Shortly after the world got a glimpse of China’s new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, photographs released last week on Chinese websites show off the latest submarine which is capable of launching nuclear missiles.While the ‘Jin’ class submarine has already been monitored by the US intelligence agencies and has also been picked up by researchers using satellite imagery, these are its first clear photographs giving an insight into the capabilities of the vessel. “It is the first time that a Jin-class image with that clarity has appeared in public. One can only speculate that the image might be a semi-official release, meaning that the Chinese released it through someone else or at least did not try to suppress it,” Hans M Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project at Federation of American Scientists who “discovered” satellite images of the submarine using the popular Google Earth software, told The Indian Express.Kristensen said the new submarine — in development stage since the 1990s — can be compared with the first generation ‘George Washington’ class of US navy submarines. “The first was launched in 2004 and described in the media via leaks shortly thereafter. The shape and size compares best with the first US SSBNs, although there are clear differences such as 12 (nuclear tipped missiles in the Jin) versus 16 missiles (in the older US submarines),” he added.However, analysts feel that capability to launch nuclear tipped missiles from a submarine will not drastically add to Chinese strategic forces given that land-based missiles can target most countries already.Last month, the Shang (Type 093) class attack submarines were unveiled through a photograph and an article in the state-run People’s Daily newspaper. The Shang and Jin class submarines are replacements for the first generation Han class boats.The Indian Navy, in contrast, is looking at inducting five indigenous ATV nuclear submarines. The first one, currently under production at Vizag, is likely to undergo sea trials by next year. The navy is also leasing an Akula II submarine from Russia next year.
