A Chinese military journal has described the People’s Liberation Army’s latest underwater unmanned systems as “disruptive” and highlighted their intelligent capabilities.
According to Ordnance Industry Science Technology, the unmanned submersibles showcased during the large-scale military parade held in Beijing on September 3 possessed “zero-radius turning manoeuvrability”, enabling them to “operate with ease in complex maritime environments”.
An author writing in the journal’s latest issue identified only as Tang Yi stated that the unmanned systems operated below 90 decibels to evade enemy sonar detection.
In addition, the equipment can be integrated with “submarine-launched missiles, smart mines and even mother-daughter unmanned underwater vehicles”, according to the article, “forming a multilayered strike network”.
Last month’s parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II saw the PLA showcase a range of cutting-edge weaponry, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles, drones and carrier-based aircraft.
The PLA Navy displayed new unmanned submersibles, unmanned surface vessels and unmanned minelaying systems.
According to the Ordnance Industry Science Technology article, these underwater unmanned vehicles could form networks for coordinated operations and were “capable of covertly deploying to blockade critical shipping lanes, autonomously identifying targets and launching saturation attacks”.
The article also stated that the equipment would possess “exceptionally long endurance” and be paired with “underwater charging station technology”.
Media reports last year indicated that the Russian navy was developing underwater charging stations for unmanned submersibles. China has yet to disclose similar plans.
The article quoted a naval commander as saying that these assets “enhance the offensive capabilities of minelaying blockades and elevate anti-torpedo defence effectiveness, thereby redefining the rules of modern naval warfare”.
The article also pointed out the advanced intelligence capabilities of these naval unmanned assets, stating they could form “three-dimensional coordination” with unmanned surface vessels and aerial drones through artificial intelligence.
Specifically, the unmanned surface vessels could utilise an “autonomous decision-making system” to identify targets and assess threats in complex maritime conditions, it said.
Swarms of the vessels “may reshape the rules of maritime confrontation, becoming a pivotal variable in the contest for sea control”.
Such new equipment would “provide fresh impetus for safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, while presenting new challenges and opportunities for global maritime security governance”, the article added.
As for the AJX002 unmanned minelaying system, it would “sever enemy maritime lifelines through asymmetric warfare, becoming a deep-sea bastion for upholding national maritime rights and interests”.
The torpedo-shaped AJX002 measures 18 to 20 metres (59 to 65 feet) in length and is powered by a pump-jet propulsion system. It looks similar to the Russian Poseidon nuclear torpedo, but whether it is nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered is not known.
The article hailed the intelligence of the minelaying system as “revolutionary” and said multiple AJX002 units could form a distributed combat network through “underwater communication relays and data-sharing protocols”.
As a result, the system would create “intelligent minefields covering vast maritime areas”.
It would also “achieve highly effective blockade operations at minimal cost” and “leverage the stealth capabilities of unmanned underwater vehicles in the process”.
The article quoted unnamed military experts as saying that deploying such equipment “represents not merely a technological breakthrough but a reconfiguration of the very concept of maritime dominance”.
China aims to become a formidable blue-water naval power by 2035, amid speculation that it may have a total of six aircraft carriers by that time.
Such resources would be pivotal in the event of armed conflict across the Taiwan Strait to support amphibious operations and counter potential US intervention.
Military analysts previously said the weapons systems showcased at last month’s military parade underscored Beijing’s heightened focus on safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty, as well as its capability of opposing any secessionist ambitions.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
