The post describes a second purpose-built Chinese vessel designed as a mothership/tender for launching and recovering multiple large or many smaller uncrewed underwater vehicles via a stern well deck/garage and lift towers. Fielding multiple such ships suggests China is moving beyond experimentation toward an operational UUV deployment-and-support fleet, enabling longer-range, expeditionary undersea drone operations.
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navalside: chinafirst seen 2026-09-01
Second Chinese UUV mothership/tender spotted under construction
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- The War Zone · https://www.twz.com/sea/second-chinese-submarine-drone-mothership-emergesSecond Chinese Submarine Drone Mothership Emerges