Open-source naval analysts have identified the roughly 200-metre vessel being built at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai as potentially serving as a mothership for large underwater vehicles operated without crews.
A large internal hangar, a lifting cradle and an opening at the stern are visible in satellite imagery. Together, these features could allow the ship to carry, maintain, launch and recover several vehicles designated extra-extra-large underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs) operated without crews.
The vessel’s intended role has not been confirmed by the Chinese military or Hudong-Zhonghua. It has been publicly linked to an order for Russian Fishery Company and planned transport operations on Russia’s Kama River, although analysts say its configuration appears more consistent with a specialised support ship.
“By far the most plausible explanation is that it’s a special drone submarine mothership,” naval historian H.I. Sutton said in his analysis. However, Alessandro Arduino, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told The Independent that the imagery did not prove this assessment, but made it difficult to dismiss.
The vessel is approximately 200 metres long and 27 metres wide. Its general arrangement is similar that of an amphibious landing ship; however, the opening at the stern appears to be above a lifting well with no bottom, rather than a conventional enclosed well deck.
While in the dry dock, the cradle behind the vessel appears narrow enough to pass through the stern opening. Twelve vertical lifting arms could lower the frame beneath the hull, allowing an underwater vehicle to be put into the water or brought back aboard.
Sutton estimated that the stern handling area is about 55 metres long. A hangar forward of it measures approximately 95 by 17 metres and extends several decks high, providing covered space for two to four XXLUUVs or more numerous smaller vehicles.
The separate hangar and lifting position would allow one vehicle to be handled while others remain dry for maintenance. China has previously used floating docks to support large underwater vehicles, but those docks generally carry one vehicle and must flood for launch or recovery.
