Daijiworld Media Network- Beijing

Beijing, Aug 20: China is gearing up to showcase a new generation of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) during its upcoming military parade in Beijing, signalling its push to challenge US naval dominance in the Western Pacific.

The September 3 parade, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, will feature the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) latest advancements in maritime technology. With the PLAN already the world’s largest navy by hull count, the unveiling of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs) highlights China’s growing ambitions at sea.

According to defence analysts, rehearsal images circulating on Chinese social media confirm the presence of at least two different UUV designs. Naval News, a specialist defence portal, identified one as AJX002, previously documented in limited imagery, while another, slightly larger variant remains unnamed and has only been sighted under wraps.

Measuring nearly 60 feet, these submarines feature torpedo-like hulls and pump-jet propulsion, suggesting stealth capabilities. Design elements such as modular hulls, lifting lugs, and crane-launch provisions point to flexible deployment options.

During rehearsals at Tiananmen Square, six vehicles were transported on tank carriers – four AJX002 models and two of the unidentified class. Reports suggest these are part of China’s rapidly expanding XLUUV programme, the largest of its kind globally, with at least five different types tested in recent years.

Defence experts warn that the induction of such advanced underwater systems could escalate maritime tensions, especially around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. The US and its allies, meanwhile, caution that China’s expanding arsenal risks threatening freedom of navigation across critical sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific.

The September parade will mark the first-ever public display of China’s extra-large drone submarines.