Posted on 03/31/2013 10:01:26 PM PDT by cunning_fish
In World War I they created a disaster in World War II, they had the highest number of casualties, they now teach U.S. carrier to fear: German U-boats are ambivalent weapons
The message from Rostock bursting with understatement: With have a dive trip of 18 days U32 conducted the "longest and most submerged transit of a submarine of the German Navy," reports the Navy Command of the Armed Forces. In times when the nuclear-powered submarines of the United States or the Soviet Union easily displace up to 15,000 tons or more and can stay underwater for months, that sounds like a ridiculous footnote a spectator. In fact, hidden behind the 8519 km-long dive trip from U32 several records.
Since 2005 does U32 and U31 his sister boat service in the German Navy. Both belong to the class of 212 A, which was developed in the 1990s by the German shipyard HDW-and Nordseewerke. It is conventionally operated hunting submarines with 1830 tonnes displacement (submerged), 27 crew members and six torpedo tubes. Meantime, the German Navy for four boats of this type, the purchase of two more are planned. Cost: about 400 million euros per piece.
Back in 2006, U32 placed on the drive from Eckernförde by Spain on a diving world record for non-nuclear-powered submarines, which has now surpassed again. In addition, the boats of the 212 A-class are considered to be the quietest in the world. And that, though they still have to meet a key criterion of the German U-boat construction: dipped to get through the Kadetrinne in the Mecklenburg Bay, so at 17 meters water depth.
(Excerpt) Read more at welt.de ...
We use our U-boats for placing Navy Seals in harms way. Perhaps they have similar ideas.
Smaller subs have less draft and can get the swimmers closer to shore.
If you are going to build a sub for clandestine ops you might as well put some armaments on the boat to give potential enemies something to think about.
Countries that Germany sold the Type 209 submarine to (1971-2008): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Equador, Greece, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Peru, South Africa, Turkey, Venezuela.
That's only one type of submarine. They have several others they have sold to other clients such as Israel, Egypt, Italy and Portugal.
Babelfish translation?
“a big ole magnetic field signature”
In addition to the heat signature.
You left out Switzerland, Uzbekistan, & Mongolia.
;^)
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