Chinese submarine Changcheng 303, type 033 diesel submarine
Chinese submarine Changcheng 303 is a Type 033 vessel built in the late 1970s and measures approximately 77 meters long. Its hull features a straightforward, functional design with visible hatches and torpedo tubes visible from the outside.
The submarine was built at Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou in 1977 and commissioned in the early 1980s, serving for over 25 years. It was decommissioned in 2009 and has been preserved as a museum display since then.
The submarine carries the name Changcheng, which means "Great Wall" and symbolizes strength and endurance. This naming choice reflects how China valued its fleet's ability to defend coastal waters.
The submarine now rests on land at the Science and Technology Museum in Wuhan and is accessible to visitors. You can walk on its deck and explore the internal compartments to imagine what life below the surface was like.
The submarine was powered by two diesel engines that allowed it to move both on the surface and underwater. Its design was adapted from Soviet Romeo-class vessels but built and modified by China for its own specifications.
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