Forbes Says China’s Submarine Fleet Will Double United States’ in a Decade

...We ran Forbes’ statement by Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington-based think tank that examines national security and defense spending issues. Clark estimated that between 2025 and 2030, China will have 80 to 100 submarines. With the U.S. having more than 50 submarines at that time, Forbes’ numbers have validity, Clark said. But we need to consider more than numbers when comparing the two nations’ submarine fleets, Clark added. He noted all U.S. subs are nuclear-powered, while China’s fleet, in a decade, still will contain many diesel-powered vessels. "It is notable, however, that all of the U.S. submarines are highly capable of long endurance, whereas about half of China’s submarine fleet will be non-nuclear submarines best suited for regional operations close to home," Clark wrote in an email.