Look out below! 🌊
In my first article for @CIMSEC, I discuss China’s growing fleet of autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) and what it means for the U.S. Navy and partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Here are the highlights (1/8):
cimsec.org/leviathan-wake…
In my first article for @CIMSEC, I discuss China’s growing fleet of autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) and what it means for the U.S. Navy and partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Here are the highlights (1/8):
cimsec.org/leviathan-wake…
2/8 For years, U.S. and Chinese analysts have expected the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to face significant disadvantage in undersea and anti-submarine warfare.
RAND’s 2015 report "War with China" talks at length about "Chinese weakness in ASW.”
rand.org/pubs/research_…
RAND’s 2015 report "War with China" talks at length about "Chinese weakness in ASW.”
rand.org/pubs/research_…
3/8 Gradual advances in policy (military-civil fusion) and technology (computer vision and battery tech) have birthed array of undersea vehicles designed to mitigate this gap.
By some estimates, in 2019, >150 UUV projects were under development at nearly 100 🇨🇳 institutes.
By some estimates, in 2019, >150 UUV projects were under development at nearly 100 🇨🇳 institutes.
4/8 For one example, allow me to introduce the Haishen 6000 (海神, “Poseidon”), developed by the 701 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
Weighing in at 3.5 tonnes (7.5m long), it is China's largest publicly known AUV, optimized for undersea recon.
Weighing in at 3.5 tonnes (7.5m long), it is China's largest publicly known AUV, optimized for undersea recon.
5/8 Until now, the HSU001 was thought to be the largest AUV used by the PLA Navy. First unveiled at the 2019 military parade, its capabilities were covered extensively by PLA watchers and submarine analysts, including @CovertShores & @nktpnd.
forbes.com/sites/hisutton…
forbes.com/sites/hisutton…
6/8 But the Haishen 6000 is just one example of the sorts of large AUV models being developed by the Chinese defense industry. The big three players in this space are:
* Shenyang Institute of Automation
* Harbin Engineering University
* China State Shipbuilding Corporation
* Shenyang Institute of Automation
* Harbin Engineering University
* China State Shipbuilding Corporation
7/8 As a supplement to this article, I've compiled info on more than two dozen Chinese AUV systems, some never before reported in English.
They range in size and mission from portable reconnaissance units to large AUVs for anti-submarine warfare.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
They range in size and mission from portable reconnaissance units to large AUVs for anti-submarine warfare.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
8/8 Many thanks to @CIMSEC for the opportunity to contribute this article to their series on emerging tech.
As always, my DMs are open for questions about the article.
As always, my DMs are open for questions about the article.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
