China is reportedly building what could be the world’s first deep-sea vessel designed to autonomously deploy large unmanned submarines, based on analysis of recent satellite imagery.
Construction of the vessel was reportedly spotted at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, where the ship appears capable of carrying at least four large unmanned underwater vehicles.
Satellite images captured by US defence intelligence company Vantor show a large red vessel under construction at the shipyard, the same facility previously used by Beijing to build large amphibious warships.
China is currently the only country known to have developed unmanned submarines on this scale, according to reports.
The unusually large size of the underwater drones has also led to the emergence of a new term in defence circles — extra-extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs).
Independent naval warfare specialist H I Sutton told Naval News that the vessel’s design and structure strongly suggest a military purpose.
“The most plausible explanation is that it is a dedicated submarine drone carrier,” Sutton said.
Based on the vessel’s apparent size, Sutton believes it could potentially carry at least four of China’s XXLUUVs.
The full-sized unmanned submarine was first publicly revealed in January 2025 and has reportedly undergone operational testing by Beijing in the South China Sea, near Hainan Island.
Measuring an estimated 35 to 45 metres in length, the Chinese unmanned underwater vehicle is reportedly around six to eight times longer than the US Navy’s Boeing Orca XLUUV, which measures about 16 metres.
The development could mark a significant expansion of China’s capabilities in deploying large autonomous underwater systems for deep-sea military operations.
