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Why submarine attacks may prove to be the Achilles’ heel for China’s new carrier fleet

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Gabriel DominguezPublished: 10:00am, 11 Aug 2026China’s rapidly expanding aircraft carrier fleet may be vulnerable to attack from submarines – an area where its defensive capacity lags behind that of the United States – according to a new report.This gap is drawing increasing attention as Beijing builds more sophisticated carriers and sends them deeper into the western Pacific, where the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s knowledge of the undersea environment continues to lag behind that of the US Navy.

A recent report from the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies outlined a “cost-imposition” strategy that could help the US and its allies threaten China’s carriers.

It included the use of land-based strike networks, long-range air strikes supported by satellites, cyber and electromagnetic attacks, and drone swarms.

However, the fifth element of this strategy – submarine ambushes – is where many analysts believe the Chinese navy is most vulnerable.

Specifically, the report identified US attack submarines operating in the western Pacific as one of the most potent threats to Chinese carrier groups, arguing that gaps in the navy’s undersea detection and tracking capabilities could leave the high-value ships exposed.

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