China Springs A Nuclear Leak
On July 29th, a rumor began spreading on the Chinese Internet sites that there was a radiation leak on a submarine stationed near Dalian in northeast China. As the story went, the accident occurred while technicians were installing new electronic gear on a Type 94 SSBN (nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine). The government promptly denied the rumor and ordered all Chinese media to stop discussing it. Since there was no evidence that the incident actually occurred, and no more news from the pier where the SSBN was tied up, the story would normally have disappeared from lack of interest. But six days earlier, there had been a very public train accident, with many dead and injured. Cell phone pictures and videos from witnesses got loose, and that story would not die. Not just because there was plenty of evidence that it actually happened, and the government tried to cover it up. But also because the Chinese government keeps trying to control the news, while most Chinese are eager to show the government how that sort of thing doesn’t work anymore.
When a radiation leak story shows up less than a week later, and the government also tries it bury it, the half billion Chinese Internet users are definitely not buying it. It’s not like there haven’t been submarine disasters in the Chinese navy before. Back in 2003, one diesel sub went to sea, and the entire crew died because of glitch with the air supply. The government tried to keep that one quiet as well. Moreover, many Chinese are well aware of the sorry history of Russian nuclear subs (who served as the models for Chinese ones). Russian nukes were infamous for their poor radiation shielding. The Russians had many jokes about that. Like, “how can you tell if a sailor serves on a submarine? He glows in the dark.”
It has not been as bad in the Chinese Navy, mainly because the Chinese have fewer than ten nuclear subs, and they don’t let them go to sea very often. So it should be no surprise that this is not the first embarrassing situation for the Type 94 boats. There have been several.
For example, China has never sent a boomer (the nickname for SSBNs) on a combat patrol. America, Russia, Britain and France have all done so, and still do. The U.S. has had SSBNs going out with nuclear armed, and ready to fire, missiles for over half a century. What is going on with China? There appear to be a combination of technical and political problems. This is one reason so many Chinese were ready to believe there was a radiation leak.
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