Type 092 submarine
Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine class
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The Type 092 (Chinese designation: 09-II; NATO reporting name: Xia class) submarine is the first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) deployed by the People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force (PLANSF). Boat 406 was the only member of the class.
People's Liberation Army Navy Profile of the Type 092 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Type 092 |
| Builders | Bohai Shipyard, Huludao |
| Operators | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceded by | Type 031 |
| Succeeded by | Type 094 |
| Built | 1981 |
| In commission | 1983 |
| Completed | 1 |
| Retired | 1 |
| History | |
| China | |
| Name | No. 406 |
| Builder | Bohai Shipyard, Huludao |
| Laid down | September 1971 |
| Launched | April 1981[1][2] |
| Commissioned | August 1983 |
| Decommissioned | By 2015 |
| Home port | Jianggezhuang Naval Base |
| Identification | Pennant number: 406 |
| Status | Retired |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine |
| Length | 120 m (393 ft 8 in) |
| Beam | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 8 m (26 ft 3 in) |
| Propulsion | 1 × pressurized-water nuclear reactor, 58MW; 2 × steam turbines; 1 shaft. |
| Speed | 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
| Range | Unlimited |
| Test depth | 300 m (984 ft 3 in) |
| Complement | 100 |
| Armament | |
Description
The Type 092 was designed by Peng Shilu and Huang Xuhua,[3] essentially a Type 091 submarine with an added section[2] for twelve[4] JL-1 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The missile launchers used a gas-steam generator; the generator was tested on land and on a Chinese Golf-class submarine.[2] The output of the powerplant was increased during development; the changes were incorporated into the later Type 091 boats.[5]
The Type 091 and 092 had similar problems. It was slow, noisy, and had powerplant reliability issues. The limitations of the submarine and the missile made their operational status[6] and deterrence value questionable.[3]
History
The only example of the class, boat 406, was laid down at the Bohai Shipyard[1] in September 1971. Construction was disrupted by the Cultural Revolution. It launched in April 1981 and commissioned in August 1983;[2] Janes Fighting Ships (JFS) 2015-2016 reported an in-service year of 1987.[1]
The boat was based at the Jianggezhuang Naval Base and rarely went to sea.[7] Reportedly, the boat never conducted a strategic patrol outside of China's regional waters.[8]
The boat made its first submerged test launches of the JL-1 in September 1985; the three launches were successful although the missiles failed in flight. Successful launches and flights occurred two years later.[2]
The boat was first officially acknowledged in public during on 23 April 2009, the 60th anniversary of the PLAN.[9]
The boat was no longer listed in JFS 2015–2016.[10]