A rare look inside a PLAN Type 09IVa Jin-class SSBN Boomer

During a Chinese New Year segment aired by China Central Television (CCTV), viewers were given an unusual glimpse inside a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 09IVa Jin-class ballistic‑missile submarine (SSBN) operated by the South Sea Fleet. While the footage avoided anything sensitive, it did reveal a surprisingly spacious and modern interior layout.

Ballistic‑missile submarines are typically among the most secretive assets in any navy, yet China’s Jin-class sub have been receiving an unusual amount of public exposure as of late, both from official Chinese media and from outside observers.

 

 

Thursday, January 29, 2026

What’s the real message in this PLAN SSBN photo?

At first glance, the picture below of a Type "09 4A" or Type "09 IV A" SSBN from a South China Sea naval base is not a sign you see everyday. But after a closer look, the real draw may be the group of senior NCOs marching in front of it. These are middle‑aged NCO technical specialists, the long‑serving professionals who keep one of China’s most sensitive strategic assets operational.

In the PLA Navy, especially within the submarine force, senior NCOs are the institutional memory and the technical backbone. They’re the ones who master the arcane systems, train successive generations of sailors, and ensure that a platform as complex as an SSBN can actually perform its deterrence mission. Their presence in a formal group portrait signals something deeper: a deliberate effort to highlight the human infrastructure behind China’s sea‑based nuclear capability.
 

 

 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

High Res Photos Of The Day: Type 094/"09 4" SSBN Ballistic Missile Submarine

Actually in Chinese, this class of SSBN enjoys the designation of "Type9,  Fourth Variant",  not "Type Ninety-four" as commonly known by NATO members.

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

Photos of the day: SSBN convention at Hainan

No need to adjust your lens;  everything is just as it seems as there are three 094 Jin Class SSBN parked at Hainan.

Two new Type 903A replenishment ships (AOR) commissioned in Feb 2026

Two new Type 903A replenishment ships (AOR) were commissioned into the PLA Navy in February 2026. The two vessels—hull numbers 892 and 893 are both assigned to the South Sea Fleet, expanding its underway replenishment capacity. (source link)
 

PLAN AOR 892 Dongjiang Lake, was launched in December 2024 at China Shipbuilding Marine & Defense Equipment Co., Ltd.** (formerly Guangzhou Shipyard International). AOR 893, Ulungur Lake, is the second vessel of this batch and the ninth Type 903A overall. It was launched in January 2025 at Wuhu Xinlian Shipbuilding Co., Ltd..   There are now 11 (both Type903 and Type093A) in PLAN services.   

Friday, July 15, 2016

PLAN commission of the day: 2 Type 903A Replenishment Tankers

In a bit over 2 years, China commissioned 8 Type093  Replenishment Tankers.  The lead boat "Qiandaohu" was commissioned on April 30th, 2014.

ZHANJIANG, July 15 (ChinaMil) -- The South China Sea Fleet of the Chinese PLA Navy held on July 15 a commissioning ceremony for two new comprehensive supply ships Honghu (hull number 963) and Luomahu (hull number 964) at a naval port in Zhanjiang, south China’s Guangdong Province.

Shen Jinlong, commander of the South China Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy, presented the navy ensigns and naming certificates for the new ships.

The comprehensive supply ships Honghu (hull number 963) and Luomahu (hull number 964) belong to the same class of supply ships with a full displacement of over 20, 000 tons and are new type of open-sea comprehensive supply ships developed and built by China independently.

The two newly commissioned supply ships employ more advanced replenishment-at-sea technologies and can provide alongside, astern and vertical replenishment-at-sea for several different types of ships simultaneously.
Besides stronger open-sea comprehensive supply capability, the two ships also have certain anti-surface and anti-air defense combat capabilities.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

South Sea Fleet commissions three support ships in a single day.

BEIJING, Dec. 28 (ChinaMil) -- The South China Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy has embraced three new vessels. A ceremony marking the beginning of military service of the three vessels, the supply ship Luguhu, the electronic reconnaissance ship Neptune and the pelagic survey vessel Qian Xuesen was held at a naval port in the South China Sea on Saturday.

These three vessels are all independently designed and built by China.

The biggest differences between the Type 904B supply ship Luguhu (Hull No. 962) and its predecessor Type 904A supply ship Fuxianhu are that, instead of the portal frame type platform, which is specific to the comprehensive supply ship, on the supply ship Luguhu, there are two davits mounted on each side in the middle section of the ship and a hangar which enhances the vertical replenishment capacity.

The ship is designed to provide material supply for the troops stationed in the Nansha islands, and undertake such tasks as providing supply for a ship formation and maritime medical aid at a certain degree.

The Type 815G electronic reconnaissance ship Neptune (Hull No. 852) is able to conduct continuous all-weather reconnaissance of various targets within a certain range.

The Qian Xuesen (Hull No. 873) is the third ship of the Type 636A pelagic survey vessel family. It mainly conducts survey of oceans and reefs, marine meteorology observation and layout of hydrometeorological buoys to provide basic data to guarantee navigation safety and carry out marine scientific research.

The sound attenuation is the most remarkable performance of the survey vessel, which is even more excellent than that of the Russian Kilo-class submarines known as the “ocean black hole” in the world.

Supply ship Luguhu

  Electronic reconnaissance ship Neptune.

  Type 636A pelagic survey vessel Qian Xuesen

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Photos of the day: PLAN's three new fleet replenishment ships got their pennant numbers

They are 960, 961 and 962

 

Monday, January 14, 2013

New type 903 AOR Replenishment oiler completed it's first sea trial

With impressive building speed of launch to first sea trial in just 9 months, the China navy must be needing those new milk cows bad.    Don't be surprise to see those two supporting Gulf of Aden anti piracy operations by year end.

Monday, May 07, 2012

A new type 903 AOR Replenishment oiler launched in Shanghai Hudong Shipyard.

Six weeks after the launch of a new Type 903 in Guangzhou's HuangPu shipyard.  A new Type 903 can also be seen in Shanghai today.

In the meanwhile in Guangzhou (photo posted on 5/5/2012)

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Light at end of the tunnel?

It has been said that in order for the China navy to field a modern navy, it must possess more Replenishment Oilers (AOR). With only five AOR in its orbat, it can barely keep up with the Gulf of Aden commitment and the regular Western Pacific cruises. The situation might be improving in near future as recently posted photos suggesting that two more AORs are under-construction and one of those launched today in Shanghai.

I am sure that little flattop can be  quite thirsty too.