China Developing Arsenal Ship

Reports claim there has been substantial design work and concept proofing for a new underwater arsenal ship in China. A leading chinese naval engineer Professor Dong Wei Cai continued to work on a key aspect of the arsenal ship design: the high-speed wave hydroplane up until his recent death.

There are two concepts in circulation:
1. a high-speed warship with much of its hull submerged but otherwise has a functional superstructure with defense weapons and radar
2. other is almost completely submerged arsenal ship with two conning towers.

Both ship designs could displace roughly about 20,000 tons at full load.

These warships could carry hundreds of guided missiles.

Arsenal Ship

The arsenal ship would have most of its hull inherently submerged, with only the bridge and a few other parts of the ship above the waterline which reduce the radar cross section. This would be in situations where the ship is hiding or trying to protect itself.

But when traveling with a high-speed naval task force, the arsenal ship will sacrifice stealth to use its flat hull bottom to hydroplane at high speeds, cutting across the waves like a speedboat or amphibious armored vehicle.

http://www.asiandefenceforum.com/threads/china-developing-arsenal-ship-that-would-have-a-high-speed-hydroplaning-mode-and-submersible.69/