Type 092 (other designation: Xia class) is the name of a class of Chinese nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). The only ship of this class was launched in 1981 and entered service only six years later (1987). He is still in line. Type 092 has a length of 120 meters, a width of 10 meters and a displacement of approximately 8,000 tons. The maximum speed under water is approx. 22 knots. The main armament of the ship is 12 launchers of ballistic missiles JL-1, and later JL-1A. The unit also has six 533 mm torpedo tubes. The Type 092 ship was designed and put into production as the first unit of this type in the history of the Chinese Navy. It can also be assumed that it was mainly developed by Chinese engineers, but mainly according to Soviet technologies. The very long time that has passed between launch and commissioning may indicate, for example, problems with the fire control system of ballistic missiles or with the missiles themselves, which in the JL-1A version have a range of 2,500 kilometers. Some sources also report that the Xia-type unit did not go on patrol outside the territorial waters of the PRC. Undoubtedly, this ship was clearly inferior to the development of Soviet or American SSBNs of the 1980s. It is worth noting that since 2007, a new SSBN type 094 ship (Jin class) has entered service with the Chinese fleet.
