Equipped with JL-2 intercontinental submarine-launched ballistic missiles, the Jin-class is capable of launching a nuclear attack against targets in Alaska and Hawaii, Cole said, citing a report published by the US Office of Naval Intelligence.

The advance is unprecedented in China’s submarine threat, putting even the west coast of the US in direct danger, said Jesse Karotkin from the Office of Naval Intelligence.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has received a report from the Office of Naval Intelligence outlaying the Jin-class submarine’s potential threat to US national security, as confirmed by the Washington Free Beacon.

The report said the Type 094 submarine and the JL-2 missile it carries gives China a reliable second-strike capability. The US Navy estimates the range of the JL-2 to be about 14,000 kilometers. It is also capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads.

The submarine is very difficult to detect while submerged, Chinese military analyst Liu Jiangping said.