wrote:

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 11:57:31 -0500, Andrew C. Toppan
wrote:

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 11:47:35 -0500, wrote:

Yup. And they are also slow and working against the clock

Slow is a relative thing; if one doesn't need to go far, speed is not
a problem. Time is not as much an issue as it once was; modern diesel
boats can stay under for quite a long time. This ain't WWII anymore.

Indeed. But once you go to battery you are working against a finite
limit. In WWII that limit may be been in the 24-36 hour range and by
'62 had progressed to the 96 hour range. I have no idea what it is
today. But that finite limit is still there.

For the AIP subs coming into service now, it's a looong time. See

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/...propulsion.htm

OTOH, I don't know how noisy they might be.

Guy