Submarines note: many or most PLAN submarines are named “Great Wall” / Chángchéng with a pennant/hull number.
Nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN)
Check out our 2022 comparative overview post on World ballistic missile boats.
Type 094 / 094A (NATO: Jin class) LOA 443’/ 135 m TDISP 11,ooo tons submerged (6 active, service since 2007) 12 JL-2 MIRV-equipped SLBM tubes/boat.

Changzheng 6 Type 092 (NATO: Xia class) (1983) first PLAN SSBN. LOA 394′ / 120 m TDISP 8,000 tons submerged. 12 JL-1 SLBM tubes, questionable operational status
Conventionally-powered Ballistic Missile Submarines SSB
Type 032 (NATO: Qing Class) (2012) LOA 304′ / 92.6 m TDISP 6,630 tons submerged. This is reportedly the largest conventionally powered submarine in the World (by displacement). It currently serves mostly a test submarine, which replaced the Type 031 (modified Golf II class) below. The boat has the overall outlines of a Type 39A Yuan class, with a significantly elongated sail, which has missile tubes in the after portion. Like the older Golf submarine design, it has a pushed-out section beneath the sail, which extends below the rest of the hull.
Chángchéng 200 Type 031 (1966-ca. 2018) LOA 320′ / 97.5 m TDISP 3,000 tons submerged. A variant of the Soviet Golf II class. Used for the testing/development of Chinese ballistic missiles. Appears in imagery to have been preserved as a museum boat at Qingdao Naval Museum after leaving its longtime homeport of Lyshunkao Naval Base.
Nuclear-powered Attack Submarines SSN
Type 093 (NATO: Shang class) LOA 360′ /110 m TDISP 7,700 tons submerged (6 active, more planned, service since 2006)

Type 091 (NATO: Han class) LOA 322′ / 98 m TDISP 5,500 tons submerged. (5, 3 active, service since 1974)
Changzheng 1 (1974-2000) Museum Boat, Qingdao Naval Museum, since about 2016. First PLAN nuclear-powered boat.

Conventionally-powered attack submarines (SS)
Type 039A (NATO: Yuan class) LOA 255′ / 77.6 m TDISP 3,600 tons submerged. (up to 18 active, service since 2006) based on the Russian Kilo class with several modifications, including Air-Independent-Propulsion.

Type 039 (NATO: Song class) LOA 246′ / 75 m TDISP 2,250 tons submerged (13 active, service since 1998)


Type 035 (NATO: Ming class) LOA 249′ / 76 m TDISP 2,110 tons submerged (24 built, 2 transferred to Bangladesh Navy, less than 15 still active). Highly improved design developed from Soviet Russian Romeo Class submarine. Can be distinguished from earlier PLAN Romeos by the small rudder above the waterline at stern.

Chángchéng 353 (1974-1997) Museum boat at the Tianjin Binhai Theme Park since at least 2016.
Type 033 LOA 252′ / 76.6 m TDISP 1,830 tons submerged. Chinese-assembled Romeo class submarine with improvements. (84 built, a few may still be training submarines, and several are preserved as museum boats, service since 1962) There may be issues with the identification of some of the below museum boats, as some seem to have overlapping locations.
Chángchéng 237 (1978-1998) museum boat at the Qingdao Naval Museum. Fate uncertain, as it disappears from its berth around 2012, while the 2012 capture showing a deteriorated or partially-dismantled boat.

Chángchéng 274 museum boat at the Taizhou naval museum. dates of service unknown.
Chángchéng 279 (1982-2011) Museum boat Liugong Island, Shandong
Chángchéng 280 (1980s ca. 2004) Museum boat at Oriental Land park, Shanghai, beside the large fake aircraft carrier. It is possible that this submarine was disassembled and components were reassembled in situ, or that the sub, like the carrier, is simulated.
Chángchéng 303 (1984-2009) Museum boat at the Science and Technology Museum, Wuhan.
38m Midget Submarine LOA 130′ / 8 m TDISP unknown. According to HI Sutton and C.E. Davis’s World Submarines: Covert Shores Recognition Guide, this was first seen in 2015 satellite imagery of Wuchang shipbuilding, Wuhan, where generations of conventional-powered boats have been built.