Yulin Naval Base

Yulin Naval Base is a principal facility of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) located on the southern coast of Hainan Island near Sanya in Yalong Bay, People's Republic of China.^[1][2] It functions as the primary homeport for China's nuclear submarine fleet, including ballistic missile submarines, and supports surface combatants such as aircraft carriers, enabling extended operations in the South China Sea.^[3][4] The base's strategic location provides sheltered access to deep waters ideal for submarine patrols and positions it as a linchpin for PLAN power projection, with underground caverns offering protection against surveillance and strikes for sensitive assets like Type 094 Jin-class submarines.^[5][6] Expansions since the early 2000s, accelerated in recent years, have added multiple piers—including facilities over 500 meters long—and doubled berthing capacity, accommodating larger vessels amid China's naval modernization drive.^[7][8] These developments underscore Yulin's role in bolstering sea denial capabilities and nuclear deterrence, while its proximity to contested maritime routes amplifies its geopolitical weight.^[9][10]

Location and Geography

Site Description

The Yulin Naval Base is located on the southern tip of Hainan Island, near Sanya in Hainan Province, China, within Yulin Bay and adjacent to Yalong Bay, providing access to the South China Sea.^[9] The Greater Yulin complex spans two deepwater bays, offering sheltered, naturally defensible waters suitable for large naval vessels.^[11] Hainan, China's southernmost province, features a tropical climate and karst topography, with the base site backed by steep hills and mountains that enhance concealment and protection from aerial observation.^[9] The core site, particularly East Yulin, covers over 25 square kilometers of terrain integrated with a man-made harbor fortified by sea walls, leveraging the bay's deep waters—reaching depths adequate for submarines and carriers—for operational advantages.^[9] Underground facilities, including a large cave complex excavated into a hillside south of surface piers, provide semi-submerged tunnel access approximately 16 meters wide, shielding assets from satellite detection and surface threats.^{[9] [11]} This integration of natural karst formations and engineered modifications creates a geographically resilient enclave, with the base's proximity to civilian resorts—such as within 500 feet of the Holiday Inn Resort Yalong Bay—highlighting its embedding within Hainan's mixed military-civilian landscape.^[11]

Strategic Positioning

The Yulin Naval Base is positioned at the southern extremity of Hainan Island, near Sanya, encompassing Yulin Bay and adjacent Yalong Bay to form the Greater Yulin complex. This configuration provides sheltered, deepwater access directly into the South China Sea, enabling the People's Liberation Army Navy to project power southward without navigating narrower straits or exposed coastlines.^[9][12] The base's coordinates at approximately 18°17' N, 109°28' E place it about 470 kilometers southwest of Hong Kong and at the northern threshold of the South China Sea, a waterway critical for over one-third of global maritime trade volume.^[13] East Yulin focuses on submarine operations, while West Yulin supports surface fleets, allowing simultaneous deployments of diverse assets from a consolidated hub.^[12] Geographically, the site's advantages stem from its enclosed bays, which offer natural protection from open-ocean swells and enemy surveillance, augmented by mountainous terrain concealing underground facilities.^[9] These include a 16-meter-wide tunnel entrance for submarine berthing, shielding nuclear-powered vessels like Jin-class ballistic missile submarines from satellite detection and potential preemptive strikes.^[9][14] The positioning facilitates rapid transit to flashpoints, such as the Spratly Islands (roughly 800 miles southeast) and Mischief Reef (18 nautical miles away), supporting operations to enforce territorial claims and secure sea lanes of communication.^[12] Strategically, Yulin serves as the PLAN's primary forward base for South China Sea dominance, housing elements of the nuclear triad and enabling anti-access/area-denial capabilities against adversaries.^[9] Its proximity to the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos allows for sustained patrols and coercion of rival claimants, while the base's infrastructure—valued at over $18 billion in 2022—underpins sustained logistics for extended deployments.^[12] This setup positions China to contest U.S. naval freedom of navigation and influence regional dynamics, though vulnerabilities persist due to the island's exposure to long-range strikes.^[11]

History

Establishment and Early Development

The Yulin Naval Base originated from a Japanese Imperial Navy submarine facility constructed during World War II at the southern tip of Hainan Island, which served as the region's primary naval installation until the postwar era.^[15] Following the People's Liberation Army's capture of Hainan in April 1950, the site transitioned to Chinese control and became part of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) expanding operations in the South China Sea.^[13] The base was formally incorporated into the PLAN's South Sea Fleet structure as part of a larger southern naval command center established in 1951, marking its initial role in supporting fleet operations amid the early Cold War buildup.^[16] Early infrastructure focused on basic replenishment, repair, and logistics for surface vessels, reflecting the PLAN's limited capabilities at the time, which prioritized coastal defense over blue-water projection.^[13] Through the 1950s and 1960s, development remained modest, with the base accommodating older diesel-electric submarines assigned to the South Sea Fleet for patrol and training missions, though it lacked advanced facilities for nuclear-powered vessels.^[15] By the 1970s and 1980s, incremental upgrades included additional piers and support buildings to handle routine maintenance for PLAN diesel boats, but Yulin stayed as Hainan's sole major naval hub without significant expansion until the post-Cold War period.^[15][13]

Post-Cold War Expansions

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) pursued enhanced subsurface capabilities amid broader naval modernization, prompting initial upgrades at the existing Yulin Naval Base near Sanya, which had primarily supported conventional submarines since its establishment. These efforts included incremental improvements to piers and support infrastructure to accommodate emerging diesel-electric and nuclear-powered vessels, aligning with China's doctrinal shift toward sea denial and power projection in the South China Sea.^[13] By the late 1990s and early 2000s, construction commenced on an expanded facility at adjacent Yalong Bay, designated as the new core of Yulin, to address limitations in berthing larger, more advanced warships and submarines, including those with vertical launch systems. This development featured deep-water piers capable of handling nuclear attack and ballistic missile submarines, as well as underground caverns for protected mooring to enhance survivability against detection and strikes. The expansions reflected causal priorities in securing sea lines of communication and deterring regional adversaries through credible second-strike capabilities.^[14][17] A key milestone occurred with the completion of major infrastructure by approximately 2011, enabling Yulin to host Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines, which require specialized dry-dock and logistical support for maintenance and missile loading. Concurrently, the nearby Longpo Naval Base was built between 2003 and 2010, incorporating dedicated submarine piers and command facilities to augment Yulin's capacity for nuclear deterrence patrols. These post-Cold War investments, totaling significant dredging and hardening, positioned Yulin as the PLAN's premier southern fleet hub, with empirical satellite observations confirming pier extensions and reclaimed land additions by the mid-2000s.^[17][3][13]

Facilities and Infrastructure

Submarine and Surface Vessel Piers

The Yulin Naval Base maintains dedicated piers for submarine operations, including both exposed docking facilities and access to underground caverns excavated into adjacent hillsides, designed to shelter nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and attack submarines from detection. A prominent feature is a large submarine cave with an entrance approximately 3 meters wider than comparable facilities at other Chinese bases, enabling the berthing and maintenance of multiple vessels in protected environments. These underground structures, observed since at least 2008, support the deployment of Jin-class (Type 094) SSBNs and provide strategic concealment for China's second-strike nuclear capabilities. Additionally, a demagnetization facility at the base aids in reducing submarine detectability by neutralizing magnetic signatures during maintenance.^[18][19] Expansions to submarine piers have accelerated in recent years, with satellite imagery from September 2022 revealing construction of new piers north and south of existing ones on reclaimed land, facilitated by dredging operations. By November 2023, two additional piers initiated in 2022 had their first phase substantially complete, nearly doubling the quay length on the Sanya-facing side of the base and enhancing capacity to accommodate up to 12 submarines simultaneously. South of a cluster of six existing piers lies the primary submarine cave complex, underscoring the site's prioritization for subsurface assets amid the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) fleet growth. These developments reflect China's efforts to bolster South China Sea operational resilience, though the opaque nature of PLAN activities limits precise vessel assignments to specific piers.^{[5][7][20][11][6]} Surface vessel piers at Yulin have undergone parallel upgrades to handle larger combatants, including destroyers, frigates, and potentially aircraft carriers, with expansions dating back to the early 2000s but continuing through recent infrastructure projects. The base's original focus on conventional submarines has shifted to include dedicated quays for surface warships, enabling integrated operations and logistics support for PLAN task groups deploying into the [South China Sea](/page/South China Sea). As of 2023, these piers form part of a contiguous waterfront expansion that integrates with submarine facilities, allowing for efficient turnover of assets without reliance on distant commercial ports. While specific pier lengths and load-bearing capacities remain classified, the overall enlargement supports the basing of major surface units alongside subsurface forces, enhancing the base's role as a forward hub.^[15][7][11]

Support and Logistics Features

Yulin Naval Base incorporates advanced support infrastructure to facilitate maintenance, resupply, and sustainment of the People's Liberation Army Navy's submarine and surface fleets. Key features include multiple piers and berthing areas optimized for efficient vessel handling, with satellite imagery from July 2022 revealing two new piers under construction north and south of existing facilities: the northern pier measuring 573 feet long and 67 feet wide, and the southern pier 780 feet long and 67 feet wide.^[5] These additions connect to reclaimed land and enable berthing for nuclear-powered submarines such as Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines and Type 093 Shang-class attack submarines, as well as surface combatants.^[5] A dedicated dry dock capable of accommodating aircraft carriers and large surface ships has been constructed, supporting repairs and overhauls for vessels like the Shandong carrier, which has been homeported at the base.^[5] Further expansions, evident in imagery from July 17, include pier extensions adjacent to carrier docking areas and at least seven new piers on the opposite side of the base, alongside two expanded berthing zones near the dry dock—one exceeding 3,000 feet in length, sufficient for three Shandong-sized carriers.^[21] These developments employ Mediterranean-style mooring configurations, where vessels berth perpendicular to piers, maximizing space utilization amid fleet growth.^[22] Logistics capabilities have been enhanced to support high operational tempos, including maintenance for South China Sea patrols and anti-piracy missions, with new piers over 240 meters long capable of handling four Type 075 landing helicopter docks simultaneously.^[22] The base's protected, deepwater harbor and reclaimed infrastructure collectively enable rapid resupply and turnaround for deployed assets, addressing previous limitations in pier capacity relative to the PLAN's expansion to over 600 warships by 2023.^[22][21]

Strategic Role

Operational Capabilities

The Yulin Naval Base functions as the principal homeport for the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), supporting their operational deployments for strategic deterrence patrols originating from the South China Sea.^[2] These capabilities include sheltered berthing in mountain-tunneled caverns and expanded piers that enable simultaneous docking for up to 12 submarines, facilitating maintenance, crew rotations, and rapid sortie generation for both nuclear and conventional attack submarines.^[6][5] For surface fleet operations, the base accommodates major combatants such as destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers, with recent satellite imagery confirming the berthing of carriers including the Shandong and Fujian alongside support infrastructure for air wing operations and logistics resupply.^[23][24] This setup supports power projection missions, including carrier strike group deployments to contested waters near the Philippines and Vietnam, enhanced by the base's proximity to regional chokepoints and its integration with anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems for layered defense during operations.^[25][9] Overall, Yulin's operational infrastructure enables sustained PLAN blue-water activities, including electronic warfare integration from nearby facilities and potential unmanned surface vessel hosting, allowing for extended patrols and rapid response to regional contingencies without reliance on distant mainland bases.^[2][20] The base's expansions since the mid-2010s have doubled pier capacity on the Sanya side, prioritizing nuclear submarine deterrence while accommodating growing surface assets for multi-domain operations in the Indo-Pacific.^[7]

Role in Nuclear Deterrence

Yulin Naval Base serves as the primary operational hub for China's Type 094 (Jin-class) nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), which form the maritime component of its nuclear deterrent triad.^[26] These submarines, deployed to the base starting in 2008, carry up to 12 JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with ranges of approximately 7,400 km, enabling strikes on targets across Asia and potentially the continental United States from patrol areas in the South China Sea.^[18][19] The base's underground facilities and sheltered berths enhance the survivability of these assets by protecting them from satellite detection and conventional strikes, supporting a credible second-strike posture essential to deterring nuclear aggression.^[18] As of 2025, all six operational Type 094 SSBNs are homeported at Yulin (also known as Longpo or Yalong Bay), making it indispensable for maintaining continuous at-sea deterrence patrols.^[27] The facility's strategic southern location on Hainan Island provides unimpeded access to deep-water expanses without reliance on contested straits, allowing submarines to evade anti-submarine warfare networks and achieve the stealth required for assured retaliation.^[28] This positioning has elevated Yulin's role amid China's shift from minimal to more robust sea-based nuclear forces, with observed activities including SLBM reloads to sustain operational readiness.^[29] Expansions at Yulin, such as extended piers and logistics infrastructure completed since the 2010s, have directly bolstered SSBN deployment cycles and missile sustainment, reinforcing deterrence amid regional tensions.^[9] While Chinese state media emphasize the base's defensive contributions to national security, Western analyses, including those from U.S. intelligence, highlight its potential to project nuclear threats into the Indo-Pacific, though SSBN noise levels remain a limiting factor for full-spectrum deterrence.^[30][31]

Modernization and Expansions

Recent Infrastructure Developments

In 2022, satellite imagery revealed the construction of two new piers, each approximately 240 meters long, at the Yulin Naval Base's submarine facilities along Yalong Bay, enhancing berthing capacity for larger vessels including nuclear-powered submarines.^[5][32] These additions, observed via commercial satellite photos from Planet Labs, were positioned adjacent to existing underground caverns, potentially increasing simultaneous docking for up to 12 submarines and supporting expanded nuclear deterrence operations.^[6] By November 2023, further expansions at the base included new quay walls and support structures, interpreted by analysts as enabling accommodation for unmanned sea drones alongside traditional assets, based on high-resolution imagery analysis.^[20] In February 2025, ongoing pier construction at Yulin was assessed as indicative of a new greenfield facility tailored for nuclear-powered submarines, with pier layouts optimized for larger hulls and associated support infrastructure.^[33] Satellite imagery from July 17, 2025, documented continued dredging and construction activities, including potential upgrades to piers and adjacent facilities to accommodate China's growing aircraft carrier fleet, as analyzed by AllSource Analysis using geospatial intelligence.^[21] These developments, part of broader modernization valued at over $18 billion for the greater Yulin complex as of 2022, underscore incremental enhancements in logistics and operational resilience without public confirmation from Chinese authorities.^[12]

Capacity Enhancements for Carriers and Subs

Satellite imagery from July 2022 revealed the construction of two new piers at Yulin Naval Base's submarine facilities, positioned north and south of the four existing piers on newly reclaimed land.^[5] The northern pier measures approximately 573 feet in length and 67 feet in width, while the southern pier extends to about 780 feet in length with similar width, enabling enhanced berthing for nuclear-powered submarines such as the Type 094 Jin-class ballistic missile submarines and Type 093 Shang-class attack submarines.^[5] These additions, observed via Maxar Technologies imagery, contribute to an overall expansion that supports simultaneous docking for up to 12 submarines, reflecting the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) efforts to bolster subsurface operational sustainment.^[6] The base also features an extensive underground cavern system capable of housing up to 20 nuclear submarines, providing protected berthing shielded from satellite observation and potential surveillance.^[34] Complementary surface enhancements include a new pier designed for large surface vessels and a dry dock suitable for aircraft carriers and major combatants, constructed as part of the 2022 developments to integrate submarine and carrier maintenance capabilities.^[5] For aircraft carriers, satellite analysis from July 17, 2025, documented ongoing pier expansions, including the extension of an existing berth adjacent to the PLAN's carrier Shandong (CNS-17).^[21] At least seven new piers were under construction on the base's opposite side, alongside two expanded berthing areas near a dry dock; one of these measures over 3,000 feet in length, sufficient to accommodate three Shandong-class carriers (each approximately 999 feet long) concurrently.^[21] These upgrades, as assessed by AllSource Analysis, aim to improve logistical support and operational tempo for the PLAN's expanding carrier fleet, facilitating sustained deployments in the South China Sea.^[21]

Deployed Assets

Submarine Fleet Basing

The Yulin Naval Base, part of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) South Sea Fleet, serves as the primary homeport for China's nuclear-powered submarine force, including ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) essential for strategic deterrence. Satellite imagery and open-source intelligence indicate that the base hosts the majority of the PLAN's Type 094 (Jin-class) SSBNs, with at least six vessels associated with the facility as of 2022, three of which were observed berthed simultaneously.^[5] The first Type 094 deployed to Yulin around 2007-2008, leveraging the base's underground cavern facilities for protected berthing and maintenance.^[19] These SSBNs, each capable of carrying 12 JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, conduct patrols from Yulin into the South China Sea, enhancing China's second-strike nuclear capabilities.^[26] In addition to SSBNs, Yulin accommodates nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) of the Type 093 (Shang-class), which support anti-surface warfare and intelligence operations in the region. The base's submarine infrastructure includes nine dedicated berths as of recent assessments, with expansions enabling up to 12 submarines to dock concurrently, including provisions for both nuclear and conventional types.^[35] Longpo Naval Base, an eastern extension of the Yulin complex, specializes in nuclear submarine operations, featuring hardened underground tunnels that shield assets from surveillance and potential strikes.^[13] Observations from commercial satellite imagery, such as a Type 094A variant loading missiles at Yulin in December 2024, underscore ongoing operational tempo at the site.^[29] The basing strategy at Yulin reflects the PLAN's emphasis on forward-deployed nuclear assets, with the base's location providing access to deep-water approaches for submerged transits. However, the fleet's exact composition remains opaque due to China's operational secrecy, with Western analyses relying on intermittent satellite sightings rather than official disclosures; for instance, transits of Type 094s from Yulin have been documented en route to patrol areas.^[36] Expansions since the mid-2010s, including new piers, have increased capacity to support a growing submarine force projected to include advanced Type 095 SSNs and potentially Type 096 SSBNs in the future.^[8]

Aircraft Carrier and Surface Combatant Presence

The aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17), commissioned in December 2019, is homeported at Yulin Naval Base as the primary carrier asset for People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operations in the South China Sea.^[4][37] Satellite imagery from October 2025 confirmed Shandong moored alongside the next-generation Fujian (CV-18) at Yulin piers, highlighting the base's role in accommodating multiple carriers simultaneously.^[25] Fujian, China's first conventionally powered carrier with electromagnetic catapults, has conducted sea trials and is expected to be assigned to Yulin upon full commissioning, enabling enhanced power projection from the facility.^[24] The older Liaoning (CV-16), typically based in Qingdao, has periodically docked at Yulin for joint operations, as observed in satellite photos from October 2024 showing it berthed with Shandong.^[38] Yulin serves as a central hub for PLAN surface combatants under the South Sea Fleet, including destroyers and frigates designed for blue-water missions.^[11] The base hosts advanced vessels such as Type 055 Renhai-class destroyers (cruiser-sized with 112 VLS cells for multi-role strikes) and Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyers, which provide escort and air defense for carrier groups deploying from the site.^[6] Infrastructure expansions, including dedicated piers and a dry dock capable of servicing carriers alongside surface combatants, support routine maintenance and rapid deployment of these assets.^[5] Observations indicate Yulin's surface fleet elements frequently participate in carrier strike group exercises, underscoring its operational integration for contested maritime environments.^[39]

International Perspectives

Chinese Official Viewpoints

Chinese officials characterize the Yulin Naval Base as a critical component of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) infrastructure supporting defensive operations in the South China Sea, where China asserts historical sovereignty over relevant islands, reefs, and waters. The Ministry of National Defense has stated that PLAN deployments and exercises from bases in Hainan Province, including Yulin, are conducted to safeguard national territorial integrity and maritime rights, while resolutely opposing foreign infringements and provocations in the region.^[40] According to the 2019 defense white paper China's National Defense in the New Era, the PLAN's modernization efforts, encompassing fleet basing and operational capabilities in the South Sea Fleet's area of responsibility, focus on near-seas active defense to deter potential threats and ensure strategic stability, without targeting any specific country. In responses to foreign reports on infrastructure developments at Yulin, such as pier expansions or submarine facilities, Chinese spokespersons maintain that such activities represent normal national defense construction, transparent under China's policies, and necessary to counter external military pressures rather than for offensive expansion.^[41] The Foreign Ministry has echoed this by criticizing international surveillance and patrols near Hainan as destabilizing, arguing they undermine regional peace and that China's naval presence upholds freedom of navigation for legitimate purposes while defending indisputable sovereignty.^[42] Official narratives consistently frame Yulin's role within the broader context of China's "peaceful development," positioning it as a response to perceived encirclement by U.S.-led alliances rather than a tool for aggression.

Foreign Criticisms and Responses

United States defense analysts and officials have criticized the expansion of Yulin Naval Base as bolstering China's anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy, enabling more effective power projection into the South China Sea and posing risks to U.S. naval operations through enhanced submarine and carrier capabilities.^[26] The base's infrastructure, including piers for nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), has been flagged for improving China's second-strike nuclear posture, potentially deterring U.S. intervention in regional contingencies like a Taiwan Strait conflict.^[43][44] Taiwanese security assessments view Yulin's proximity—approximately 200 kilometers from Taiwan—as heightening invasion threats, with satellite imagery showing carrier moorings that could support amphibious assaults or blockade operations.^[45] Japanese and Australian strategists have echoed concerns, citing the base's role in extending Chinese naval reach toward the Indo-Pacific, including potential disruptions to sea lanes vital for energy imports.^[8][46] In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons have rejected these criticisms as exaggerated "China threat" narratives intended to justify U.S. military encirclement, asserting that Yulin's developments are defensive measures within sovereign territory to protect maritime rights and interests.^[47] Beijing emphasizes that naval modernization, including at Yulin, aligns with international law and responds to perceived external provocations, such as U.S. freedom of navigation operations near Hainan.^[48] Official statements frame the base's expansions as routine infrastructure upgrades, not aggressive posturing, and accuse critics of hypocrisy given allied base constructions in the region.^[14]