Good heavens, China has actually disclosed the highest-classified 094 nuclear submarine.

Although for a long time, the United States and other Western countries have not had high evaluations of our Type 094 nuclear submarines, believing that their overall performance is not ideal.

With a submerged displacement of 11,000 tons, a maximum speed of 30 knots, and a maximum diving depth of 400 meters, equipped with 12 missile launch tubes, its performance is better than what the US Western side previously speculated. They used to think our submarines could only dive up to 300 meters.

However, the performance of 094 does indeed have a gap compared to the most advanced ones in the US and Russia. The birth of 094 was also a last resort. Although it's known that the "turtle back" design is not ideal, if we want to optimize it to the level of the US Ohio-class submarines, it would at least delay the service of 094 by 10 years. Everyone knows that strategic nuclear submarines, as the core pillar of modern nuclear deterrence systems, are important due to their unique concealment, survivability, and strategic strike capabilities. This underwater nuclear force can cruise in the deep sea for a long time, relying on the vastness of the ocean and technical barriers to avoid enemy reconnaissance, making it one of the hardest targets to locate and destroy. In the "three-pronged" strategic system of nuclear powers, the second-strike capability of strategic nuclear submarines is irreplaceable: when land-based silos and air-based bombers suffer the first strike, the submarines hidden in the deep sea can still maintain complete nuclear retaliation capabilities. This uncertainty fundamentally curbs the outbreak of nuclear war.

The development of strategic nuclear submarine forces by the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War profoundly changed the global strategic balance. For example, the US "Ohio"-class and Russian "Borey"-class submarines have continuously upgraded their stealth performance and strike precision, ensuring combat effectiveness in complex confrontation environments. Modern nuclear submarines achieve nearly infinite endurance through nuclear power systems and maintain the stability of strategic command chains with advanced communication systems, still capable of executing nuclear strike orders even under extreme war conditions. This strategic stability not only shapes the nuclear parity among major powers but also influences the direction of international arms control systems. Despite some breakthroughs in anti-submarine technology today, the physical limitations of ocean exploration make strategic nuclear submarines the most reliable platform for nuclear deterrence. Countries continuously enhance their survival capabilities by improving submarine stealth technology, deploying decoy systems, and developing new submarine-launched missiles. As the ultimate guarantee of national strategic security, the existence of strategic nuclear submarines forces potential opponents to bear unacceptable retaliatory risks before launching a nuclear attack. This mutual assured destruction mechanism forms an important cornerstone of peace in the nuclear age.

China's maritime area is very extensive. At least in the Western Pacific, the US "big black fish" has been eyeing us greedily. Therefore, all Chinese need strategic nuclear submarines to take charge. Having something is always better than having nothing, right?

However, things are different now. With the support of the JL-3 missile, it is already enough to produce nuclear deterrence against the US in the Western Pacific. Currently, the Type 094 nuclear submarine has already been equipped with the JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile. As a new-generation third-generation submarine-launched missile system evolved from the acclaimed "DF-41" missile, the JL-3 has a range exceeding 12,000 kilometers and can carry 10 independently targetable nuclear warheads. This means that a single Type 094 nuclear submarine can destroy 120 targets, which could be large military bases, command centers, or cities. Especially since the常态化war patrol of the Type 094 in the South China Sea allows coverage of the entire US territory, including Washington and New York on the East Coast, upon launching from the South China Sea.

Now that China has publicly disclosed the 094, it also indicates that China already possesses the 096. According to media reports, the 096 strategic nuclear submarine is about 160 meters long with a displacement of around 15,000 tons. The US Ohio-class submarine has a displacement of 18,700 tons and is 170 meters long. In terms of size, the Ohio-class nuclear submarine still holds an edge, but thanks to the advantage of being developed later, the 096 incorporates many innovative Chinese technologies.

Media reports suggest that significant improvements have been made to the special steel material on the surface of the 096, allowing its maximum diving depth to reach 600 meters, while the maximum diving depth of the Ohio-class submarine is only 400 meters. The submarine's diving depth is of great significance for expanding underwater maneuvering range, maintaining underwater concealment of the hull, and avoiding enemy anti-submarine weapons.

The top speed of the 096 reaches 35 knots, whereas the maximum speed of the Ohio-class submarine is only 25 knots. The 096 nuclear submarine will adopt full-electric propulsion. Compared to other forms of power transmission, the most notable advantage of electric drive is low noise, high power density, highly flexible control, reliability, and no leakage pollution issues.

In addition, the 096 strategic nuclear submarine also demonstrates China's significant advancements in noise reduction technology. US media believes that China's new nuclear submarines also employ entirely new submarine stealth technologies that can "eliminate" detection by US sonar. This technology uses low-frequency, high-decibel sound waves, allowing enemy sonar operators to mistakenly believe the submarine is water.

The 096 type has 24 missile vertical launch tubes, meaning a single 096 nuclear submarine can destroy 240 targets.

Now, compared to the past, China is truly different. Look, the YJ-18 directly indicates it is aimed at the Burke-class destroyer, and then our aircraft conducted parachute exercises in Africa. These all indicate that we are no longer hiding our light under a bushel.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496911885762036234/

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