China proposes new submarine tank that could operate underwater for up to two hours

Chinese researchers have proposed four types of modular combat equipment designed to switch configurations for missions across land, water, air, and electromagnetic battlefields. One proposed configuration could operate underwater at depths of up to 164 feet for two hours, although the reported tests have yet to verify this capability.

The designs are intended for the evolution of armored warfare between 2030 and 2050. Scientists from Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group, which works on China’s tanks and armored vehicles, and the Beijing Institute of Technology are leading the project.

The researchers said prototype development and field tests had advanced the concept towards engineering application and “combat-oriented validation.”

Four equipment types target different combat environments

As reported by South China Morning Post, the proposed system centers on four types of equipment intended to support operations across different battlefield environments. Rather than relying entirely on fixed vehicle hardware, the designs use interchangeable physical modules to adapt to changing mission requirements.

The approach is intended to help armored units respond to threats that develop too quickly for conventional platforms. According to the researchers, traditional vehicles can take more than 45 seconds to switch from reconnaissance to striking a target.

The paper also estimates that conventional vehicles’ ability to intercept multiple targets could fall from 89 percent to 38.6 percent during a 10-second drone attack.

Modular connections aim to shorten response times

The researchers aim to reduce the observe-orient-decide-act (OODA) decision cycle to nine seconds, a fivefold improvement over current performance.

Tests recorded an average module-connection time of 8.7 seconds and a 98.3 percent success rate across 1,000 trials. The trials covered temperatures from minus 4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, strong electromagnetic interference, and muddy terrain.

The system is also designed to keep fluctuations in the power supplied to high-energy payloads within plus or minus 3 percent.

Underwater configuration of submarine tank targets amphibious operations

One of the detailed configurations is a dedicated water module (submarine tank) designed to operate at depths of up to 164 feet for two hours. Switching between operating environments could take as little as 12 minutes.

The proposed capability could allow a vehicle to approach a shoreline underwater before changing to its land configuration. The researchers also envision drone-assisted obstacle clearance, projecting that the system could clear 30 obstacles per minute and cut landing-operation time by 60 percent.

However, the reported tests did not establish underwater performance of the proposed submarine tank, and the paper provided no underwater speed or range figures.

Land performance and cost savings remain projections

The land-based core module is designed to reach at least 43 mph on roads and 25 mph off-road. Its proposed hybrid power system would provide a minimum range of 373 miles.

The researchers estimate that the concept could improve performance across five key areas compared with existing modular armored vehicles, including Germany’s Boxer. They also project a reduction of around 40 percent in whole-life costs.

These figures remain projections. Further testing will be needed to establish whether the four equipment types can deliver their proposed capabilities in operational conditions.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Acta Armamentarii.