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You will note that your cut and paste on the Permit mentions a much lower surfaced speed than submerged.

You best check your eyeballs, bub...The Seawolf specs do not give a surfaced speed. And, since you mentioned it, yes-- the Seawolf's top speed submerged, though classified, is well in excess of 35 knots. Question is: how much is well in excess? 4?... 5?... 7?... Heck!...10 knots? And how much hydrodynamic drag is present on a surfaced Seawolf class submarine? Hows-about a semi-submerged vessel with just the sail creating the drag?

Unless you can provide something other than your questionable personal expertise refuting my comparisons vis a vis USS Trepang, a Sturgeon class submarine, and Seawolf (SSN-21) first of the Seawolf class submarine, neither of which is of the Thresher/Permit class, long since discarded (which preceeded the Sturgeon class [see footnote]). I leave it to the unbiased readers without an agenda to review my previous post (as I suggest you do) and decide as to whether I have made my point or not.

By the way, cut and paste supported by URLs are an accepted method of presentation on FreeRepublic. Deal with it.

Have a nice day...

;^P

Footnote: From http://www.warships1.com/ships-US/USssn593_Thresher.htm

Re: Thresher/Permit Class...

Originally named Thresher class, this was changed after the first of the class Thresher was lost while doing test deep dives in Apr./63. These boats had an improved tear drop shape and established the basic design for all later submarines.

...They have all been discarded.

Well, I worked with Permits but not with Seawolfs so I'm familiar with their performance. But I'll repeat. Show me a boat from any country that can do 30+ knots surfaced and I'll accept the possibility that a submarine could be the track in question. Then all you have to do is show that VP-26 was towing a target that night and that a U.S. or allied submarine could have fired the missile and I'll slink away never to darken your door again. I won't hold my breath, though.

While we are on the subject, why do you think that none of the crew members of the P-3 mentioned that they were towing a target? You suppose it could be that they weren't towing one?