China has developed the world’s first drone that can be launched by a submarine from the water, loop repeatedly between the sea and the sky, and eventually return to the same sub, according to researchers at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) and the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center (CARDC) cited in a South China Morning Post report.
While the US military is considering the deployment of submarines near the Chinese coast to release drones that swarm in the air and launch attacks on the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) fleet during a potential conflict over Taiwan, China has already achieved this capability and potentially more than the Pentagon envisions for its own forces, according to the SCMP report.
The new Chinese air-to-sea drone, known as Feiyi, features a unique foldable wing design that reportedly enhances its concealment and survival abilities. The Feiyi can navigate underwater efficiently and perform high-agility maneuvers in the air, making it suitable for marine reconnaissance, surveillance and strike missions, the SCMP report said.
Feiyi’s cutting-edge features, bolstered by China’s unmatched drone manufacturing network and its growing prowess in cross-media weaponry, signal a potential edge for China in future naval conflicts involving drones with the US.
Similarly, the US Navy is testing the Naviator drone, an unmanned vehicle capable of aerial and underwater operations. According to The War Zone, the Naviator is designed for autonomous launch and recovery from unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and can transition seamlessly between air and water, enhancing its deployment flexibility.
The Naviator features precise GPS and visual position hold, a power-saving buoy sentry mode, the ability to carry various sensors and payloads and faster deployment than traditional underwater vehicles. The US Navy’s Orca Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) could be a candidate for the Naviator’s possible launch platform.
Its size and payload volume surpass those of most existing underwater vehicles, allowing for versatile mission profiles beyond minelaying operations. Its diesel-electric propulsion system enables autonomous operations for up to 30 days and 6,000 nautical miles, although operational testing is ongoing to refine these capabilities, according to The War Zone.
The tactical impact of these cross-media drones is that they can bypass multilayered defenses, possibly overcoming the limitations of conventional and hypersonic weapons, and overwhelm the enemy by swarming attacks from multiple domains and directions.
Further, these developments may tie into the more prominent “dronification” of undersea tensions in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea and Indian Ocean.
Exploring the role of UUVs in the Taiwan Strait, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) mentions in a June 2024 report that UUVs play a vital role in enhancing China’s maritime surveillance and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
These UUVs conduct covert intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, monitor naval activities, map the seabed and locate critical undersea infrastructure. Their autonomous operations also reduce detection risks, making them effective in contested waters.
By integrating UUVs into its broader drone fleet, China is establishing a multidomain surveillance network that bolsters its ability to disrupt communications and counter foreign interventions. This move aligns with China’s strategy to offset conventional disadvantages and strengthen its position in potential Taiwan conflict scenarios.
In the 2024 book “Navigating East Asian Maritime Conflicts: Technological Change, Environmental Challenges, Global and Regional Responses,” Henrik Hiim mentions that UUVs and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) play a nuanced role in US-China undersea competition in the South China Sea.
China uses UUVs to counter US nuclear attack submarines (SSN) by enhancing maritime domain awareness, in line with its efforts to turn the South China Sea into a protected bastion for its nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN).
In turn, the US uses Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS) to support strategic anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations in the South China Sea but is constrained by limited endurance and vulnerability in China’s A2/AD environment.
However, Hiim argues that while UMSs may not decisively alter the undersea power balance, they exacerbate maritime disputes, fueling US-China rivalry and intensifying the regional security dilemma.
In the Indian Ocean, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank mentions in a January 2024 report that China’s operations in the area are characterized by extensive dual-use research activities, blending scientific and military objectives.
The PLA leverages a vast fleet of civilian research vessels to gather critical data on water conditions, currents, and the seafloor, thereby enhancing its naval capabilities. These vessels, often owned by state-affiliated organizations with military ties, conduct surveys that support China’s strategic ambitions.
Notably, Chinese ships have been active in the Indian Ocean, deploying advanced underwater gliders and profiling floats to build a real-time ocean observation network. This data collection could aid the PLA Navy’s (PLAN) submarine operations in the area to counter India’s bastion in the Bay of Bengal for its SSBNs.
Analysts have noted India could use its undersea nuclear deterrent as a backstop should its conventional military capabilities be overwhelmed in its ongoing border dispute with China in the Himalayas.
