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Russia’s Alfa Class fast attack submarine was the SR-71 of the undersea world during the Cold War. The Alfas were largely constructed of titanium, used a liquid-metal cooled nuclear powerplant to obtain extreme speeds, and could reach depths far deeper than their competitors. Now Russia is floating the idea of building a modernized version of the design, one that leverages 40 years in technological advancement to take combat submarine automation to a whole new level. Russian news outlet RT reports that there is an imitative to build a new series of Alfa Class boats that are totally revamped, especially in...

Secretive U.S. Navy Submarine Went on a Dangerous Mission Clues suggest spying in 'extremely hazardous' waters On Jan. 20, 2013, the Seawolf-class attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter left her home port in Bangor, Washington. Less than two months later, the submarine appeared at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for repairs. It was all quite mysterious. During her time at sea, we don’t know where Jimmy Carter was or what her crew of nearly 150 were precisely doing. The Seawolf class is one of the most secretive weapons in America’s arsenal, and information about the Navy’s “Silent Service” is difficult to discover...

The corporate executive at the head of Japan’s submarine bid has warned of the “risk” in retro-fitting a nuclear submarine with a diesel engine as proposed by the French bid, and that scaling up a smaller design would create technical “challenges”. The caution comes as bid ­leader Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also said it would be willing to bid for future warship contracts in Australia and to launch satellites for the Australian government or telecommunications companies to augment its campaign for the $20 billion submarines contract. MHI chief executive Shunichi Miyanaga, when asked about converting a nuclear submarine to run on...

The Navy’s imperative to provide “uninterrupted strategic deterrence” with its ballistic missile submarines requires it meets two goals: development of the new boats must stay on schedule, and the old boats must make it to the end of their expected service lives. The latter isn’t easy – the Navy is counting on the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to stick around for 42 years each, something that’s never been done. The longest-serving American submarine, the boomer USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642), retired in 2002 after 36 and a half years of service. USS Ohio (SSGN-726) has been around for just over 34...

TOKYO/ SYDNEY--The competition for the contract to build Australia's next submarine fleet is narrowing to a race between Japan and France as a bid from Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) loses ground over technical concerns, multiple sources said. Australia is expected to decide the winner of the Australian $50 billion ($34.55 billion) project, one of the world's most lucrative defense contracts, within the next six months, ahead of a national election in which the deal and the jobs it will create is expected to be a key issue for the conservative government. TKMS is proposing to scale up its 2,000-ton...

With its slightly chipped red grip and retro look, it could be the hand control for a Scalextric set or games console. In fact, the device seen here for the first time is the trigger to Britain’s nuclear deterrent, a button that when pressed could destroy hundreds of thousands of lives. It is in the hand of Lieutenant Commander Woods, the weapons engineer officer on HMS Vigilant, one of four Vanguard class submarines that carries up to eight Trident missiles armed with nuclear warheads. The 38-year-old father of three has spent 16 years training for the moment when Vigilant’s commanding...

There are no plans to discontinue the construction of Project 677 Lada-class diesel-electric submarines (SSK) yet, Deputy Navy Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov told journalists on Thursday. The second and third submarines, the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki, will be delivered later than scheduled in 2019 but the Russian Navy says the class is much quiter compared to the Project 636 Kilo-class. Lada class Diesel Electric Submarine (SSK) Project 677 "The Navy will decide on how many Project 677 Lada submarines it needs based on the outcome of the operational evaluation of the Kronstadt and Velikiye Luki submarines. The termination of...

Arguably Israel’s most critical military capability is their small but very deadly submarine fleet. Beyond being able to stealthily spy on enemies, insert operatives onto foreign shores and wreak havoc on enemy ships on a whim, they represent Israel’s “second strike” nuclear deterrent. Now Israel has received its fifth such vessel, the Rahav. The importance of the INS Rahav, and Israel’s small but elite submarine force was underscored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the new submarine’s arrival ceremony: “Our submarine fleet serves as a deterrent to our enemies who seek our destruction.” He continued, “they need to know that...

North Korean missile engine ignites / Screen Capture Two days after conducting a provocative underground nuclear test, North Korea on Friday released video showing what the government said was a successful submarine-launched ballistic missile test launch last month. State-run Korean Central Television, in a 54-minute video, included a report that said the missile launch was observed in December by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who was shown standing on a ship as the missile is ejected from underneath the water and then blasts off. The missile test was first reported Monday by the Washington Free Beacon. Defense officials said...

While attention has been on the simmering tensions in the East and South China Seas letely, a small event took place in the East China Sea off the coast of Shanghai. Pakistan Navy (PN) guided missile frigate Shamsheer and fleet replenishment vessel Nasr drilled with a pair of PLA Navy Type-054A Jiangkai II frigates, Xuzhou and Yangzhou from December 31 to January 1. According to Chinese reports, the fast-paced, high-intensity exercise involved day and night maneuvers including joint escort, counter-piracy and live-firing. This constitutes a logical progression from the limited scope when this bilateral exercise first began in 2003 as...

Two additional submarines are currently being constructed in Germany to be delivered to Egypt, after the latter received a submarine earlier this month, German ambassador to Cairo told state news agency MENA. The submarines are being built in the Germany's northern Kiel City by ThyseenKrupp Marine System Company. The same company delivered to Egypt the country’s first Type-209/1400, which was inaugurated by the commander of the country’s naval forces in Hamburg on 10 December. Ambassador Julius Georg Luy didn’t specify if the two additional submarines would also be Type-209/1400. Luy also announced that Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sameh Shoukry would...

The Israel Navy’s fifth Dolphin- class submarine and second new-generation AIP (air independent propulsion) platform is making the 3,000- mile journey to its home base at the Haifa naval base from its German manufacturing center, a senior naval source said Thursday. The INS Rahav is carrying some 50 personnel, and “minimal weapons needed to protect itself,” before its arrival in Israel next month. After its arrival, Israeli systems will be installed on board. “We expect the submarine to be fully operational in a number of months,” the naval officer said. AIP submarines can remain submerged for significantly longer periods of...

Until now, the Soryu submarine and its unique technology have been a closely guarded state secret. But the Japanese navy, or the Maritime Self Defence Forces as they are known, gave North Asia correspondent Matthew Carney an exclusive look at the Soryu at the Yokosuka Naval base on the outskirts of Tokyo. Many believe the Soryu is best conventional submarine in the world and should be the leading contender to replace the Collins class submarines. The Japanese are now in a race with the Germans and the French to win Australia's biggest ever defence contract worth nearly $50 billion. I...

The Rubin Design Bureau and Krylov State Research Center will start developing a prototype submarine air-independent propulsion (AIP) plant and an associated floating test bench, Igor Landgraf, deputy director/chief designer of Krylov’s affiliate TsNII SET said. According to Landgraf, the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry is considering Rubin and Krylov’s proposal for the Development of an AIP Plant Prototype and an Associated Floating Test Bench development work. The proposal had resulted from a resolution by the September 12, 2015 governmental meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. The proposal was approved by the Russian Navy’s leading research institute. The...

The first 209/1400 class submarine (Yard No. 447) for the Navy of the Arabic Republic of Egypt was named and launched at the shipyard of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel today. This marks an important milestone in the ongoing submarine programme for the Egyptian Navy. “S41” is the first of four submarines. Production of the first submarine started in Kiel. Since then, the construction program has proceeded to schedule and achieved a first important milestone with today's naming ceremony and launching. The ceremony has been attended by Vice Admiral Rainer Brinkmann, Deputy Chief of Staff of the German navy, the...

Moscow: Russia attacked the Islamic State positions in Syria with Kalibr missiles fired by the submarine deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. "It was the first time that Kalibr cruise missiles were fired by the Rostov-on-Don submarine from the Mediterranean Sea," Tass news agency quoted Shoigu as saying during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Shoigu, the missile launch was carried out by the sub from a submerged position, striking two major targets of the IS. "The objectives were two major points of terrorists in Syrian Raqqa province ... We are...

China has lately been resorting to defiant and audacious acts like claiming its territorial rights over waters around artificial island it has built in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea and unilaterally designating an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea. While these acts are visible to all, the real front battle line lies deep in the sea where submarines are principal players. This article attempts to provide in-depth descriptions of the real picture of submarines of the Maritime Self-Defense Force and their roles, as little has so far been made known about them. During the...

While the eyes of the world are on ISIS, Russia is creating weapons unlike anything the world has ever seen before. Plans for a giant self-propelled nuclear torpedo that can create a giant tsunami more than 1,000 feet tall were recently "leaked by mistake" by the Russian media. Apparently the warheads on these torpedos are designed to create so much radiation "that everything living will be killed" - including those that try to survive the attack by hiding in underground shelters. These "robotic mini-submarines" would have a range of up to 10,000 kilometers and would be able to evade all...

SYDNEY – All three bidders competing for a 50 billion Australian dollars ($35.3 billion) submarine contract have been targeted by Chinese and Russian cyberattacks, according to local media reports. The submarine builders in France, Germany and Japan have all been provided with the highly confidential technical requirements for the Royal Australian Navy’s new submarines, which will form the basis for each country’s proposal. Manfred Klein, campaign manager of German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, told The Australian newspaper, “We have about 30 to 40 (hacking) attempts per night, that’s what our IT people say.” The bidders declined to publicly say which...

A Japanese Soryu Class submarine pictured at sea. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied JAPAN summoned a submarine back from sea trials to give The Advertiser an exclusive look inside as they dramatically boost their efforts to win the Future Submarines contract. Of the three contenders for the project, Japan has been the most secretive, fuelling speculation they would be difficult to work with and reluctant to share sensitive defence technology. However, they recently confirmed they would share all their technology and this week opened the hatch to a range of South Australians. Visitors were welcomed with Australian flags, officials sporting kangaroo...