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[This is a glimpse into the history of the PRC Navy.]
A Glimpse into the History of the PLAN of the People's Republic of China
2009-10-03 07]
The Navy Submarines
Submarines are an important part of the navy's fighting capacity. A naval power will inevitably develop submarines. China's seamen had called for purchases of submarines as early as the late Qing Dynasty. During the Republic of China period (1912-1949), the government planned to order submarines from abroad, but due the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, they failed to materialize. After the founding the PRC, the country had great difficulties in building submarines due to military technology embargoes by foreign countries.
After five years of construction, China's first submarine fleet was created in June 1954. This fleet contained two old-fashioned and small submarines, the New China 11 and the New China 12. But they were China's first submarine fleet in 200 years since the vessels were invented. In the 1950s, China imported two mid-sized torpedo submarines from the former Soviet Union. By the 1960s, China already was building her own submarines using domestically produced materials, and was improving its existing submarines and accumulating knowledge to develop the next generation.
China's independently-built Type 035 Submarine was launched in 1971. Its speed, controllability, navigation, duration of submersion, and noise control were all greatly improved. China rolled out its third generation of submarines that began service in 1996.
China was also increasing efforts to develop nuclear-powered subs while building conventional diesel-electric submarines. On Jan. 17, 1955, the United States put to sea its first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus, in the state of Connecticut. Its massive power inspired China at the other end of the Pacific. With no knowledge and experience, China's path of building nuclear-powered subs was full of trial and error. All the Chinese designers had at that time were two fuzzy photographs of a nuclear-powered submarine, and their only source of inspiration came from a submarine toy brought back from abroad. But in less than 20 years, China put to sea its first nuclear sub on Aug. 1, 1974, and in August 1983, its first ballistic-missile submarine.
In 1985, China's nuclear submarine, Long March, started its maiden underwater voyage to test the submarine, its endurance, perseverance, and capability of the crew. Since 1960 when the United States launched the USS Triton, the first nuclear submarine for a submerged circumnavigation of the Earth, the vessel had held the world record for longest underwater navigation after 84 days and nights. But the Chinese navy set a new record of 90 days in the Long March Submarine, challenging their extreme physical limits.
In over half a century, China's submarine fleet transformed from bulky mechanics to modern and advanced vessels in the information age. The fleet has also grown from singular to multiple types. Instead of quantity, quality and efficiency are the present-day standards for the submarines forces. China, possessing both conventional diesel-electric and nuclear subs, has made a statement with its great progress in its submarines fleet combat capacity. The newest generation of submarines is catching up with the world leaders in science and technologies. As China's modernizes its submarines, the PLAN is also changing its old-fashioned solo-sub training exercises. The Navy is now facilitating multiple submarines, and engaging service personnel of land, sea, and air to train together in more complicated situations, setting more challenges for and boosting the fleet's command, quick response, and coordinated attack capabilities.
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