Hold on Russia is launching a 17 year old sub and this is worrisome? Do you work for Northrup Grumman or something?
“very quiet diesel”
This term is like saying “conservative democrat”
We have the best fleet money can buy and we some are worried about cheap diesel electric boats. I guess these people have never heard of SOSUS. It is so sensitive it can hear a whale fart.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_25/sosus.htm
You are ignorant. That is all.
Diesel is a descriptor for genre of sub that also has batteries. Incredibly quiet.
The Swedes have one that allegedly ran circles around us off San Diego recently.
Diesel-electric submarines have a stealth advantage over their nuclear counterparts. Nuclear submarines generate noise from coolant pumps and turbo-machinery needed to operate the reactor, even at low power levels.
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/ARCHIVE/2008/APRIL/Pages/AntiSub2301.aspx
“Although the Navy has the world’s most technologically advanced fleet — including state-of-the-art nuclear attack submarines — officials acknowledge that these comparatively low-tech diesel-electric boats could give an enemy an asymmetric advantage.”
Here is an enjoyable video of the top 10 DE subs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOaFtMZ0aKc
BTW, SOSUS in now an integrated part of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS).
But with every new innovation, there are immediately efforts to counter its effectiveness, as well as efforts to take it up to the next level.
In this case, DARPA is working on the Defense Underground Mapping Satellite Tracking and Ranging (DUMSTR) system through the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which probably can use its LEO satellites to detect submarines; or else the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is working on a similar system for that purpose.
Just in the last month, the US has likewise begun a worldwide surface ship tracking program as well, that would easily integrate this information.
But there is already the possibility of an effective counter, using a fleet of very low power “torpedoes” that use ocean currents and temperature gradients to patrol a 3D undersea area for months. Now only used as sensor arrays, internally they are somewhat like ether “water dipping birds”, moving up and down while currents slowly push them in a direction. They could be an effective area denial weapon against submarines, and are completely passive.
Things change.
Your knowledge of D-E submarines is outdated by about 30 years. Modern D-E submarines with AIP are STEALTHIER than advanced nuclear submarines, and the most cutting edge variants (such as the German U212/214) are the stealthiest manned attack vessels in any navy. They can stay underwater for weeks at a time, and around littoral waters are the USN's worst nightmare.
You're lucky some navy FReepers were not on this thread, otherwise you would have had some rather snarky comments. Anyways, a modern D-E submarine is in no way similar to its 1950s predecessors.