3 ms·
one armed nuclear sub could be wiped out fairly easily if we're talking about a power like this, right? No. The idea of ballistic missile submarines like this
by caf 13y ago
one armed nuclear sub could be wiped out fairly easily if we're talking about a power like this, right?
No. The idea of ballistic missile submarines like this (and those also operated by the US, France and Russia) is that they should be impossible to find when on patrol.
- arethuza 13y agoIt's a bit embarrassing that a UK and French ballistic missiles submarines actually collided while on patrol: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vanguard_and_Le_Triomphant_submarine_collision http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vanguard_and_Le_Triomphant_... A US missile submarine also collided with a Russian attack submarine in 1992: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_Incident_off_Kildin_island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_Incident_off_Kildin_i...
- willvarfar 13y agoThat suggests they are hard to find, if they can't even see each other?
- arethuza 13y agoFrom the Wikipedia page for the French-UK incident: 'Hervé Morin, France's Minister of Defence, said that they "face an extremely simple technological problem, which is that these submarines are not detectable".'
- dTal 13y agoOn the contrary. If they were just wandering randomly around the oceans, you would expect collisions between two subs to be impossibly rare. In fact it's known that, at least during the Cold War, nuclear subs often played cat and mouse games with each other, using passive sensor technologies to stalk each other to keep tabs on them. Every now and again though someone slams on the brakes or makes an unexpected turn and bam, collision. Obviously very embarrassing for all concerned, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens more often than we hear about, and only incidents with serious damage get reported.
- caf 13y agoThe USS Baton Rouge was an attack submarine (SSN) itself, not a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).