Type 039D Conventional Submarine

The Type 039A/B/C submarine (NATO reporting name: Yuan class) is a family of three air-independent propulsion (AIP) equipped diesel-electric submarine classes in China's People's Liberation Army Navy. It is the China's first AIP equipped submarine family. The Type 39A class is the successor of the Type 039 submarine. The class is designed to replace the aging Type 033 (Romeo class) and the older Type 035 submarines that previously formed the backbone of the conventional submarine force. The type 39A class is armed with wired-guided and wake-homing torpedoes, long-range land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles, and naval mines.

The Type 039D represents the next evolutionary step of China's successful Type 039 'Yuan' class submarine family, succeeding the distinctive angled-sail Type 039C. Developed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the program focuses on integrating advanced lithium-ion battery technology and upgraded air-independent propulsion systems. Officially acknowledged as an active development program, it aims to address the PLAN's need for ultra-quiet littoral combatants. The submarine's strategic significance lies in its ability to challenge hostile naval forces in contested waters with minimal acoustic signature.