China has rapidly expanded its nuclear-powered-submarine fleet in recent years, and has now surpassed US submarine production rate, according to a new report by a London-based think tank. The increase in Chinese submarine numbers will present a growing challenge for western countries despite the continued qualitative differences of Chinese submarines compared to US and European designs, according to the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). Writing in the IISS’s Military Balance blog, Senior Fellow for Military Capability and Data Assessment Henry Boyd and Research Fellow for Defence Procurement Tom Waldyn said that China launched 10 submarines with an estimated displacement of 79,000 tonnes between 2021 and 2025.

Full report : IISS research found that China launched 10 submarines with an estimated displacement of 79,000 tonnes between 2021 and 2025.