Most U.S. cities are out of range of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) because of the “first island chain” – a series of bases dotted across the Pacific Ocean equipped with sophisticated submarine detection systems.
With the first island chain acting as the country’s first line of defense, hostile submarines are exposed to detection and attack by American P-8 anti-sub patrol planes, surface warships and other undersea reconnaissance capabilities before even coming close to striking distance of the U.S.
China’s new submarine can get past America’s first line of defense undetected
The first island chain can be rendered useless by the Type 094A Jin-class, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) that runs quieter than its predecessors. Aside from having a better chance to get past the first island chain undetected, Type 094A can also carry the JL-3 “Julang” (Big Wave) nuclear missile that has a 6,200-mile range.
The JL-3 can deliver the same number of warheads, including nuclear warheads, as its JL-2 predecessor. For context, the latter can be armed with either a single megaton-yield warhead 67 times more powerful than the Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima, or three to eight smaller multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) that can strike different targets.
