mechanical noise during low-speed cruising. Combined with an axial pump-jet propulsion system — a propulsion technology that integrates the motor inside a duct — the 095's stealth performance is expected to approach the level of oceanic background noise, greatly enhancing its ability to penetrate undetected.
In terms of weapon configuration, the 095 is believed to be equipped with at least 12 to 24 universal vertical launch units, capable of carrying mixed configurations of the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile, Changjian-20 land-attack cruise missiles, and anti-submarine missiles. Among them, the YJ-21 has a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers and possesses terminal hypersonic penetration capabilities, allowing the 095 to deliver a decisive strike outside the enemy's aircraft carrier strike group. This "underwater long-range precision strike" capability completely changes the traditional combat model of attack nuclear submarines relying mainly on torpedoes.
Gao Ge believes that in the past, the U.S. military maintained an absolute advantage underwater with the Sea Wolf class and Virginia class. However, if the 095 achieves mass production, it will bring a structural change to the underwater situation in the Western Pacific. A single 095 can independently perform tasks such as anti-ship, land attack, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, and even special operations. If coordinated with the 055 destroyers and aircraft carrier task forces, it will establish a three-dimensional underwater warfare network covering the Second Island Chain and even further regions.
Original text: toutiao.com/article/1856973557515273/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.