From: Adam Flinton 

Frank Haber wrote:
> I wonder whether that pinger nose was softer than the pressure hull.  Or are
> we seeing the pressure hull at that first bulkhead (if it is the first
> bulkhead - jeez!).  In a sub, you're standing up, next to some knobby,
> unfriendly things.  They deliberately limit the NYC subway's braking to 1/3g,
> because of the standees. Otherwise blood will flow in rush hour emergency
> stops.
>
> A Kilo is a boomer or attack?

Attack

> Diesel, I presume.

Yup

>  What's the point of a
> diesel sub at this late date.

They can be quieter & smaller than nuke boats.

>  What's so special about it for the Gulf?

Size & noize. Esp where size becomes a function of manouverability. You
want to look at the Swedish subs esp the Gotlands where they have sterling
engines & are very very quiet.

e.g.

http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/gotland/

"The submarine is equipped with two MTU diesel engines and two Kockums
V4-275R Stirling Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) units. The Stirling
engines are mounted in elastic, soundproof modules and each provide up to
75kW. The submarine has the capacity for two weeks of air independent
propulsion at a speed of 5 knots without snorting. The AIP uses liquid
oxygen and diesel fuel in a controlled inert (helium) environment. The AIP
liquid oxygen tanks are located on the deck below the engines. The
propulsion system provides a speed of 11 knots surfaced and 20 knots
dived."


This is coz in part the Baltic is very similar to the gulf (except with
lots more fresh water giving interesting salt/fresh & thermal boundary
layers & conditions).

> Shallow-water operation?

Yup & restricted waterways. What is more a lot of the gulf sea bottom
is coral sand & a large black shape stands out quite well when observed
from above.

> Bottom-flying sonar?  Training wheels? Treads?  A
> loudspeaker for the Muezzin on the periscopes?
>
> Oh, and for background.... What's the difference between a
"missile sub" and
> an SSGN?  Some of the Navy pages say a sub was converted from the former to
> the latter..
>

Carries lots of tomahawk for shifting rubble.

Adam

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