CNS Type 091 (Han)

Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine [ 1974 ]

The Han became the first nuclear-powered submarine for the PLAN - better known as the Chinese Navy.

Authored By: Jerry Potts, 173rd Airborne (RET) | Last Edited: 12/31/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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The Han was the first nuclear-powered submarine designed and built by the People's Liberation Army - Navy (PLAN) of China. The Han was an original design by the Chinese Navy that used the "Albacore" hull SSN outline with the diving planes being mounted high and forward on the sail. The Albacore shape is shorter and fatter than earlier boats using conventional model patterns that were longer and thinner but still continued to be deployed at the time. The Han used a single shaft propeller, a major stealth upgrade for the PLAN who, until that time, purchased and used ex-Soviet diesel-electric submarines utilizing twin shaft propellers.

The specifications displayed below are for the first two boats placed in service - #401 in 1974, and #402 in 1980. The remaining three boats #403 in 1984, #404 in 1988 and #405 entered service in 1991 and all served in the North Sea until at least 2002. The last three launched had upgrades that included more advanced modernized equipment and weapons and was increased in length by 26' 3".

In October 1994 the USS Kitty Hawk was on station in the Yellow Sea with her battle group. One of her S-3 Viking patrol aircraft detected a Han-class boat shadowing the carrier from 450 nm away at periscope depth in international waters. The submarine closed to within 20 nm before she turned away. It was obvious the PLAN wanted the sub to be seen by CV-63 Kitty Hawk as a notice to the world's most powerful navy that a new player had entered the Asia-Pacific theater.

The Chinese Navy has been growing in force and capability ever since - driving a new Asian arms race in the region and drawing the attention of Washington.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1974

Origin

China

Status

COMMISSIONED
In Active Service.

Complement

75
PERSONNEL

Class

Han-class

Number-in-Class

5
VESSELS

Ships-in-Class

ChangZheng 1 (#401); ChangZheng 2 (#402); ChangZheng 3 (#403); ChangZheng 4 (#404); ChangZheng 5 (#405)

China

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Submerged Attack
Traveling under the surface to search, track, and / or engage or reconnoiter areas.

✓ Maritime Patrol
Active patroling of vital waterways and maritime areas; can also serve as local deterrence against airborne and seaborne threats.

✓ Fleet Support
Serving in support (either firepower or material) of the main surface fleet in Blue Water environments.

Length

295.4 ft
90.04 m

Beam

29.6 ft
9.02 m

Draught

24.4 ft
7.44 m

Displacement

4,500
tons

Installed Power: 1 x Pressured Water Nuclear Reactor; 2 x Steam Turbines developing 12,000 horsepower to 1 x Shaft.

Surface Speed

25.0 kts
(28.8 mph)

Submerged Speed

30.0 kts
(34.5 mph)

Range

Essentially Unlimited

6 x 21" (533mm) Bow Tube Launchers (some with 4 bow and 2 stern tubes)

YJ801Q surface-to-surface missiles

36 x mines in place of torpedoes

Supported Types

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(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

None.

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