The Chinese submarine that sank near the city of Wuhan was equipped with a compact nuclear reactor, TMZ reports. According to the publication, it also had a hybrid propulsion system. The Type 041 submarine is similar to the Soviet Project 651E, developed by the Lazurit bureau in the 1980s, the publication says.
The publication specified that the USSR assembled only one such submarine. In addition to the standard diesel-electric plant, it received a nuclear power plant. It is specified that the nuclear reactor in the Chinese submarine could be used to recharge lithium-ion batteries.
Earlier, Reuters reported, citing a senior anonymous Pentagon official, that the Chinese Navy’s newest nuclear attack submarine sank several months ago. According to him, this became known “between May and June.” The source added that it is not yet clear what caused the incident. There is also no information on whether there was nuclear fuel on board.