China builds specialized mothership for large submarine drones

Satellite imagery analysis indicates that China is constructing a specialized mothership at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, designed specifically to deploy and recover large uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). The vessel, measuring approximately 205 meters in length and 27 meters in width, features a unique configuration to support extra-extra-large UUVs.

Technical features of the ship include a wet well-deck at the stern equipped with a cradle system supported by 12 vertical jack-up arms for launching and recovering submersibles. An enclosed hangar located forward of the well-deck is reportedly capable of housing up to four large drones. This dedicated vessel would allow China to conduct extended underwater missions in deep waters, moving beyond the limitations of stationary coastal floating docks.

The scale of the drones being supported is significant; observed models near Hainan measure between 35 and 45 meters in length. These dimensions substantially exceed the size of the United States Navy’s Boeing Orca XLUUV, which is approximately 26 meters long. China is currently testing these large-scale uncrewed models, representing a significant advancement in autonomous maritime capabilities.