Britain launches nuclear sub that can hear a ship from across the Atlantic

this is london ^ | 08.06.07

[george76]

The first of the UK's new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines has been unveiled in Cumbria by the Duchess of Cornwall.

Due to enter service in 2009, BAE Systems' Astute is the most advanced submarine of its kind and comes bristling with the very latest in military technology.

BAE said: "With a radar signature equivalent to a dolphin, it can remain undetected thousands of miles from home and hundreds of metres underwater.

"In the right conditions it can detect the QE2 leaving New York harbour from the English Channel."

its key asset is its stealth. Even with a nuclear reactor and four powerful turbines propelling it through the water, less than one watt of power is radiated, making it incredibly quiet.

Its nuclear reactor means that it will never need to be refuelled in its 25-year lifetime.

The submarine - almost half as big again as the Royal Navy's current fleet of attack boats - is one of three under construction at the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.

[SolitaryMan]

What do they say about women with big feet???

[JRios1968]

And just a little weird!

[JRios1968]

What do they say about women with big feet???

They buy big shoes

[SolitaryMan]

I think they're limited by their supply of English ale.

[skinkinthegrass]

We’ve been free since 1215 when the Magna Carta was signed. 560 years later one of our colonies decided being free was good too and copied our Magna Carta. I think they called it the ‘constipation’ or something similar. It was good, but they kept amending it until no-one took it seriously anymore.

You must be thinking of NYC....how 911 happened without the hijackers getting shot?

Lets' not get "Sooo Pricky" here....we do share a common language....Opppss, sorry. :D

[WLR]

But can this sub stop an Iranian navy canoe from seizing British sailors?

With Lord Nelson’s decendents..yes..
With Lord Haw Haws? we found our recently...

It is British Lion not Kitty Tommy and we are with you.

Throw the MudSlime Terrorists and their supporters from your shores.

W

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this....Friday afternoon ping.....to others/./

[GATOR NAVY]

What What WTF was that?

[GATOR NAVY]

You mean “Shaun of the Dead” wasn’t a documentary?

[tanknetter]

Thanks for the reality check, agere. There is a strong perception on these boards that the UK's Islamification is far worse that America's. I hope that Britons are waking up with regard to militant Islam as most are here in the states.

There is a difference, however. As reported in a USAToday article a few days ago (I can't seem to find it at the moment), if all spelling variations are taken into account, the second most popular name for new baby boys in the UK is Muhammed. And within a few years it'll be #1.

[tanknetter]

How would it be able to hear one particular ship across the Atlantic without telling all the other ships to be quiet?

If you read the quote cited in the original post, it said "detect" not "hear". It also said "In the right conditions".

Given that*, I have to wonder if the "right conditions" consist of there being a KH passing over NYC and the NRO giving the RN a real-time video feed.

*(my tongue is somewhat firmly in cheek in saying this)

[GATOR NAVY]

That’s kind of what I was thinking. If you look at it, the qualifier “In the right conditions” is so huge as to be worthless.

[JRios1968]

Precisely! lolz

[gbs]

Wait till our graphite/composite,anechoic coated, hydrogen fuel celled, linear pulsed driven subs come on line. NO sound and no MADD device detectable. Truly the silent fleet!!With the ability to hear a ship across the Atlantic(real time access to SOSUS)!

[Marine_Uncle]

I wish the British Navy the best with this new line of boats.
Sounds like they will give the Russkies the jibbes.

[skinkinthegrass]

If you look at it, the qualifier “In the right conditions” is so huge as to be worthless

Agree.....Bump

[SunkenCiv]

That’ll help ‘em find our shipping during the next war in Europe.

[NucSubs]

That was standard.

[OCCASparky]

I remember reading one article about the then-new LA class boats. They would leave port with food packages stacked all over the place.

They still do. ERUL outboard the non-vital switchgear was where we put all the "heavy" cans of flour, shortening, and coffee.

[Calvin Locke]

Were you jealous of the designed-in sauna and swimming pool in subs such as the Kursk?