A new submarine commissioned by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy enters operation at an undisclosed date. The submarine, featuring an angled sail design, has been dubbed the Type 039C by overseas media. Photo: Screenshot from the official Weibo account of the PLA Navy

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy revealed a new type of submarine in celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of its submarine force, with analysts saying on Thursday that the uniquely designed boat offers enhanced stealth and has already reached operational capability.

Featured in the opening seconds of a celebration video released by the PLA Navy on its official Weibo account on Wednesday, the new submarine is distinguishably different from any other submarines the PLA Navy had previously displayed to the public, observers said.

The boat has an angled sail design identical a submarine dubbed the Type 039C by previous overseas media reports. 

According to a report by Paris-based news outlet the Naval News in November 2023, the Type 039C is China's latest non-nuclear powered attack submarine. The report speculated that it uses AIP (air-independent power) technologies, and its distinctive shape of the sail is to increase survivability by reducing the signal strength of the submarine from the enemy's active sonar.

The PLA Navy has not released detailed information about the new submarine, including its official designation or capabilities.

China Central Television (CCTV) also aired a report on the PLA Navy's submarine force later on Wednesday, featuring the same clips showing the new submarine.

CCTV reported that, since the navy of the PLA Southern Theater Command formed a crew for the first boat of a new type of submarine, the crew has completed missions including taking delivery, test voyages and performance evaluation, as the submarine performed an extreme deep dive and started combat readiness missions to remote waters in the same year it was commissioned.

The crew explored methods and approaches in the rapid generation of combat capabilities of new qualities and garnered valuable experience, CCTV reported.

The official debut of the new submarine and the CCTV report indicate that the boat has likely entered service and reached operational capability, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Thursday.

Observers said that China's submarine technologies have long trailed behind the world's top level, but new developments show that it is catching up.