Type 093 submarine The Type 093 ( NATO reporting name : " Shang " , Chinese designation : 09 - III ) is a nuclear - powered attack submarine class deployed by the Chinese People ' s Liberation Army Navy . These boats are expected to replace the older Type 091 ( NATO : " Han " class ) SSNs currently in service . The Type 093 are armed with various torpedoes and anti - ship missiles . The lead boat in this class was launched in 2002 . Construction of the Type 093 submarines is being conducted at the Bohai Shipyard in Huludao . Six to eight boats are expected to be built . Improved Type 093 variants has also been launched , with an upgraded subclass seen in 2013 . Programme . China ’ s new generation nuclear submarine program can be dated back to the early 1980s , when the PLA Navy issued the requirement for a new nuclear attack submarine ( SSN ) as the successor to its first - generation Type 091 ( NATO codename : Han class ) nuclear attack submarine . The submarine development program , codenamed Type 093 , was officially approved by the PLA leadership in July 1983 . However , the development program only made very limited progress in its early stage due to enormous technical difficulties , especially the nuclear reactor and onboard weapon systems . Development was speculated to have been suspended until the mid - 1990s , when the Type 093 project revived , which finally commenced construction in the late 1990s . The extended re - fits to the 091 Han - class SSNs appeared to be the reason of delaying the development of the Type 093 . Rumors were that the Type 093 design was speculated to have general performance comparable to that of Russian Victor - III class , SSNs originally introduced in the late 1970s by the Soviet navy , as well as early versions of the American Los Angeles class submarine . Some have gone as far as saying it is comparable to early Alfa class submarine SSNs . < ref name = http : / / anja - athirdeye . blogspot . com / 2008 / 10 / chinas - future - nuclear - submarine - force . html > < / ref > Chinese articles and researchers claim that the submarine is close to the improved Los Angeles class in performance . The U . S . Navy intelligence and Pentagon predicted that the PLA Navy would have around 3 ~ 4 Type 093 submarines by 2010 , other sources suggested that eventual production could reach 6 to 8 units . The exact number to be built may well depend on the results of the ongoing sea trial for the first hull , which has been carried out at the PLA Navy ’ s Huludao submarine base since 2003 . A modified Type 093 with a planeless sail may also have been produced . By 2013 , two newly improved 093 designated 093A and a further improved one designated 093B were spotted under construction . This would bring the total number of 093 class SSN to seven , and potentially with more to be build . The new boats have slightly improved hull shapes and smoother surface . Design . The Type 093 is estimated to be roughly 7000 ton displacement when submerged . The Type 093 is estimated to be long with a beam of 11 m and can dive to a maximum depth of . It is estimated to have a noise level of " 110 decibels " and have an endurance of 80 days . It is thought to have a seven - blade asymmetric propeller . This submarine is the first to incorporate flank linear array sonars designated as H / SQG - 207 in its design , and this linear flank array was designed by the 715th Institute , with deputy chief designer Mr . Li Qihu ( 李启虎 ) , who was the chief designer of H / SQ - 2 262 / 262A / 262B / 262C / H - SQG - 4 sonars used to upgrade Type 035 , 033 , both 091 and 092 , 035G , and 039 submarines . An improved Type 093 variant incorporates new technologies such as retractable diving planes and a modified hull for greater acoustic stealth . Another improved variant may have been sighted in 2013 . Weapons . The Type 093 is expected to be armed with six 533 mm and / or 650 mm torpedo tubes that will launch wire , acoustic , and wake - homing torpedoes as well as anti - ship and land attack cruise missiles . This could include the submarine - launched version of the YJ - 83 anti - ship missile . Currently the YJ - 83 is not believed to be nuclear tipped . Nuclear deterrence missions are delegated to the 092 Xia class and 094 Jin class SSBN .