On December 24, 2021, Myanmar has commissioned the UMS Minye Kyaw Htin, a Chinese-made Type 035 (NATO code-class Ming) submarine.
The Type 035 submarine that China has transferred to Myanmar in 2021, is identified as the Type 035B-class submarine, the last of the five Type 035-class submarines built between 2000-2003, numbers 309, 310, 311, 312, and 313.
Myanmar navy has now two submarines. In 2020, the navy acquired its first submarine, a Soviet-era Sindhughosh/Kilo-class submarine, from India. The former INS Sindhuvir (S58) was refitted by Hindustan Shipyard Limited before the handover. Now renamed UMS Minye Theinkhathu, the submarine is to be used for training. It was first seen publicly on 15 October 2020 as part of a naval fleet exercise (‘Bandoola 2020’).
The Type 035 submarine, Ming-class NATO reporting name, is a class of diesel-electric submarines built for the Chinese Navy.
The Type 035B, is an improved version of Type 035. Citing the Naval Encyclopedia, The 035B was the last series, with the first batch of four completed 2000-2003 (309, 310, 311, 312), and an additional order with the 313, which was the last of the series. It was a hybrid between the new 039 Song-class and the Ming, integrating its new Conning tower, while a large portion of the hull was redesigned to be made more hydrodynamic, with a new coating, and an internal arrangement also copied over the Type 039 submarine. This type of submarine is capable of launching land-attack cruise missiles from torpedo tubes.