Could mystery Shanghai vessel be a mothership for China’s underwater drones?

An unusual vessel taking shape at a Shanghai shipyard has been assessed as a possible mothership for China’s large uncrewed submarines – a capability that, if confirmed, could enable Beijing to operate the drones far from its own coast for sustained periods.Open-source naval analyst H.I. Sutton said satellite imagery of the roughly 200-metre (656-foot) hull at Hudong-Zhonghua showed a large internal hangar and an opening at the stern that appeared designed to launch and recover extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XXLUUVs). Sutton said the vessel was most likely a dedicated submarine-drone mothership.An experienced military imagery analyst who reviewed the same September 10 imagery for the China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post said he could independently identify the apparent stern launch-and-recovery system.The analyst, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said a lifting frame, or cradle, positioned behind the vessel in the dry dock appeared narrow enough to pass through the stern opening. The area inside the opening might lack a floor, he added, potentially allowing the cradle and any underwater craft it carried to be lowered into the sea or hoisted back aboard using the surrounding support structures, as Sutton described.The analyst said the configuration was inconsistent with a cable-laying ship. Such vessels normally carry large horizontal drums for storing cable, either exposed on deck or housed within the hull. The drums or their fittings would be visible during construction, he added.The observations support parts of Sutton’s reading of the imagery but do not establish what the ship will be used for.Sutton’s interpretation builds on earlier imagery showing unusually large, submarine-shaped craft being handled from floating docks.