The US Navy claims that a Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank during development. By Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell of The Associated Press September 28, 2024, 05:00 PM. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows what looks to be a sunken Chinese submarine at a shipyard near Wuhan, China, on June 15, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP). A senior US defence source said Thursday that satellite imagery revealed that China’s newest nuclear-powered assault submarine sank near a dock while still under construction. The sinking of China’s first Zhou-class submarine is a blow for Beijing as it seeks to develop the world’s largest navy. Beijing has become increasingly bold in pursuing its claim to almost the entire South China Sea, which is critical to international

China has long-standing territorial disputes with other countries in the region, notably Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The United States has pushed to enhance ties with its regional allies, and it often sails through those waters in operations that it claims safeguard the freedom of navigation for vessels there, angering Beijing. The submarine most likely sank between May and June, when satellite photographs revealed cranes needed to extract it from the river’s bottom, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the submarine’s loss. China has been rapidly expanding its naval fleet, and the United States sees China’s expansion as one of its most serious future security worries.

When asked about the matter at a news briefing in Beijing on Friday, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated that he was unfamiliar with it and did not provide any information. The US official said it was “not surprising” that China’s navy would hide it. The submarine’s current status remains unknown. The discovery of the sinking nuclear submarine was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal. Thomas Shugart, a former US Navy submariner and an analyst at the Centre for a New American Security, first noted the incident involving the submarine in July, but it wasn’t widely recognised at the time that it was the new Zhou-class craft.

The discovery of the sinking nuclear submarine was initially reported by The Wall Street Journal. Thomas Shugart, a former US Navy submariner and analyst at the Centre for a New American Security, first spotted the incident involving the submarine in July, but it was not widely recognised at the time that it included the new Zhou-class ship.

Navy Times logo The US Navy claims that a Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank during development. By Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell of The Associated Press September 28, 2024, 05:00 PM. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows what looks to be a sunken Chinese submarine at a shipyard near Wuhan, China, on June 15, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP). A senior US defence source said Thursday that satellite imagery revealed that China’s newest nuclear-powered assault submarine sank near a dock while still under construction. The sinking of China’s first Zhou-class submarine is a blow for Beijing as it seeks to develop the world’s largest navy. Beijing has become increasingly bold in pursuing its claim to almost the entire South China Sea, which is critical to international

Navy Times logo. The US Navy believes a Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank during development. By Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell from The Associated Press September 28, 2024, 5:00 PM. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows what appears to be a sunken Chinese submarine at a shipyard near Wuhan, China, on June 15, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP). A senior US defence official said Thursday that satellite imagery suggested that China’s newest nuclear-powered assaulThe US Navy believes a Chinese nuclear attack submarine sank during development. By Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell of The Associated Press. September 28, 2024, 5:00 p.m. This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows what appears to be a sunken Chinese submarine at a shipyard near Wuhan, China, on June 15, 2024. (Planet Labs PBC via AP). A senior US defence official said Thursday that satellite imagery showed China’s newest nuclear-powered assault submarine sank near a pier while still under construction. The sinking of China’s first Zhou-class submarine is a setback for Beijing, which plans to build the world’s biggest fleet. Beijing has grown bolder in pursuing its claim to practically the entire South China Sea.