Beijing, August 16, 2025 – China is preparing to publicly present a new and impressive underwater vehicle without pilot (UUV) during the tests of the next military parade.
Images published on Weibo show a large torpedo -shaped drone transported to a platform, confirming the physical existence of the system.
Until now, the Chinese authorities have not officially appointed the project nor disclosed technical details, but the experts already compare the concept to Poseidon Russo, also known as status-6, a long-haul nuclear torpedo presented by Vladimir Putin in 2019 as part of his “exceeding me”.
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Possible propulsion and ability
According to reports from South China Morning Post, Beijing is studying underwater systems with disposable nuclear propulsion, capable of maintaining a speed greater than 30 knots (about 55 km/h) for a maximum of 200 hours. After this period, the reactor would be released on the seabed and the vehicle would continue to operate with batteries, possibly for conventional attacks.
However, it remains uncertain if the new Chinese UUV will be designed to transport nuclear or conventional newspapers, or if it will act as a surveillance platform and strategic deterrence.
Comparisons and mystery
While Russian Poseidon was designed to travel thousands of kilometers and hitting coastal goals with nuclear newspapers, it is not clear if Beijing aims to replicate this ability or to develop a different class of underwater weapon.
The nuclear scientist Guo Jian, of the Institute of Atomic Energy of China, said in a scientific article that exist “substantial differences” between the Chinese project and Poseidon, without however revealing further details.
The vehicles observed during the preparations of the parade, some identified such as AJX002, confirm that China is advancing towards the production of large pilot -free underwater vehicles (Xluuv). However, in the absence of official information, the true mission of this new weapon remains wrapped in mystery.
Sources and images: NavalNews | Defense-blog.com | X @nickratgreat1220. This content was created with the help of the AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
