Posted on 11/10/2007 7:57:06 PM PST by secretagent
When the U.S. Navy deploys a battle fleet on exercises, it takes the security of its aircraft carriers very seriously indeed. At least a dozen warships provide a physical guard while the technical wizardry of the world's only military superpower offers an invisible shield to detect and deter any intruders.
That is the theory. Or, rather, was the theory.
Uninvited guest: A Chinese Song Class submarine, like the one that sufaced by the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk
American military chiefs have been left dumbstruck by an undetected Chinese submarine popping up at the heart of a recent Pacific exercise and close to the vast U.S.S. Kitty Hawk - a 1,000ft supercarrier with 4,500 personnel on board.
By the time it surfaced the 160ft Song Class diesel-electric attack submarine is understood to have sailed within viable range for launching torpedoes or missiles at the carrier.
According to senior Nato officials the incident caused consternation in the U.S. Navy.
The Americans had no idea China's fast-growing submarine fleet had reached such a level of sophistication, or that it posed such a threat.
One Nato figure said the effect was "as big a shock as the Russians launching Sputnik" - a reference to the Soviet Union's first orbiting satellite in 1957 which marked the start of the space age.
The incident, which took place in the ocean between southern Japan and Taiwan, is a major embarrassment for the Pentagon.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The US Navy, just one blunder after another!
I think this is an old, recycled story that keeps popping up. I think I have seen it a dozen times in the last year. It originally happened in 2005 or 2007 sometime.
The Chinese are going to try something.
A couple of decades ago China was a backward, isolated society. We’ve been building up the greatest potential enemy in our history by suicidal trade policies. The Chinese have bought enough of our corrupt politicians in both parties (not just the Clintons) that this policy will not change. Only Duncan Hunter seems to care about this. Internationalists or global-trade freaks like Giuliani or Romney certainly don’t.
Dielsel electrics are extemely quiet and can do a lot of damage in coastal waters. That’s not news.
What can you do though? We aren’t at war with China, so we can’t just sink their sub for getting too close, right?
Yup, and it alerted us to the threat that the latest diesel-electrics pose. So much so, that we borrowed one of the newest and best from the Swedes and learned what to do about them.
Not that they’re not a threat any more, but the USN is confixdent that this won’t be happening again.
According to senior Nato officials the incident caused consternation in the U.S. Navy.
I'm betting THAT is an understatement of great proportion.
It could be an accident...
cheap plastic toy after cheap plastic toy.
Thanks for pointing out the prior post.
I should have searched “title” by date, rather than score.
On one hand, it might be nice to drive them off immediately upon detection. That basically sends the message: don't even try it, you'll fail and die. On the other hand, letting them think they can get close without being detected builds up a false sense of security on their part. Makes them overconfident, and allows you to easily kill them once you have authorization.
So the question now is, what really happened? Could they have gotten close undetected? Sure, D-E are very quiet boats on battery. (but short legs) But maybe they're being set up... The USN has done this before. In the 80s several Victor IIIs were detected in the Atlantic headed for the eastern seaboard. There was some discussion over whether to react or not...
Not just toys. Hardware, clothing, electronics, sporting goods, and on and on. It’s hard to find a store which isn’t glutted with Chinese goods. We’re addicted to cheap labor, because it helps compensate for the inflation caused by government. China holds a mortgage on the U.S.; its purchase of bonds props up our rotten entitlement programs.
Possible. No date for the incident reported in the article.
Somebody better get their head out of their rear-end. Certainly, the residual effects of the Scumbag Administration left long-term damage to the military, but Bush has been in for seven years now. Clearly we need to upgrade certain technologies.
Good point. However, I know there are instances (in coastal waters where diesel electrics are very effective) that the navy has gotten a few wake up calls.
Any ideas?
Seems I recall a few tech secrets going to the chi-coms for campaign cash during the Clinton Administration. Nah ... couldn’t be.
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