Satellite images clearly show that 8-10 nuclear submarines are under construction in Huludao. No wonder the Pentagon is getting restless!
This place started with conventional submarines and later transitioned to nuclear submarine tasks. For decades, it has been the "cradle" of China's underwater nuclear force. The real breakthrough in production capacity came during a large-scale expansion from 2019 to 2022. This renovation was not just about adding a few workshops, but systematically adding core facilities such as dedicated manufacturing workshops and shipways. After the expansion, the factory area almost doubled, and the dry dock can now accommodate four new nuclear submarines side by side, simultaneously undergoing equipment installation and system integration.
From satellite imagery, we can see that the hull is being assembled on the open-air shipway, and multiple large sections are being welded in the distant workshop, with overhead cranes tracing busy arcs. This parallel work model has significantly shortened the construction cycle.
The most eye-catching feature in this satellite photo is the first vessel widely recognized as the Type 095 attack nuclear submarine. This vessel has already been moved out of the dry dock and is moored in the harbor for outfitting. Measurement data shows that the vessel is approximately 110 to 115 meters long, similar to the current 093 series, but its width has increased significantly to 12 to 13 meters. Don't underestimate these extra one or two meters; they mean more internal space, allowing for larger sonar arrays, more advanced combat systems, more missiles, and greater energy reserves.
Analysts outside believe that the Type 095 incorporates new technologies such as a single-hull structure, an X-shaped rudder, and a pump-jet propulsion system, which have significantly improved its stealth capabilities and overall combat effectiveness. Experts have compared it to the "underwater 055 destroyer," meaning its status in the nuclear submarine field is akin to that of the 055-type destroyer in surface ships.
A report published in February 2026 by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) pieced together a set of numbers that shocked the Western defense community using satellite images and open-source intelligence: between 2021 and 2025, China launched 10 nuclear-powered submarines, with a total displacement approaching 79,000 tons. During the same period, the United States launched 7 nuclear submarines, with a total displacement of about 55,500 tons.
In other words, the tonnage of submarines built by China in five years has already exceeded that of the United States. As of early 2026, China's active nuclear submarine fleet has stabilized at around 32 vessels, while Russia's operational nuclear submarines hover between 25 to 28. China's nuclear submarine count has risen to second place in the world, behind only the United States' 71 vessels.
A Pentagon analyst said in an internal meeting that if the Type 096 strategic nuclear submarine enters mass production, the situation would change dramatically. The U.S. magazine "The National Interest" stated that once China's new nuclear submarines are deployed in large numbers, their pressure on the U.S. could surpass that of Russia. Now the U.S. is forced to deploy about 60% of its attack nuclear submarines to the Western Pacific, and the Pentagon report admits that Chinese nuclear submarines have "significantly reduced" their maritime superiority.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857792971025412/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.