China now has the largest naval fleet in the world, and its growing numbers of nuclear-powered submarines are an integral part of its efforts to project power beyond its coastal waters. But the view from Beijing is growing more complex as a handful of US allies in the Pacific also ramp up deployment of nuclear-powered subs.
South Korea inched closer to attaining the technology on October 30 when US President Donald Trump said he had given the country approval to build a nuclear-powered submarine. Meanwhile, Australia is expected to acquire the vessels under the Aukus alliance, and Japan’s new ruling coalition has called for the development of submarines with “next-generation propulsion systems”.
According to analysts, these US allies face many challenges in building nuclear-powered submarines, which could take several decades to complete, but these developments could complicate Beijing’s calculation of naval deterrence in the region, especially during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
Nuclear-powered submarines – also known as SSNs, or Submersible Ship Nuclear – are powered by nuclear reactors, but not necessarily armed with nuclear weapons.
Compared with conventional diesel-electric submarines, which require frequent refuelling, nuclear reactors allow the submarine to operate under water at a higher speed for an extended period of time, essentially with unlimited range.
Because of their advantages in stealth, speed and endurance, nuclear subs have played a crucial role as strategic assets that project maritime deterrence in blue waters. They are often equipped with submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
However, this is the first time such a document has explicitly linked a nuclear build-up to maintaining a “global strategic balance and stability”.
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