China Builds World’s First Giant Underwater Drone Mothership

China is reportedly constructing the world’s first purpose-built mothership for giant uncrewed underwater vehicles, potentially transforming experimental submarine-sized drones into a deployable force capable of operating far beyond protected Chinese waters.

Commercial satellite imagery dated 15 September 2026 shows the unidentified vessel under construction at Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard, although Beijing has neither acknowledged the ship nor confirmed its intended operator, designation, or mission.

Open-source analysis indicates a hull approximately 205 metres long and 27 metres wide, combining an amphibious-ship silhouette with internal arrangements seemingly optimised for launching, recovering, maintaining, and transporting exceptionally large underwater drones.

Its defining features reportedly include a bottom-opening wet well-deck, a cradle suspended by 12 vertical jack-up arms, and an enclosed hangar potentially accommodating four extra-extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles, or XXLUUVs. [MORE]