Type-039B (Yuan)

The Type-039B Yuan-class is a modern diesel-electric attack submarine developed by China, featuring an advanced air-independent propulsion (AIP) system. It is designed for anti-ship, anti-submarine, and intelligence gathering missions, significantly enhancing the People's Liberation Army Navy's conventional submarine capabilities.

Developed in the 2000s as a successor to the Song-class, the Type-039B was designed to counter superior Western naval forces in the littoral waters of the East and South China Seas by integrating noise-reduction technologies and hydrodynamic hull refinements. The first units of this specific variant entered active service with the People's Liberation Army Navy around 2011. Although they have not seen combat, these submarines have undertaken high-profile deployments, including long-range patrols into the Indian Ocean and docking at ports in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Today, the Type-039B serves as the backbone of China's conventional submarine fleet, and its design forms the basis of the Hangor-class export variant sold to Pakistan, cementing China's role as a major naval exporter.