[2] For quieter operation, the engine was mounted with shock absorbers and the hull is plated in rubber tiles for sound deadening.

Problems with noise levels and underwater performance led to revisions in the design and only a single boat was ever built to the original specification.

Elimination of the stepped design for the conning tower is the primary visual cue for identification of the G variant.

In an effort to shrink the submarine's acoustic signature, the Type 039G's conning tower was given a more conventional shape without any step.

The main sensor is the medium-frequency sonar mounted in the bow of the submarine, with passive and active modes, which is used for both search and attack.

This class is the first Chinese submarine to be fitted with an integrated electronic support measures / radio direction finder / radar warning receiver system designated as SRW209 Submarine Radar Reconnaissance Equipment, which works at S - Ku bands with 100% detection rate.