China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)

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Submarine

China

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)

Type 093 Shang

China's second-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine, tasked with anti-ship, anti-submarine and land-attack missions and escorting PLA Navy ballistic-missile submarines. The improved Type 093B variant adds a vertical launch module for land-attack cruise missiles.

In service since 2006 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

300

m depth

7,000

100

crew

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2006. Status: active · ~6 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

Mk 41 VLS-class

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship — a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming.: 12

Stronger than 38% of submarines
Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships).: 6

Stronger than 53% of submarines

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 110 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes — the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.: 7,000 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.: 25 kn

Stronger than 82% of submarines
Submerged speed Maximum speed while submerged (submarines). Higher is faster underwater.: 30 kn

Top 8% of submarines
Test depth Maximum rated diving depth (submarines). Deeper is harder to detect and engage. Actual crush depth is classified.: 300 m

Stronger than 55% of submarines
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.: 100
Propulsion plant Machinery type — nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.: 1x nuclear pressurized-water reactor

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 6

Stronger than 55% of submarines
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 39% of submarines

Specifications compiled from public China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Submarine

Type 093 Shang Virginia-class Submarine

General Dynamics Electric Boat Virginia-class Submarine

View Virginia-class Submarine ↗

Submarine

Type 093 Shang Borei-class

Rubin Design Bureau Borei-class

View Borei-class ↗

Submarine

Type 093 Shang Kilo-class (Project 636.3)

Rubin Design Bureau Kilo-class (Project 636.3)

View Kilo-class (Project 636.3) ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang used for? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang is a submarine typically used for deep strike, anti armor.

How many countries operate the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang cost? +

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 093 Shang: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.