Good general description. How much power depends on a lot of factors.
The often referenced hull speed is a theoretical value based on the wave-length of the bow wave. At that speed the boat is essentially riding in the trough.
..
Posted on 10/24/2020 8:49:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
‘The power applied probably can’t go faster than their S/L ratio.”
But they do.
“Maybe it was just a crude supercavitating torpedo to which they added a dummy periscope and called it an unmanned sub. 4,000 mph, baby!”
Actually it was a guy in India trolling for hits.
My best recollection, being an aviator, not a surface guy, is that you are correct in that hull speed is like a knee in the curve of power vs speed. As you state, obviously you can go faster than hull speed, but at great expense in horsepower.
This was my home in 1963.
Good general description. How much power depends on a lot of factors.
The often referenced hull speed is a theoretical value based on the wave-length of the bow wave. At that speed the boat is essentially riding in the trough.
..
Sounds like the noise generated could be used to hid multiple launched torpedoes in a swarm type attack.
If you can hear it coming from hundreds of miles away then it isn't hard to avoid it or attack it. The only known supercavitating torpedo is the Russian Shkval. While it has a speed of about 200 knots that comes with a cost - max range is between 7 and 12 kilometers, depending on version. The U.S. Mk 48, by comparison, is over 50 kilometers depending on speed. So if your submarine is travelling so fast you opponent can hear it, so fast that your own sonar is useless, and your opponent can attack you long before you're in range to attack them, then it's pretty much a suicide mission.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.