The Myanmar Navy recently commissioned UMS Minye Kyaw Htin, a former People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 35B Ming-class diesel-electric attack submarine. This is the second submarine to join the Navy fleet following the commissioning of former Indian Navy Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuvir in 2020. The Chinese Ming-class submarine was built in four variants over 25 years beginning in 1974. The 76m-long submarine has a displacement of 2,100 tons and maximum speed of about 18 knots. It can operate at depths of 300m. The Type 035B variant which just joined the Myanmar fleet is equipped to fire missiles from its torpedo tubes. Bangladesh bought two Type 035G vessels for $203 million, both of which were delivered in 2016.
The submarine is named in the honour of the King of the Toungoo dynasty. Chairman of the State Administration Council of Republic of Union of Myanmar and Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was attends the commissioning ceremony of new warships, include UMS Minye Kyaw Htin (72), the former chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s Type 035 ‘Ming’-class submarine; UMS Inwa (53), the Inlay-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV); two of 18m Riverine Fast Attack Crafts and four of 20m Riverine Patrol Boats on 24 December 2021, 74th Anniversary of the Myanmar Navy. The commissioning of the vessel took place on 24 December, during which the Myanmar Navy also marked its 74th Anniversary.
The Type 035 submarine is a class of diesel-electric submarines of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. The Type 035 is a heavily improved redesign of the older Type 033 submarines (Romeo-class), which were built in China from 1962 to 1984. The most modern design variant is the Type 035B, which features a redesigned conning tower and portions of the hull, giving it a very similar appearance to the newer Type 039 submarines. Type 035B are capable of launching land attack cruise missiles from their torpedo tubes. A total of four boats were commissioned between 2000 and 2003. The Bangladesh Navy ordered two off the shelf Type 035G submarines from China in 2013 worth $203 million. The boats underwent refit in China and delivery was made on 14 November 2016. They are the Bangladesh Navy’s first submarines. The names and pennant numbers of the submarines are BNS Nabajatra (S 161) and BNS Joyjatra (S 162) respectively. They were commissioned on 12 March 2017.
