China Testing Underwater Unmanned Drones That Could be Used to Blockade Important Sea Routes like the Panama Canal or the U.S. West Coast
Beijing’s XXL drone submarines suggest a new approach to projecting power across the Pacific. Image below of a torpedo-shaped unmanned drone spotted during a recent Chinese military parade.
China is reportedly testing large unmanned underwater drones that could, it is claimed, be used to blockade important sea routes like the Panama Canal or the U.S. West Coast. Technically called an Extra-Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XXLUUV), these drones are not dissimilar in size to conventional diesel submarines but are completely autonomous. Because such drones do not need to reserve space for human crews, they can dedicate more space to things like fuel, batteries, sensors, and, of course, weapons.
They also reportedly have exceptionally long ranges, meaning they could potentially traverse the Pacific and loiter for long periods. According to reports, the new submarines are over 131 feet (40 meters) long and most likely have a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system. They also likely benefit from large battery banks, which could be lithium-ion or lithium-iron-phosphate.
China’s New Underwater Drone Toys
The drones are likely intended to be armed with conventional submarine armaments like mines and torpedoes, but could also act as motherships for other drones, too. As for range, estimates have circulated of around 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km) or more. If reports are true, this could be a game-changer for China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which has limited blue water assets. These new drones would provide some interesting new tools for the PLAN, especially given that such assets can be sent on one-way or high-risk missions with little to no risk to human crews.
