Images of a mysterious Chinese hybrid submarine-ship have started circulating on social media after the vessel was spotted at a shipyard in China.
The photos were taken at the Huangpu shipyard in Guangzhou province, but the exact date of the shots has not been disclosed. It is worth noting that the vessel had already been spotted at the site in satellite images over the past few months, according to The War Zone.
Until now, understanding of the new Chinese ship came from observations by analyst H. I. Sutton, who examined images in which the vessel was still covered with tarps.
The black-painted vessel incorporates features of both surface ships and submarines, and it is speculated that, due to its sleek shape, it is focused on high efficiency.
However, from this angle, the roughly 64-meter-long vessel does not appear to be necessarily designed for high performance, at least not as a primary focus.
At the same time, from this perspective, the vessel’s submarine-like attributes may become even more noticeable.
These features may also include a thruster at the rear, which would indicate the installation of a jet engine—a possible feature observed by Alex Luck, a journalist who closely follows the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
From this viewpoint, what stands out most is the submarine-like sail, equipped with a snorkel or possibly an antenna mast. But it is still unknown whether the vessel will be crewed or uncrewed.
The future of naval warfare?
China’s proposed trimaran unmanned, semisubmersible arsenal ship.
These ships would be perfect to sneak up at an enemy port and unleash a swarm of missiles and drones as the opening salvo of war. pic.twitter.com/TbY8xju8GM
— Zhao DaShuai 东北进修🇨🇳 (@zhao_dashuai) November 2, 2025
If uncrewed, the vessel could be a hybrid between an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), essentially a semi-submersible, Sutton reported.
In this new image, however, there are indications that the vessel could operate fully or almost fully submerged, suggested both by the overall design and by depth marks on the sail and other parts of the hull.
One of the most persistent theories regarding its proposed use is that it is an arsenal ship offering the advantages of stealth when submerged and relatively efficient displacement on the surface.
Another possibility, presented by Sutton, is that the vessel is intended to serve as a “mother ship” for drones, a concept Ukraine pioneered on a much smaller scale during its conflict with Russia.
Alternatively, the vessel could be intended for transporting troops. A semi-submersible or fully submerged vessel would be especially useful for moving special forces in coastal zones or between islands and reefs.
Finally, it is possible that the vessel simply serves as a test platform for future technologies, perhaps exploring possible functions for semi- or fully-submersible vessels within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This is not the first time the Chinese military has developed ambitious technologies solely for research and testing.
It is important to note that none of these theories has been confirmed, and little information about its systems or crew type has been released. However, with these new images, it is clear that the mystery may soon be solved.
Photos: Reproduction / X. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
