China is building an underwater drone mothership for XLUUVs

Satellite imagery shows China constructing a roughly 656-foot vessel with a hangar that could carry up to four extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs). The ship could deploy, recover and service drones far from port, potentially reshaping undersea warfare.

• Vessel is about 656 feet long with a 98-foot beam
• Forward hangar could house up to four XLUUVs
• XLUUVs are generally 20 to 82 feet long
• China showed two 59–66-foot XLUUVs at the 2025 parade