The Type 039 (NATO reporting name: Song class) is the diesel-electric submarine designed by Wuhan Ship Development and Design Institute (701 Institute) for the PLA Navy (PLAN). Construction of the submarine was carried out by Wuhan Shipbuilding Industry Company (also known as Wuchang Shipyard or 438 Factory) in Wuhan, Hubei Province and Jiangnan Shipyard Group Corporation in Shanghai. At least 16 hulls have been delivered to the PLA Navy since 1994.
The first-of-class of the Type 039 submarine No.320 was launched on 25 May 1994 at Wuchang Shipyard, and started sea trials in August 1995. However, the submarine was not fully operational until 1999 due to serious design flaws, including unsatisfactory underwater performance and noise level. After some major redesign work, a modified Type 039G variant (No.321) entered the service in April 2001, followed by the second (No.322) in December 2001 and the third (No. 323) in November 2003.
In 2004, Wuchang Shipyard began to construct a further improved variant known as Type 039G1. At the same time, Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard also began to built the Type 039G1 submarine, indicating that the submarine design has been finalised and serial production begun. Since then, a total of 12 boats (No.324~No.326, No.313~No.318, No.327~No.329) have been built.
Type 039G1 Song class (Chinese Internet)
Type 039G Song class (Chinese Internet)
The pre-production variant Type 039 Song class with s stepped sail (Chinese Internet)
Design
The Type 039 was designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) using torpedoes and submarine-launched anti-ship missiles. The submarine is also capable of reconnaissance, water mine laying and patrol roles. The submarine itself is a blend of Chinese and Western technologies, and represents a major step forward in China’s conventional submarine design.
Compared with the previous Chinese-built submarines, the Type 039 has a more hydro-dynamically sleek profile. To reduce the submarine’s acoustic signature, the main engine is fitted with a shock absorbance, and the hull is covered by rubber anti-sonar protection tiles similar to those used on the Russian Kilo class. The submarine has a pair of fin-mounted hydroplanes, four rudders, and a single large skewed propeller.
The first and only basic variant Type 039 submarine has a stepped conning fin, with the bridge a step lower than the part of the fin that contains masts. This design was reported to have affected the submarine’s underwater performance and noise level, and was replaced by a different shape with no cutaway on the subsequent Type 039s.
Armaments
The Type 039 is equipped with six bow 533mm torpedo tubes, which can be used to fire torpedoes and submarine-launched anti-ship missile (AShM). The Type 039 is equipped with the Yu-3 electric-propelled, acoustic-homing anti-submarine torpedo and Yu-4 (Russian SAET-50/60 copy) electric-propelled, passive acoustic-homing anti-ship torpedo (speed: 30kt; range 6km). The new-generation Yu-6 wire-homing anti-submarine torpedo and an unknown model of wake-homing anti-ship torpedo may have also been equipped by the Type 039.
The submarine can also carry 4~6 YJ-82 AShM, which are carried inside cylinder-shape containers and launched from the torpedo tubes. The missile approaches the target area in sea-skimming mode using inertial navigation and then active radar homing. The missile travels at speeds over Mach 0.9, and has a range of 40~80km. The YJ-82 has a 165kg HE shaped-charge warhead with time delayed impact proximity fuses.
The submarine carries 18 torpedoes/AShM containers, with 6 in the launch tubes and 12 on the weapon racks. Alternatively the submarine can carry 24~36 sea mines.
Loading Yu-3 torpedo (Chinese Internet)
An new type of wake-homing torpedo
(Chinese Internet)
Sensor Suite
The Type 039 deploys an indigenously developed underwater sensor suite consisting an active/passive bow-mounted array, an H/SQG-04 passive interception and ranging array, and two passive flank arrays.
The new digital bow-mounted, medium-frequency sonar designed for passive and active search and attack was said to be based on a French Thomson-CSF design, and capable of tracking 4~12 targets simultaneously. Additional functions of the sonar array include underwater communication and torpedo approach warning.
The flank-mounted low-frequency passive array was believed to be also based on French Thomson-CSF technology. It can track up to 4 targets simultaneously to a maximum range of 30km.
There is an I-band radar for surface search purpose. The SRW209 electronic warfare suite consists of electronic support measures (ESM), radar warning receiver and radio direction-finder.
In addition, the submarine is fitted with an indigenous combat data system capable of multiple targets tracking, threat evaluation, surveillance, and navigation.
The combat information centre of the Type 039G1 (Chinese Internet/CCTV)
Propulsions
The Type 039 is powered by three German MTU 16V396SE84 diesels. The large asymmetrical seven-blade skewed propeller of the submarine helps to further reduce the noise level.
