China building new semi-submersible missile carrier

China is developing what appears to be a new generation of combat vessel that may operate without a crew, according to the report from Naval News.

The mysterious ship, currently under construction at the Huangpu shipyard in Guangzhou, is believed to be a trimaran-style, semi-submersible missile carrier.

Satellite images reviewed by defense analysts show a long, narrow vessel roughly 65 meters in length, with trimaran outriggers extending from the stern. The ship’s hull and much of its structure have been concealed under tarpaulins — an uncommon practice for this shipyard, which typically produces frigates and corvettes. The concealment has fueled speculation that the project involves sensitive military technology.

According to Naval News, the vessel features a slender hull form with submarine-like contours and a box-shaped forward section. Analysts say these design traits suggest that the platform is capable of high-speed surface operations and may be designed to operate autonomously or with a minimal crew. The small, narrow superstructure leaves little space for traditional accommodations, reinforcing the theory that it is unmanned.

The ship’s form and dimensions also align with the concept of a semi-submersible arsenal ship — a vessel designed primarily to carry large numbers of land-attack missiles. Rumors of such a Chinese project have circulated online since 2017, though at the time the reports were considered speculative and often based on concept art or academic research rather than evidence from production yards. The new satellite imagery appears to lend weight to those early claims.

Naval News noted that the vessel’s dark gray or black coloration resembles submarine coatings more than typical surface ship paint schemes. Its low profile and rounded lower hull suggest that stealth and reduced radar visibility may have been priorities in its design.

Based on the vessel’s estimated size, experts believe that a vertical launch system (VLS) could be installed beneath the forward deck, with sufficient depth to accommodate long-range cruise missiles. If true, the platform could function as a “floating magazine,” providing additional missile capacity to support larger warships such as destroyers or cruisers.

In keeping with the arsenal ship concept, the vessel appears to lack a tall superstructure for onboard radar or targeting systems, implying that it would depend on external guidance from other ships, aircraft, or satellites. If the hull proves to be semi-submersible, large ballast tanks would allow it to sit lower in the water, reducing visibility and improving survivability.

The development of a vessel that combines stealth, autonomy, and heavy missile capacity would signal a new phase in China’s naval strategy, which has already emphasized speed, saturation firepower, and distributed operations across the Pacific.

A semi-submersible missile carrier could expand China’s ability to launch large-scale precision strikes while remaining difficult to detect or target. That would challenge U.S. and allied navies to adapt their surveillance, targeting, and defense networks to counter unconventional naval threats.