The People’s Liberation Army-Navy calls these A-I-P subs Type 039B.  NATO reporting name for Type 039 class subs is ‘Yuan’, to make things more confusing NATO also calls the Type 041 class ‘Yuan”.

Western/NATO analysts seem confused, sometimes calling the A-I-P the Type 039B, sometimes Type 039C, since they are China’s only known operational A-I-P subs lets just call them A-I-P.

These appear to be Communist China’s AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) attack submarines.  AIP is a conventional power system that can draw oxygen from the water, like a fish’s gills, rather than from the air. This means the submarine does not have to rely on relatively short life batteries to stay submerged, it allows the submarine to stay submerged for long periods  like a nuclear powered submarine.

In July 2018, the People’s Liberation Army-Navy claimed their then new AIP submarines set new PLA-Navy records, such as underwater sailing distance and maximum depth reached.  China says their AIP powered subs can stay submerged for as long as three weeks.  They admitted that AIP technology makes their attack submarines more expensive.

Reportedly, China’s AIP are what is known as Stirling (sometimes incorrectly spelled Sterling, the system is named after Scottish engineer Robert Stirling) AIP, a system directly connected to SAAB, based in NATO ‘partner’ (not a member by considered a partner) Sweden.  (Sweden about to submit an official application for membership in NATO)

For some reason Wikipedia lists China’s AIP subs as Type 041 and Type 032, yet the PLA-Navy itself says they are Type 039B.

Cold War Subs: USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571), STILL FIGHTING AFTER 67 YEARS! FIRST BORN IN LAND-LOCKED IDAHO?

Vehicle I-D: CHINA MAKES SURPRISE(?) DELIVERY OF MILITARY AID TO RUSSIAN ALLY, USING NEW Y20!