Type 095

History

The Type 095 is a prospective Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarine intended to represent a new generation of People's Liberation Army Navy SSNs. Submarines assessed as belonging to the class have been observed at the Bohai Shipyard in Huludao during 2026, although China has not publicly confirmed the identification or released official specifications.

Satellite imagery has revealed several features associated with the design, including a shrouded pump-jet propulsor and four stern control surfaces arranged in an X-shaped configuration. These features distinguish the observed submarine from earlier Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarines such as the Type 093B.

The program remains under development, and many details concerning displacement, weapons, sensors, reactor design, and intended production numbers remain unconfirmed. Estimates and interpretations based on imagery should therefore be treated as provisional.

Development

The Type 095 is intended as a successor to the Type 093 family of Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarines. The Bohai Shipyard at Huludao has undergone major expansion associated with increased production of nuclear-powered submarines.

In February 2026, satellite imagery and synthetic-aperture radar observations suggested that a submarine assessed as a Type 095 had been launched at Bohai. Later imagery collected in September 2026 showed a new nuclear-powered attack submarine in dry dock, exposing details of the stern that had previously been obscured. It remains uncertain whether every observation from 2026 represents the same hull.

The September imagery provided the clearest view of the submarine's propulsion and stern-control arrangement. Analysts identified the boat as a likely Type 095, but no official Chinese confirmation of the class designation has been issued.

Design

Hull and control surfaces

The observed submarine has a streamlined sail without visible fairwater planes and an X-shaped arrangement of four stern control surfaces. Earlier Chinese nuclear-powered submarines used a more conventional cruciform stern arrangement, making the X-tail one of the most distinctive visible features of the new design.

Published imagery-based estimates place the submarine's length at approximately 110 to 120 m. The difference between available estimates reflects the absence of official dimensions and the limitations of determining measurements from overhead imagery.

Propulsion

The Type 095 is assessed to use nuclear propulsion. Imagery from September 2026 clearly showed a shrouded pump-jet propulsor at the stern rather than a conventional exposed propeller. A pump-jet encloses rotor and stator components within a duct and can reduce propulsor noise while improving efficiency under some high-speed operating conditions.

The exact reactor type, reactor output, shaft power, maximum speed, and endurance have not been officially disclosed. The use of a pump-jet is consistent with an effort to improve acoustic performance compared with previous Chinese SSNs, but the actual noise level of the Type 095 cannot be established from imagery.

Weapons and sensors

A rectangular open section was visible behind the sail in September 2026 imagery. One possible interpretation is that the area could accommodate vertical-launch cells for cruise or anti-ship missiles. Its function has not been confirmed, however, and it could instead be associated with reactor-compartment access or another construction requirement.

At least two large circular openings have also been observed in the forward section of the submarine. Their purpose remains uncertain. Possible interpretations include components associated with weapons or sonar systems, but available imagery does not establish their function.

The Type 095 is generally expected to incorporate improved sonar and other sensors compared with the Type 093 family. Specific sensor models, array configurations, weapon types, and ammunition capacities have not been officially confirmed.

Program status

As of September 2026, the Type 095 remains associated with an active Chinese submarine construction and testing program. At least one submarine believed to represent the class has been observed at the Bohai Shipyard, but its precise construction stage and relationship to other recently observed Chinese submarine designs remain uncertain.

The class is expected to enter service as part of China's next generation of nuclear-powered submarines. Available material places anticipated introduction of new-generation Chinese SSNs in the late 2020s or during the 2030s, but no confirmed Type 095 commissioning date has been announced.

Specifications (Type 095)

General characteristics

• Type: Nuclear-powered attack submarine
• Builder: Bohai Shipyard, Huludao, China
• Length: Approximately 110-120 m based on imagery-derived estimates

Propulsion

• Power source: Nuclear reactor
• Propulsor: Shrouded pump-jet

Configuration

• Stern control surfaces: Four planes in an X-shaped arrangement
• Sail: Streamlined configuration with no visible fairwater planes in available imagery

Related equipment

• Type 093B: An earlier Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarine design that also uses pump-jet propulsion but retains a different stern-control arrangement.
• Type 096: A separate next-generation Chinese nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine program under development alongside new attack-submarine designs.

The identification and configuration of the observed submarine remain provisional because no official confirmation of the Type 095 designation or detailed specifications has been released. Pasted text