China is Building "Ghost Vessels" That Can Submerge and Launch Surprise Attacks

China's aircraft carrier battle groups need a complete set of escort vessels, including unmanned vessels

Image caption: Chinese submarine

According to information from the U.S. military media publication "Military Watch Magazine," a new type of unmanned missile vessel has started construction at the Huangpu Shipyard (located in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province). This vessel aims to enhance the navy's striking capabilities.

The analysts from "Military Watch Magazine" are more interested in the potential of this unique project rather than its specific details — it is considered a revolutionary product in its field.

This is the first unmanned missile vessel in the history of the Chinese Navy, seen as a significant potential supplement to the current strength of China's aircraft carrier battle groups and destroyers, and capable of undertaking a wide range of functional tasks.

Furthermore, the developers have sufficient reasons to believe that due to the unmanned design, there is no need to carry and support crew members, allowing the missile carrying capacity per unit displacement of the vessel to be significantly increased, thereby maximizing its combat effectiveness.

The satellite images of the equipment available to "Military Watch Magazine" enable it to make a relatively objective judgment about its size and shape.

Specifically, the vessel has a slender hull, resembling a submarine, with a length of approximately 65 meters, and three-body-style external supports on the stern. Additionally, through detailed analysis of its shape and dimensions, it can be inferred that a vertical launch system for long-range cruise missiles may be installed below the upper deck.

Not surprisingly, this new shipbuilding project in China is being advanced under highly confidential conditions. Therefore, the hull and other structural components of the unmanned vessel are covered with thick tarps. Despite this, by analyzing information from open sources, it is still possible to determine that this vessel is capable of achieving a high speed.

Its ability to submerge underwater allows it to avoid attacks from missiles and drones, significantly enhancing the survivability of the unmanned vessel. Additionally, this feature can minimize the risk of detection during long-distance navigation.

In February of this year, a simulation exercise conducted by the 701 Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and Huazhong University of Science and Technology confirmed the practical application value of the unmanned missile vessel.

In the exercise, the Chinese Navy's 055-class destroyer successfully counteracted eight U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with the support of only two "stealth vessels."

Moreover, the simulation demonstration also intuitively showed that the unmanned missile vessel can take on the functions of numerous small unmanned boats and drones, which can be controlled by the main command center of the 055-class destroyer.

Although the equipment developed by Chinese engineers is expected to have a series of unique features, it is at least premature to call it "without any similar products in the world."

Recently, the United States has announced that it will advance its own unmanned missile vessel development program to support its destroyer fleet.

It should be noted that the U.S. military-industrial complex does not need to start from scratch. Currently, the U.S. Navy already has a number of distinctive platforms and design concepts, including semi-submersible unmanned vessels, which can carry heavy payloads.

For example, the "Mantas T-12" (meaning "Sea Demon") stealth unmanned equipment developed by Maritime Tactical Systems is a typical example, with the following performance parameters:

  • Length: 3.61 meters
  • Width: 9.15 meters
  • Height: 0.36 meters
  • Weight: 95 kilograms
  • Draft depth: 0.18 meters
  • Payload weight: 63.5 kilograms

Previously, such an unmanned drone was found on a circular bay beach near the Sevastopol Naval Base of the Russian Navy.

Evidently, the "Mantas T-12" unmanned equipment is actively participating in the operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Black Sea area.

The technologies and design concepts used in the development of this platform could potentially become the foundation for the U.S. unmanned missile vessel development project to support its destroyer fleet.

Incidentally, according to expert predictions, by the mid-2030s, the number of destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy will exceed that of the U.S. Navy.

At the same time, China is focusing on developing more advanced vessels, which accordingly requires hundreds of unmanned missile vessels to perform auxiliary functions.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569917677062373915/

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