Digitalglobe satellite pictures confirm that China has constructed a major underground nuclear submarine facility in Yulin (Sanya) at Hainan island. The Federation of American Scientists reports that the Chinese navy has already deployed a Jin class (Type 094) ballistic missile submarine to the base. In addition to an extensive tunnel system, among the base’s new capabilities (compared to the one in Jinggezhuang) is a demagnetization facility to remove residual magnetic fields from the metal in a submarine, making it harder to detect.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy lacks tactical experience operating SSBN’s at sea and DoD reports limit the JL-2 range to around 7,200+ km. Deep waters around the base also make it more vulnerable to US attack submarines in the South China sea which have decades of experience trailing Soviet SSBN’s in open water. These in combination with ASW aircraft and submerged listening devices will hamper effective deployment of the Jin.