As China’s military grows by leaps and bounds, its Jin-class ballistic missile submarines are set to deploy in 2014 with the capability for the first time of a nuclear strike on Hawaii, Alaska and possibly the western U.S. from East Asian waters, a U.S. senior intelligence officer on China testified recently.

Jesse Karotkin, with the Office of Naval Intelligence, said it was perhaps "the most anticipated development in China’s submarine force," and marks the nation’s "first credible at-sea second strike nuclear capability" with its JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

The missiles have a range in excess of 4,600 miles. Second strike refers to nuclear retaliation.

Karotkin testified about trends in China’s naval modernization at a Jan. 30 hearing held by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

The commission was created by Congress in 2000 to monitor and report on security and trade issues between the U.S. and China.

The U.S. Naval Institute, a nonprofit sea services organization located on Naval Academy grounds, heralded the news with an ominous headline: "China will deploy subs that could nuke Alaska or Hawaii this year."

Karotkin said the three Jin-class ballistic missile submarines currently in service "would be insufficient to maintain a constant at-sea presence for extended periods of time," but if the People’s Liberation Army Navy builds five more of the 436-foot, Type 094 subs, that continuous presence may be possible.

Karotkin said in his written testimony that in contrast to China’s narrow focus on littoral, or coastal, waters just a decade ago, its navy "is evolving to meet a wide range of missions including conflict with Taiwan, enforcement of maritime claims, protection of economic interests, as well as counterpiracy and humanitarian missions."

China’s 2013 defense white paper said it endeavored to accelerate the modernization of its forces and develop "blue water" capabilities farther from shore.

Three Chinese navy ships pulled into Pearl Harbor in September in the first such port visit in seven years to participate in a one-day search-and-rescue drill with the cruiser USS Lake Erie.

Chinese warships also will participate in this summer’s Rim of the Pacific war games off Hawaii for the first time as the U.S. steps up engagement with the rising military power to try to better understand the nation’s intentions and develop working relations at sea.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy has approximately 77 principal surface warships, 62 submarines, 55 medium and large amphibious ships and roughly 85 missile-equipped small vessels, Karotkin said.

During 2013 alone more than 50 navy ships were laid down, launched or commissioned, with a similar number expected in 2014, he said.

The introduction of long-range anti-ship cruise missiles across the force, coupled with non-navy weapons such as the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile, along with supporting equipment, "will allow China to significantly expand its ‘counter-intervention’ capability further into the Philippine Sea and South China Sea over the next decade," Karotkin said.

He added that many of China’s developing capabilities are designed specifically to deter or prevent U.S. military intervention in the region.

China has long regarded its submarine force as a "critical element" of that deterrence, and the large but poorly equipped force of the 1980s has given way to a more modern submarine force focused on regional anti-surface warfare, according to Karotkin.

That force currently includes five nuclear-powered attack submarines, four nuclear ballistic missile subs and 53 diesel attack subs, he said.