Update: fresh @googleearth imagery of China's Huludao nuclear submarine shipyard (from 12/26/2022) provides further evidence that construction of a new, larger class of nuclear submarines may be in progress or imminent.
A couple of months ago, we first saw in imagery (from Oct 2022) a new, larger 12m-diameter hull segment, compared to the usual 9-10m hull segments of China's current nuclear submarine classes.
The hull segment in question, however, didn't appear to be prepped for use, and was located in a different part of the shipyard, away from the new main construction halls.
In this latest imagery, we once again see a 12m-diameter hull section. But this time, the segment appears to be painted and is located just outside one of the main construction halls.
It's anyone's guess what this means in terms of actual construction status, timelines, capabilities, etc. But it could be further evidence that construction of the long-rumored Type 095/096 SSN/SSBN classes could be approaching (or maybe even in progress). TBD...
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