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
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