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Papa: Russia's Hot Rod Submarine was a Speed Demon
National Interest ^ | 16 May 2020 | Caleb Larson

Posted on 05/16/2020 7:37:50 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT

The K-222 had an interesting design feature that made it possibly the world’s fastest submarine.

The K-222’s top speed was just over 51 miles, or about 82 kilometers, per hour—making the K-222 possibly the fastest submarine ever, and plenty fast to catch surface ships. There was a drawback though: the K-222 was really loud.

Though the K-222 was powered by two nuclear reactors, which are typically a quiet propulsion design, the sub’s propeller caused a great deal of cavitation—a phenomenon in which small bubbles form along the edge of a propeller and cause noise.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: 51mph
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To: Mariner

all our nuclear subs are faster than all of our surface ships.

How fast are they? That’s classified


21 posted on 05/16/2020 8:36:37 PM PDT by Mount Athos
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To: IronJack

“What makes those speeds so hard for the crews to endure?”

Said the man who has never cut through 25ft swells, or worse, 40ft.

The sea gets a vote on your speed.

While these ships are extraordinarily well made, I’ve seen blue water over the flight deck of an LHA...and that’s 92ft above the water line.

I’ve been hit with white water on the signal bridge at 175ft. I’ve also been on a DDG when you could see submerged water out the portal on the main deck/mess decks.

It can get so bad the skipper orders everyone to strap themselves in to their bunks for an attempt at a few hours of sleep.

Broken bones are the principal obstacle.


22 posted on 05/16/2020 8:39:42 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mount Athos; ETCM

“all our nuclear subs are faster than all of our surface ships.”

Bullshit.

The crew can handle high speeds better is the only advantage.


23 posted on 05/16/2020 8:41:16 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner

Also those flat bottomed LSTs, bow takes a massive dip, stern comes completely out of the water with screws squealing, then a THUD as the stern is thrust back into the ocean while the bow rises...
Two feet forward, three feet back....
Haze Gray & Underway....

True on the ‘strap ins’, used to have to strap oneself into the chair while sitting radio circuits....FUN TIMES, especially when one is YOUNG, ‘DUMB’ and BULLET PROOF...
(DUMB in this case is outwardly showing NO FEAR), no matter the situation.


24 posted on 05/16/2020 9:11:50 PM PDT by xrmusn (6/98"HRC is the Grandmother that lures Hansel & Gretel to the pot")
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To: xrmusn

All the while the steel is creaking, popping and moaning as the ship flexes.


25 posted on 05/16/2020 9:17:01 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Exactly.If we can hear it,we can kill it.Doesnt matter how fast it is.


26 posted on 05/16/2020 9:36:17 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: Mariner

Yep, even though ‘dumb’ etc deep in your mind you just know that sucker is going to tear itself apart BUT far be it to be the one to ‘flinch’.

I was lucky, got my ‘sea legs’ early and never had a problem with rough seas.

‘The Cruel Sea’ was aptly named.

OTOH, the sunsets and sunrises at sea were ‘indescribable’ to those that had never witnessed one.

Try to describe one to a novice and I find myself NOT believing the majesty of it....

FWFS


27 posted on 05/16/2020 9:46:37 PM PDT by xrmusn (6/98"HRC is the Grandmother that lures Hansel & Gretel to the pot")
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To: xrmusn

I miss the sea.

I’d go back if they’d have me.

Such a vivid contrast between peace and violence.


28 posted on 05/16/2020 9:50:53 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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Comment #29 Removed by Moderator

To: Zuriel; Chode; Squantos; SkyDancer; Delta 21; tubebender; Lockbox; OldMissileer; carriage_hill; ...
followed inline with other ships to take advantage of the current created by the lead ship.

NASTUB, Drafting on the Bay.

30 posted on 05/16/2020 11:51:24 PM PDT by mabarker1 ((Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! A fraud, a hypocrite, a liar. I'm a member of Congress !!!!)
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To: ping jockey

I was a sonar tech. DLG-34 was my home, from ‘67 to ‘70. We had the SQS/26-BX.

Late one day, as we were leaving an exercise with a sub, we tracked it out to 50k yards, the max range of the display. The sound channel conditions must have been perfect, as that was the only time I ever saw it work that well.

I found a really nice history of the SQS/26, written by Thaddeus G. Bell. It’s 250 pages:
https://tinyurl.com/SQS-26


31 posted on 05/17/2020 1:14:57 AM PDT by JohnnyP (Thinking is hard work (I stole that from Rush).)
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To: DUMBGRUNT
K-222
The Soviet's 'Golden Fish' Missile Submarine Still Holds The Record As The World's Fastest
The only Project 661 boat ever made was extremely fast underwater, but was also costly and complex to build and operate.
By Joseph Trevithick February 13, 2019

Alfa Class
This Is The World's Fastest Production Submarine's Crazy Molten Metal Cooled Reactor
The reactor used molten lead-bismuth for coolant, which meant it turned into a brick if it stopped circulating, but gave big power for its size.
By Tyler Rogoway April 19, 2020

32 posted on 05/17/2020 3:50:49 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: IronJack

What makes those speeds so hard for the crews to endure?
````
Ships and subs, unlike land vehicles, do not have shock absorbers.

Imagine driving a car down a road with pot holes everywhere.

Now imagine you are driving your car at 46 mph (40 knots) over the same road - pretty bumpy, eh?

Now imagine driving that same car over that same road at the same speed without shock absorbers for hours on end.

Now imagine driving that same car over that same road at the same speed without shock absorbers for hours on end, while moving about the car doing various tasks, many calling for precision, focus, accuracy and concentration.

Now put the car on autopilot and grab some bunk time, while the straps on the bunk keep you from hitting the ceiling ...

That’s why.


33 posted on 05/17/2020 4:05:50 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: PIF

Actually if you drive faster on a wash boarded road it will smooth the ride out. I do it all the time in the outback.


34 posted on 05/17/2020 4:09:20 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Mariner

I made six trips back and forth across the Pacific by the time I was 13 years old...


35 posted on 05/17/2020 4:42:35 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Baseball players, gangsters and musicians are remembered. But journalists are forgotten.)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Are your bumps 10-25 feet deep?

Does your vehicle have springs and shock absorbers?

How fast are you actually going in your car without springs and shock absorbers as you traverse 15 foot deep pot holes while performing complex tasks that you and others lives depend on for hours on end?

How well do you sleep while driving down that “wash board” road?


36 posted on 05/17/2020 5:38:06 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Mount Athos

it’s normal for subs to be faster than surface ships.

On the surface perhaps, but submerged? I have not had the privilege of ever hearing that in my 80 years. Not once.

And no, I don’t pretend to know everything or much of anything. But I do read, and have ears.


37 posted on 05/17/2020 5:45:33 AM PDT by wita (Always and forever, under oath in defense of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT
More here

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26475/the-soviets-golden-fish-missile-submarine-still-holds-the-record-as-the-worlds-fastest

38 posted on 05/17/2020 5:51:49 AM PDT by Lockbox
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To: xrmusn

Sounds like you have ridden out a typhoon in in WESTPAC.


39 posted on 05/17/2020 6:12:18 AM PDT by RedEyeJack (What was the basis for the restriction?)
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To: PIF

As usual you missed the point.


40 posted on 05/17/2020 6:25:50 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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