China Unveils World's First Underwater Drone Mothership

China is constructing the world's first underwater mothership capable of launching and recovering autonomous submarines, according to recent satellite imagery analyzed by defense intelligence company Vantor. The vessel, identified at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, is believed to be designed to carry and deploy as many as four large uncrewed undersea vehicles (UUVs).

The construction of this unique mothership comes as China develops its own class of "extra-extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicles" (XXLUUVs), which are significantly larger than their U.S. counterparts. These Chinese UUVs, first revealed in January 2025, measure between 35 and 45 meters (115-148 feet) in length. In comparison, the U.S. Navy's Boeing Orca XLUUV is approximately 16 meters (51 feet) long.

Independent defense expert H.I. Sutton told Naval News that the most plausible explanation for the new vessel's design is its role as a "special drone submarine mothership." Based on its size, Sutton theorizes that the mothership could accommodate at least four of China's XXLUUVs and support them over thousands of miles. The UUVs are likely to be stored within an internal hangar, a feature that makes civilian or research-based explanations for the vessel unconvincing.

The U.S. Orca XLUUV is designed for long-range covert maritime operations and has a range of up to 6,500 nautical miles, capable of carrying around eight heavyweight torpedoes. China's larger XXLUUVs are expected to have an even greater payload capacity and a potential range exceeding 10,000 nautical miles.

While China's XXLUUVs have been tested in the South China Sea, the full capabilities and payload of these drones are not yet widely understood. The UK is also developing its own large UUV, the XV Excalibur under Project Cetus, though it is considerably smaller than China's XXLUUVs and expected to be operational by 2028.

In addition to its submarine hangar, the new Chinese mothership appears to have a bow-mounted hangar that could be used for helicopter transport.

China's rapid shipbuilding expansion places it as the world's largest producer of warships, with estimates suggesting its capacity is significantly greater than that of the United States. This industrial capacity is driven by China's strategic focus on maritime defense and territorial ambitions, particularly concerning Taiwan and its claims in the South China Sea. Defense Minister Dong Jun recently stated at the Xiangshan Forum that nations must remain vigilant against "hegemony, militarism and historical revisionism," a comment widely interpreted as a veiled critique of Japan's expanding defense capabilities.