Could mystery Shanghai vessel be a mothership for China’s underwater drones?

An unusual vessel taking shape at a Shanghai shipyard has been assessed as a possible mothership for China’s large uncrewed submarines – a capability that, if confirmed, could enable Beijing to operate the drones far from its own coast for sustained periods.

Open-source naval analyst H.I. Sutton said satellite imagery of the roughly 200-metre (656-foot) hull at Hudong-Zhonghua showed a large internal hangar and an opening at the stern that appeared designed to launch and recover extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs). Sutton said the vessel was most likely a dedicated submarine-drone mothership.

An experienced military imagery analyst who reviewed the same September 10 imagery for the South China Morning Post said he could independently identify the apparent stern launch-and-recovery system.

The analyst, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said a lifting frame, or cradle, positioned behind the vessel in the dry dock appeared narrow enough to pass through the stern opening. The area inside the opening might lack a floor, he added, potentially allowing the cradle and any underwater craft it carried to be lowered into the sea or hoisted back aboard using the surrounding support structures, as Sutton described.