Chinese Navy Expanding Nuclear Attack Boat Fleet and Missile Strike Capabilities, ONI Commander Says

Beijing is working to ramp up production of nuclear-powered attack boats and incorporate larger numbers of guided-missile classes into its submarine force, putting the People’s Liberation Army Navy on the path to credibly challenge U.S. maritime dominance by the 2040s, the commander of U.S. naval intelligence testified Monday. “By 2040, the PLA Navy’s undersea forces may credibly challenge U.S. regional maritime dominance, complicating crisis response, power projection and allied defense,” Rear Adm. Michael Brookes, commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), testified Monday before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission during a hearing on undersea competition between the