G. Makanov and A.Pinkov

<Kanwa news April 6, 1999> The vice chief designer of the Russian Rubin Central Design Bureau, G. Makanov, indicated to the Kanwa that at the governmental level, China didn’t at all request Russia to help it design and manufacture the new nuclear-powered SSN. He said, "The Chinese even didn’t allow me to embark on the "Song"-class submarine. How can it be possible for our experts to design the nuclear-powered SSN with them?" The US naval intelligence agency believes that Russia joins China in the design of certain systems at least at a personal level and in private.

For the Russian navy, the major tactical task of its KILO submarine is to protect a large number of Russian nuclear-powered SSNs in their off-shore activities. Therefore, as the other experts of the Rubin Central Design Bureau believe, China is manufacturing its new nuclear-powered SSN and its existing "Han"-class SSN is on active service. Then, China may mainly use the KILO submarine to protect the above-mentioned SSNs while they travel to or from the ocean. This is also part of the effort the Chinese navy has made to become more ocean-going < Kanwa news Andrei Pinkov>.

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