China Develops World's First Submarine Drone Mothership

China is constructing the world's first underwater mothership designed to launch and recover autonomous submarines, according to new satellite images.

The vessel, identified at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, is capable of carrying and deploying large uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs).

Satellite images from US defense intelligence company Vantor show the red ship under construction at a facility that has previously built large amphibious assault warships.

H.I. Sutton, an independent defense expert specializing in underwater warfare, told Naval News that the most plausible explanation for the vessel is that it is a specialized drone submarine mothership. Based on its size, he theorizes it could carry at least four of China's extra-extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles (XXLUUVs) for extended operations.

China is reportedly the only nation designing UUVs of this scale. These full-size uncrewed submarines, revealed in January 2025, have been tested by Beijing in the South China Sea. Measuring between 35 and 45 meters (115-148 feet) in length, they are significantly larger than the US Navy’s Boeing Orca XLUUV, which is approximately 16 meters (51 feet) long.

The US Orca has a range of up to 6,500 nautical miles and is designed for long-range covert maritime operations. The XXLUUVs are believed to be in direct competition with the Orca, potentially capable of carrying a greater payload over longer distances.

Sutton suggests the submarines will likely be stored in an internal hangar on the mothership, a feature that makes civilian or research explanations unconvincing. While details on the XXLUUVs are limited, the US Orca can carry around eight heavyweight torpedoes, implying larger Chinese variants could carry an even greater payload.

The United Kingdom is also developing its own XLUUV, the XV Excalibur, under Project Cetus. This vessel is smaller than the Orca and significantly smaller than China's XXLUUV, measuring 12 meters (39 feet) with an endurance of up to 1,000 miles.

The new Chinese mothership appears to also have a hangar near its bow, potentially for helicopter transport.

China is the world's largest producer of warships, with shipbuilding capacity estimated to be significantly greater than that of the United States. This production surge is partly driven by China’s focus on maritime defense and its ambitions in the South China Sea, as well as President Xi Jinping's goal of bringing Taiwan under Chinese control.