Type 031
GOLF [G-Class]
Initial Chinese efforts to to create a sea-launched nuclear-missile system used two large Project 629 GOLF missile-armed diesel-electric submarines and seven R-11F liquid-propellant missiles which had been transferred from the USSR in the early 1960's. But work on these sea-launched missiles encountered a vaariety of problems.
In 1967 American intelligence sources identified a G-class submarine being constructed/assembled at Lu-ta Shipyard and later based at Hsiao-ping Tao Naval Base. It measured 320 feet in length.
By the early 1970's China recognized that continuation of the Project 629 effort was pointless. Chinese development of a nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine began with a single GOLF class submarine. This conventionally powered ballistic missile boat was committed as a test platform role in developing a new missile of Chinese design. By 1972 US intelligence had evidence of land based ejection facilities as well as construction of an off-shore tube launcher for underwater ejection tests.
The JL-2 program is using the former Soviet Golf-class SSB conventionally powered ballistic missile submarines as its trials platform.
