Xia

Chinese submarine class

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July 20, 2026

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The Xia class, also known as the Type 092, was China's first strategic submarine designed to carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Commissioned in 1981, it was based on an attack submarine derived from older Soviet designs. The Xia class was armed with 12 JL-1 missiles, with a range of approximately 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km). This development marked China's entry into the era of nuclear-powered strategic submarines, which are crucial for deterrence due to their difficulty in detection and their ability to launch missiles from sea.1

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submarine
Strategic submarines
The Xia class, as it was called by NATO, was armed with 12 JL-1 missiles (NATO designation CSS-N-3), which had a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km). The Type 092 program was followed in 2004 by the launching of the first vessel of the Type…
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The Xia class, as it was called by NATO, was armed with 12 JL-1 missiles (NATO designation CSS-N-3), which had a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km). The Type 092 program was followed in 2004 by the launching of the first vessel of the Type…
Read More