Nuclear submarines are amongst the most complex and maintenance-heavy platforms ever made globally. They require capable bases with robust repair and maintenance facilities to ensure that they are combat-capable throughout their commissioned lives. While existing Chinese bases have evolved and grown over the years, they will fall short in their ability to home-port this rapidly expanding fleet unless augmented substantially. This report examines existing Chinese nuclear submarine bases and makes a prognosis on how the capacity shortfall is likely to be mitigated in the coming years.
tirsdag 22. oktober 2024
China’s Nuclear Submarine Bases: A Stocktaking – Analysis
China’s nuclear submarine building programme is running on overdrive.[1] If China maintains its current pace of construction of 4.5 to six nuclear submarines per year for the next couple of decades, the number of nuclear boats in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) inventory is set to swell substantially.
Nuclear submarines are amongst the most complex and maintenance-heavy platforms ever made globally. They require capable bases with robust repair and maintenance facilities to ensure that they are combat-capable throughout their commissioned lives. While existing Chinese bases have evolved and grown over the years, they will fall short in their ability to home-port this rapidly expanding fleet unless augmented substantially. This report examines existing Chinese nuclear submarine bases and makes a prognosis on how the capacity shortfall is likely to be mitigated in the coming years.
Nuclear submarines are amongst the most complex and maintenance-heavy platforms ever made globally. They require capable bases with robust repair and maintenance facilities to ensure that they are combat-capable throughout their commissioned lives. While existing Chinese bases have evolved and grown over the years, they will fall short in their ability to home-port this rapidly expanding fleet unless augmented substantially. This report examines existing Chinese nuclear submarine bases and makes a prognosis on how the capacity shortfall is likely to be mitigated in the coming years.
