The Type 039A submarine (NATO reporting name: Yuan-class) is a class of diesel-electric submarine in China's People's Liberation Army Navy.[4] It is China's first AIP powered submarine and presumed to be one of the quietest diesel-electric submarine classes in service.[5] This class is the successor of the Type 039 submarine. The official Chinese designation is 039A as the ship is based on the 039 class, but as the 039A has very little resemblance to the 039 it is commonly referred to as the Type 041. The class is designed to replace the aging Type 033 Romeo and the older Type 035 submarines that previously formed the backbone of the conventional submarine force.