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To: chimera; reagandemo; FreedomPoster; Jeff Head

The USN has mainly exercised with the Swedish Gotlands class boats & benefitted.But Swedes were early in the AIP race,but as of now you could say that they are behind the Germans & the French,who produce more widely used AIP systems.The German fuel cell based modules can go upto 15-20 days underwater,which is just HUGE.The Russians supposedly have a liquid hydrogen based system,which can go upto 10 days,though they are working on systems with thrice that endurance.


80 posted on 07/11/2006 6:56:23 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: sukhoi-30mki
So, it appears that relatively short-duration missions would be the role these units would fill, perhaps warding off an incursion of warships near a coastline, like a carrier group, or some sort of clandestine littoral operations like insertion of special forces or eavesdropping. Sounds like the nukes will still be out there for longer-term missions, although their vulnerability may have taken a hit with these super-quiet non-nuclear ships on the prowl.

I am no expert in naval tactics, but it looks like some kind of counter to these guys will have to be developed. Maybe a back-to-the-future version of pinging, and get the dolphins and whales some earplugs.

81 posted on 07/11/2006 7:07:22 AM PDT by chimera
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