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Submarines
Submarines are naval craft that can operate for an extended period of time underwater. They are used primarily as warships, as well as for business, scientific and other purposes. Submarines are different from submersibles, which only have limited underwater capability.
2,056 Questions
What does SS mean in a US Navy rate?
"SS" is a warfare specialty designator, signifying a sailor is "Qualified in Submarines". The "SS" itself stands for "Submersible Ships", not "submarine sailor" as many people incorrectly assume.
"SS" designation also comes with its own warfare insignia pin, worn as silver (enlisted) or gold (officer) dolphins abreast the bow of a submarine.
Submarine qualification takes most sailors about 8-12 months, depending on their particular rate and workload aboard ship. Nuclear rates typically take less time, since part of their nuclear training is at a shore station nuclear power plant that is similar to a shipboard reactor.
Unlike other warfare designators (Surface, Aviation), it is mandatory for all submarine crewmembers, be it the lowest ranking sailor or the Captain, to qualify in submarines. Qualification is heavily weighted toward damage control during a casualty.
The rate designation is added at the end of the rate; e.g., my old rate designator was STS1(SS), which fully written out would be "Sonar Technician(Submarines) First Class (Submersible Ships).
The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley's dimensions are as follows:
Displacement:7.5 short tons (6.8 metric tons)Length:39.5 feet (12.0 meters)Beam:3.83 feet (1.17 meters)Propulsion:hand-cranked propellerSpeed:4 knots (7.4 kilometers/hour) (surface)
Which country used submarines in world war 1?
Britain, France, Germany, Italy and USA all used submarines during WW1
Does Israel have nuclear submarine?
No - not only are they cost-prohibitive for such a small nation, Israel's Navy and coastline isn't that big to begin with.
Israel relies on several Diesel-Electric Dolphin-class submarines, which are built by Germany for the Israeli Navy.
Who was the first person to comeup with the idea of a submarine?
cornelius Drebbel built the first navigable submarine 1620 using English mathematician William Bourne's plans from 1578.
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What was the battle use of submarines?
Primarily the IJN & USN used subs for "battle." Reconnaissance and picking off special warships (flagships, carriers, etc.) was their mission. DKM primarily used their subs for merchant ship sinkings.
Why does a submarine sink and float?
A submarine has two main mechanisms that allow it to sink and return to the surface.
The submarine has dive tanks that can be filled with water to make the ship's weight the same as the water it displaces, or a little more. This causes the boat to sink. Air can be blown into those tanks to reduce the weight of the boat and it rises to the surface.
The second system uses the ship's propulsion and diving planes. These are fins (like wings) that can be tilted slightly up or down. When the ship is moving forward the diving planes are tilted to force the ship up or down. This is most effective when the dive tanks are perfectly balanced so that the weight of the boat exactly matches the weight of water outside.
What does unrestricted right mean?
An unrestricted right refers to a privilege or entitlement that is not limited by conditions, regulations, or restrictions. It allows an individual or entity to exercise that right freely without any constraints or limitations imposed by external authorities. This concept is often applied in legal contexts, such as property rights or freedoms of speech, where individuals can act without interference.
What is the price of a submarine in the us navy?
$2.4 billion for the newest Virginia Class attack submarines
Modern U.S. submarines are built by what is known as "Modular" construction. In the early days of Nuclear boats, construction was like any Navy vessel - from the keel up. However, with the advent of the Trident FBM submarines modular construction was developed, and found to be much more advantageous.
Essentially, each major compartment is built individually in separate sections. When completed to a certain point, the sections are brought together (they're constructed on a rail system) and then welded together. All systems are connected as the compartments come together. Seeing each section being built at the Shipyard is a real sight to behold, but not as much as seeing a Trident Submarine on the rails next to an LA class boat. What you actually see above water is only about 1/5 of the boat's actual size - most of it is underwater.
This construction method is much faster than the old way, and is just as strong. Use the link below to see an image of a module of a UK Astute class submarine on its way from a builder to the yards.
Yes and no - all modern military submarines have special forward-looking and top-sounding under-ice Sonar systems that not only detect ice, but can give the approximate thickness of the ice as well.
The forward-looking under-ice system scans at a much higher frequency and is separate from the main sonar array. The top-sounding system is essentially a reverse fathometer, giving the distance from the boat to the ice surface as well as the ice thickness. Ice thickness is essential to know in situations where surfacing through the ice is required.
As for open water icebergs, the noise created by the water movement against the iceberg can be detected by passive sonar, and of course detected by active sonar, though active is rarely, if ever, used.
It should be noted that large icebergs that are big enough to be a navigation hazard are monitored and tracked by major nations, and that information is made available to all military and commercial vessels. Large-mass icebergs in the open ocean are more of a hazard to submarines than surface vessels since their depth and mass below the water is generally a lot more than what is seen above the waterline.
It sounds something like a horribly garbled version of Thunderbirds or maybe Stingray. However in Stingray the ( Fish-Men) vaguely like Japs!were the bad guys. The main characters in Thunderbirds were human beings, the Tracy Brothers of the future version of a salvage company- the International Rescue. They used a wide variety of vehicles including specialized aircraft and one submarine, the Thunderbird 4. Your description, which includes (Three D animation- not a bad description of Supermarionation which used puppets to get a three-D effect) but these shows were mainly about human, not animal, characters.
What did President Wilson threaten if the Unrestricted Submarine Warfare continued?
Wilson sent 3 notes to the German leadership, which at the time was considered a pretty weak response considering that 139 Americans were aboard the RMS Lusitania when it was sunk by the German U-Boat U-20 on May 7, 1915. The Lusitania was sunk during Germany's initial policy of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare (attacking any vessel considered hostile, regardless of being a warship or not, without provocation or warning).
Though Britain fully expected America to declare war on Germany, Wilson's response was far less than that. In Philadelphia on May 10, 1915, his initial response was:
"There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right"
In 3 separate communications to Germany, he made clear his position on the matter of URSW:
1. Affirming the right of Americans to travel as passengers on merchant ships and called for the Germans to abandon submarine warfare against commercial vessels, whatever flag they sailed under.
2. Rejecting German arguments that the British blockade was illegal, and was a cruel and deadly attack on innocent civilians, and their charge that the Lusitania had been carrying munitions.
3. An ultimatum, to the effect that the US would regard any subsequent sinkings as "deliberately unfriendly".
The German leadership changed their policy to one of Restricted Submarine Warfare, a decision that hampered their efforts to defeat the British Royal Navy's blockade efforts. When Germany reversed its position in 1917, it was the catalyst that brought the U.S. into WWI.
Has the buoyant force on a diving submarine been reduced?
Yes, the buoyant force on a submarine has been reduced to allow it to "stop floating" and submerge.
What is high speed ramming submarine?
High speed for military purposes is any speed that their war machine can do and strike the enemy machine (tank, truck, jeep, ship, jet, helicopter, airplane, armored personnel carrier, etc.). Civilians are probably thinking that the military/naval forces have some secret after burner built into their vessels specifically for ramming. NOT THE CASE. If the tank commander, ship commander, airplane commander, etc. is angry enough, and his weapons didn't do the job, then it's, "...ramming speed!"
Can a submarine survive a hurricane underwater?
Absolutely - I've been through 2 during my submarine days, and you'd be surprised at how deep the wave action can affect you. Of course modern submarines can simply go to deep depths to avoid it, but even at 400 feet you can take some pretty heavy rolls. It's also standard policy for all ships and submarines to emergency sortie (get underway) when a hurricane is imminent, as Navy vessels can ride out the storm effectively at sea, whereas in port the damage potential is extremely high.
I remember one particular instance where we were on our way home from a Spec Ops mission and hit a hurricane that had passed from the Gulf of Mexico and across the Florida panhandle and into the Atlantic. Since it was too rough to surface and head in, we stayed at around 400' - we were still taking 12-15 degree rolls at that depth.
In another case where we had to emergency sortie due to a hurricane heading up the coast (I was stationed in Charleston back then) one boat had to submerge next to the pier as the rest of us headed to sea. She wasn't able to get underway due to her propulsion system being repaired, but was lucky as the hurricane just grazed on its way out to the open Atlantic.
What were peoples reaction of the USS Greenville Submarine Disaster?
Pretty much what you'd expect with any incident involving a nuclear submarine, though in my own and other Sailors' opinions the punishment was too light. The Naval officers in charge essentially had their careers ended, apologies all around, full restitution to the Japanese from the U.S., full investigations by the Navy / NTSB with Japanese officials observing, etc. I and other former submariners are more concerned with the number of accidents; there have been more in the last 11 years than during the entire Cold War. To myself and others, it's an indication of how lax crews have become. We didn't tolerate screwups in the Submarine Force during the Cold War.
In the Greenville's case, she was carrying civilians on a "dog & pony show", which having done them in the past, is nothing short of a major PITA. It's one thing when you have civilian contractors riding aboard or the annual midshipman cruise, but regular civilians are a major distraction, even with normal crew complement aboard in safe waters. In my time they would never allow civilians into the areas they were during the Greenville's cruise.
When I first learned of it, I assumed that it had been an undetected contact that had appeared close aboard upon reaching periscope depth, which is a submarine's most vulnerable point, during the transition. Apparently that wasn't the case; after reading formal report, there's no question that the CO, Control Room crew, and Sonar Room blew it. As a former Submarine Sonarman myself, I couldn't believe that they didn't realize how close aboard the Ehime Maru was. It's one thing if you don't detect it and ocean thermal conditions don't allow you to hear a target until you're coming to PD and it's suddenly close aboard as you pass the thermocline. It's another completely when you've tracked it previously and blow the range estimate upon re-acquisition of target.
I think one of the biggest problems today on the 688's and newer boats (even though the Greenville used the same Sonar Suite I was qualified on) is that Sonarman today tend to use their displays more than their ears. I was fortunate to both train on and use analog and digital Sonar systems, and with analog systems we had to use our ears exclusively, since we didn't have a display - just a bearing ring.
I think also that the reason the accident brought more scrutiny than most is that there were a lot of students killed on the Ehime Maru. It's one thing if you're a sailor - being at sea comes with accepted risks to life as part of the gig. Students, however, aren't professional sailors, and that fact compounded an already bad situation.
Submarine Engineering to withstand Sea Pressure
The 2 major features of a submarine hull design that helps it withstand sea pressure at extreme depth is the material it's made of, and the design of the hull itself.
Spherical or round-shaped objects can withstand more pressure than other designs. This is why the Teardrop and Cigar shaped hulls of today were designed. The hull's material is also key - the more it can compress and expand, the less vulnerable it is to pressure. This is a problem with old Russian boats like the Alfa - they're made of Titanium. While it's very strong, it's not elastic, and every time it goes to deep depths it becomes more brittle with age.
Submarine Atmosphere Generation, Regeneration, Monitoring and Control
In 1975, the U.S. Naval Research Lab (NRL), developed and began deployment of the Central Atmosphere Monitor System (CAMS) on all U.S. Navy submarines. CAMS, and its successor on the Trident / Seawolf / Virginia class boats, is capable of monitoring key levels of toxic gases (CO, CO2, etc.) and will alert the crew if any level is in the danger range. CAMS readings are taken hourly aboard ship, and it's one of the most critical pieces of gear aboard a modern submarine.
There are several vital machines critical to maintaining the air environment for crew habitation aboard any submarine. Though it differs with the propulsion type (Nuclear or Diesel - Nuke's have more power generating capacity), in general they use the same methods.
The machines are:
1. Oxygen Generator (called the "Bomb") - Uses Electrolysis to separate Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms in distilled water. Hydrogen is bled back to sea as tiny bubbles, O2 is compressed in storage tanks outside the internal pressure hull, and released as needed into the crew areas to maintain a certain O2 level throughout the boat.
2. Carbon Dioxide Scrubber - Uses a chemical called Monoethanolamine to absorb CO2 from the air. The chemical is then heated, which releases the gas, which is then bled overboard. A powdered chemical called Lithium Hydroxide has also been used as a backup CO2 Adsorbent (sic) chemical in case the scrubber is inoperable.
3. Carbon Monoxide Burner - Absorbs CO uses a catalytic process to get rid of the gas.
4. Electrostatic Precipitators - positioned in the main Ventilation system, the ESP's remove particulates from the submarine environment - dust, smoke, etc.
5. Diesel Generator - All modern submarines use diesels for either primary or backup power generation, and also for emergency ventilation, either surfaced or at Periscope Depth using a Snorkel Mast.
6. Low-Pressure Blower - The LPB is essentially a big fan, capable of drawing in air from the surface via the Snorkel and rapidly ventilating the boat. Over time, scrubbed air gets pretty stale, and fresh air is a welcome change.
7. Main Induction Fans are responsible for circulating the air (cooled or heated as required by ocean water temperature outside) throughout the boat. the ventilation system can be configured to draw air in through the snorkel mast, or to just recirculate air. There has, however, been more than one occurrence of the main induction valve (which closes automatically when water hits it) on the snorkel mast failing, resulting in the main induction fans bringing in water at a very high rate.
A submarine environment, however clean air-wise, is still a toxic place to live and work. Most chemicals used to operate systems have their own carcinogens and vapors, e.g., diesel fuel and hydraulic fluid, and can lead to crew members developing lung problems over time.
All boats carry chemicals used to absorb toxic gases as well, and if necessary, the crew can breathe clean air from the Emergency Air Breathing (EAB) system, essentially a system of air manifolds with plugins that attach to full face breathing masks. These are often used during casualties / drills in which the boat hasn't had the time to reach PD yet, but the air is toxic enough to warrant EAB mask use. The system isn't without its problems though - in the '80's, the USS Bonefish, stricken by a Battery Well fire, lost its OOD, Radioman, Helm and Planesman who had remained onboard after the crew had been ordered topside to await rescue. Though they were wearing their EAB masks, they were found to have taken in hydrogen cyanide gas released through the burning of Otto Fuel, used in MK 48 torpedoes.
What fluids are used in submarines?
There are many fluids used in modern submarines, most of them hazardous in one form or another. However, the most commonly used are:
1. Hydraulic Fluid - Virtually every key mechanical system aboard a submarine is tied to the main or auxiliary hydraulics systems, e.g. Planes, Stabilizers, Rudder, Periscopes, Antenna/Radar masts, etc. There are Port and Starboard systems that are continually cycled through redundant systems.
2. Seawater - Used for everything - Steam to drive the Turbines for power (electrical and engines), freshwater conversion (desalination), sanitary (non-potable) systems, weapons ejection, trash dumping, Main and Trim Ballast, etc.
3. Fresh Water - In different variations (Potable for crew use, DI (De-Ionized) for O2 generation and Nucleonics, etc.)
4. Monoethanolamine (Amine) - Primary fluid component in the ship's CO2 Scrubber systems.
