On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 12:16:50 GMT, "Vaughn"
wrote:


"Joe Delphi" wrote in message
link.net...


The submarines from other countries are diesel and noisy and
therefore not all that much of a threat.

Yes, but when they shut down those diesels and lurk, they get very quiet
indeed! Their small size makes them even harder to find. The last I heard, the
US Navy considers conventional submarines to be a significant threat.

Ayup. Was certainly true during my time (70s-80s) and I don't think
much has changed.

A nuke, lurking, can be damn near as quiet as a diesel on batteries.
Not as, but damn near. A sub who wants to "lurk" will be found more
by accident than design. The problem for the sub is that if he lurks
in the wrong place then he has to move and when he moves he is
vulnerable. Nukes because they make much more noise, conventionals
because any kind of speed rapidly drains battery capacity, requiring a
charge and once the diesels start to fire it's "whoa Nelly"
accousticly-wise speaking! ;-)

Put an sub-surface to surface missle on a conventional sub and put him
on the track of a battle group and you can give an admiral a real bad
day.

Bill Kambic

Veteran, VS/VP