World-largest Submarine To Be Scrapped

Novosti ^ | January 20 2005

[68skylark]

The article says this submarine can launch its ICBM's while submerged under "thick polar ice." That sounds like propaganda to me.

[68skylark]

the thing is a monster

Yeah, in more ways than one. Let's all be glad it's being scraped.

[N. Theknow]

The outer hull, covered by sonar signal-absorbent coating, houses five pressure hulls with a sauna, a swimming pool, a gym and a smoking lounge.

Put wings on it and call Airbus.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Sell it to the Canadian Navy LOL...

[Non-Sequitur]

bump

[facedown]

Wonder if they'll put it up on eBay. No wait...they raised the seller fees.

[PH07718]

Maybe Canada would be interested in buying it!

[snippy_about_it]

Air Force Target bump! ;-)

[DuncanWaring]

The Typhoon can fire off its ICBMs from under the thick polar packed ice.

This claim has two problems that I can think of.

The first is that any missile strong enough to penetrate the polar ice pack would be too heavy to fly.

The second is that even if it were strong enough to penetrate the ice, the only way to generate enough upward force to actually force it through the ice would be to light the motor underwater. Even less likely.

[hosepipe]

Typhoon-class submarines are just targets for Attack subs..
Big noisy targets.. wouldn't last long after the first missle was fired.. the 19 others would just be ballast.. They are more for propaganda effect than actual attack systems..

[SmithL]

Wonder if FR could have a fund drive and buy it.
The world's first Message Board to have a SSBN.

A little something for the DUmmies?

[68skylark]

The old USSR used to make all kind of claims. They used to claim their tanks could cross rivers by driving across the river bottom (using some kind of snorkel). It was all BS. I suspect the "missile through the ice" claim is similar.

[nightdriver]

"the thing is a monster"

The model in "The Hunt for Red October" was amazingly accurate!

[SampleMan]

Negative on the ice penetrating ICBMs. The sub can operate under the polar ice cap. Although I suppose you could fire one for effect and get rid of that pesky ice.

[Antoninus]

Why on Earth is the US paying for disposal of this one submarine while the Russians are upgrading another. Seems self defeating to me or am I out to lunch?

You'd prefer they sold the hulk to the Chinese? They've done that with other big ships in the past.

[SampleMan]

Can't say I can confirm the capability of Soviet tanks to go under water, but they were indeed fitted to use snorkels, as are many other military vehicles. This allows the crossing of water deeper than the engine intakes. Of course there are many other issues involved in complete submersion. Any tank capable of NBC sealing should be water tight. My understanding is that the capability was to cross through water upto 12 feet deep.

It wouldn't surprise me if the capability were more talk than reality though.

[68skylark]

The "tanks under water" claim was definitely BS. They only did it a few times in their history -- just for propaganda purposes. Before the demonstration, they had to drain the riverbed, pave the bottom with thick concrete, then re-fill the river. Finally, they invited Western observers to a demonstration.

[Dog Gone]

Why on Earth is the US paying for disposal of this one submarine while the Russians are upgrading another.

That's a very good question, although how much would it really cost to tow it out to sea and then use it for target practice?

[drt1]

"You'd prefer they sold the hulk to the Chinese? They've done that with other big ships in the past."

Interesting point, I tend to agree with the hypothesis but it is still very perplexing. The problem is that, by that rationale we should pay every military power to destroy everything they no longer have use for so as to prevent them disposing of it on the international market. Where does it start and stop?

[Defend the Second]

My uncle is a retired executive officer from a Los-Angeles class attack submarine. (I think it was the San Francisco, don't remember...) He told me once that every one of the Russian missile subs had a nice quiet US or British attack submarine very close by at all times. If the Russians opened one missile tube it was a test. If they ever opened two, it was time to sink 'em.