Type 039 submarine The Type 039 " submarine ( NATO code name Song " class ) is a class of diesel - electric submarine s of the People ' s Liberation Army Navy . The class is the first to be fully developed within China and also the first Chinese submarine to use the modern teardrop hull shape . Design . The People ' s Republic of China ' s first submarine design was the locally - produced derivative of the " Romeo " class submarines provided to China by the Soviet Union . Large numbers of these were built , but their obsolete design , derived from World War II submarine technology , led China to develop a wholly new class on its own , resulting in the Type 039 . Designed for attacking both other submarines and surface ships with torpedo es , the submarine uses a modern teardrop - shape hull for underwater performance . The hull incorporates four rudders and is propelled by a single propeller . For quieter operation , the engine was mounted with shock absorbers and the hull is plated in rubber tiles for sound deadening . Development was not without problems , as a lengthy testing period for the first vessel ( " 320 " ) attests . Problems with noise levels and underwater performance led to revisions in the design and only a single boat was ever built to the original specification . Improvements led to the specification for the " Type 039G " , which became the bulk of production , with seven of the type entering service . Elimination of the stepped design for the conning tower is the primary visual cue for identification of the G variant . This class has three versions : the original " Type 039 " , " Type 039G " and " Type 039A " . The most obvious visual difference between the three types is the conning tower . The " Type 039 " s conning tower is stepped , rising aft . In an effort to shrink the submarine ' s acoustic signature , the " Type 039G " s conning tower was given a more conventional shape . The " Type 039A " also has a conning tower of more conventional shape , but the tower lacks the diving planes present on the conning towers of both the " Type 039 " and the " Type 039G " . Weaponry . Primary weapon for the Type 039 is the 533 mm Yu - 4 torpedo , a locally produced passive homing torpedo based on the SAET - 50 and roughly comparable to the SAET - 60 . Surface targets may be attacked at up to 15 km . Yu - 6 wire - guided torpedoes may also be used for targeting submarines . It is also likely that the " Type 039 " is capable of carrying the YJ - 8 anti - ship missile , a cruise missile which can be launched from the same tube as the boat ' s torpedoes , and can target surface vessels at up to 80 km . The missile is subsonic and carries a 165 kg warhead . For mining operations , in place of torpedoes , the submarine can carry 24 to 36 naval mine s , deliverable through the torpedo tubes . The general designer of the torpedo and missile launching system is Mr . Sun Zhuguo ( 孙柱国 , 1937 - ) , and the launching system is compatible with AShM , ASW , torpedoes of both China and Russian / Soviet origin . Although " Type 039 " has successfully test fired the CY - 1 ASW Missile under water like the , the status of the missile is in question because nothing is heard about it entering mass production . The CY - 1 ASW missile has a maximum range of 18 km ( 10 nm ) , and when using A244 or Mark 46 torpedo as a payload . Sensors . Sonar . The main sensor is the medium - frequency sonar mounted in the bow of the submarine , with passive and active modes , which is used for both search and attack . In addition , the system offers a method of underwater communications , and also functions as a torpedo approach warning system . This sonar is the Chinese development of French Thomson - CSF TSM - 2233 sonar , and is capable of simultaneously tracking 4 to 12 targets depending on the function it is used for . To enhance passive search capabilities , a low frequency sonar of French Thomson - CSF TSM - 2255 design is mounted on the flanks of the hull , with a maximum range in excess of 30 km and capable of simultaneously tracking four targets . The system is further enhanced with the integration of a domestic Chinese passive ranging sonar on board , designated as H / SQG - 04 sonar . For surface search , a small I - band radar is fitted . Electronic Warfare . This class is the first Chinese submarine to be fitted with an integrated electronic support measures / radio direction finder / radar warning receiver system designated as SRW209 Submarine Radar Reconnaissance Equipment , which works at S - Ku bands with 100 % detection rate . The SRW209 is fully automatic and can be either operated by a single operator with a console with a color CRT ( which can be replaced by LCD ) display console , or linked to the combat data system , which is capable of tracking multiple targets . Incidents . On October 26 , 2006 , a Chinese " Song " class submarine " popped up " and " surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected " within of the carrier while she was operating in the Pacific Ocean . Export . China offered the 039 submarine for sale to Thailand in 2007 . However , the Royal Thai Navy lacks the infrastructure to support submarines , and no sales are pending at this time .