China has launched more nuclear-powered submarines than the United States over the past five years, threatening a long-held American naval advantage, a new report finds.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) , a London-based think tank, analyzed satellite imagery of Chinese shipyards and found that between 2021 and 2025, China launched 10 nuclear submarines totaling 79,000 tons. The US launched seven subs totaling 55,500 tons during the same period.
This marks a sharp reversal from the previous five years. From 2016 to 2020, China added only three nuclear subs (23,000 tons) while the US added seven (55,500 tons) . The new figures include both ballistic-missile submarines and attack submarines, according to the IISS report titled “Boomtime at Bohai”.
China’s submarine buildup centers on the Huludao shipyard of Bohai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co. in northern China, which has been significantly expanded to handle increased production . The People’s Liberation Army Navy now operates 12 active nuclear submarines, plus 46 conventionally powered diesel-electric boats, according to the IISS “Military Balance 2025”.
READ ALSO: https://modernmechanics24.com/post/unitree-robotics-20000-robot-2026-gala/
For decades, the US Navy has relied on submarine superiority as a cornerstone of its military advantage in the Pacific. Admiral Phil Davidson, former Indo-Pacific Command leader, warned in 2019 that the US could lose its “quantitative edge” by 2025 . The new numbers suggest that warning is becoming reality.
China’s launched submarines include two Type 094 ballistic-missile subs capable of firing nuclear-armed missiles, plus at least six guided-missile subs equipped with vertical launch systems . These can fire new high-speed anti-ship missiles displayed at Beijing’s Victory Day parade. Even more advanced Type 096 subs are expected to begin production later this decade.
The numbers matter because in naval combat, larger forces usually prevail. China already possesses the world’s largest fleet of destroyers, frigates, and surface combatants . The US maintains 65 total submarines—all nuclear-powered—compared to China’s 58 total subs, but the production gap is closing fast.
“Chinese designs almost certainly lag behind US and European boats in terms of quality,” the IISS report notes. Newer Chinese submarines are not believed to be as quiet as American ones, leaving the stealth advantage with the US Navy for now . However, China is rapidly improving its noise-reduction technology with help from Russian technical expertise.
The US shipbuilding industry is struggling to keep pace. Since 2022, American yards have delivered only 1.1 to 1.2 Virginia-class attack subs per year, far below the goal of two . The new Columbia-class ballistic-missile sub program faces at least a year of delays, with the USS District of Columbia now expected in 2028.
WATCH ALSO: https://modernmechanics24.com/post/china-sets-maglev-700kmh-record/
Navy Secretary John Phelan told Congress last summer: “All of our programs are a mess. I think our best one is six months late and 57 percent over budget… That is the best one” .
The Congressional Research Service warns that US attack submarine numbers will hit a “bottom of the valley” at 47 in 2030 as aging Los Angeles-class boats retire, potentially creating “a period of weakened conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China”.
