Great informative article from Vishnu.
Why a nuclear sub is so important?
Vishnu Som, Sunday July 26, 2009, New Delhi
There are stealth fighters jets like the American B-2 which are invisible to radar, but in fact the ultimate stealth weapon is the nuclear submarine.
Diving the depths of the oceans, submarines universally run on one principal -- run silent, run deep; for all practical purposes make a hole in the water and do everything very quietly to avoid sonar searches from other submarines, ships or reconnaissance aircraft.
Detecting the latest nuclear ballistic missile submarines is often next to impossible.
It's a cat and mouse game which has gone on for decades, particularly during the Cold War when the US Navy went to any lengths to track the movement of Russian nuclear submarines particularly ballistic missile submarines.
The goal for both the US and Russian forces was to stay submerged and hidden off each others coastlines while being prepared to launch a volley of nuclear missiles at each other. Fortunately, that instruction never came.
Typically, Russian nuclear submarines were thought to be more noisy than their American counterparts and often and easy picking for the electronically advanced detection systems on board American attack submarines.
But there were areas where the Russians were ahead. Though noisier, several classes of their nuclear submarines were faster than their NATO opponents and more deep diving as well.
The Russians also built what NATO calls the Typhoon class, one of the most feared Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) ever made.
This largest class of nuclear submarines ever built was armed with nuclear tipped missiles so long ranged that they could actually strike their targets on the US coast without having to leave the safety of their docks.
In fact the nuclear missile complex lies at the heart of the nuclear ballistic missile submarine and some of the deadliest nuclear weapons ever created have been Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs).
American and Royal Navy nuclear submarines are armed with the Trident II D5 missile with a range of 8,000 km. French submarines have the M45 and M51 missiles with a range of more than 8000 mms.
Russia operates variant of the missile designated by NATO as SS-N-23 Skiff. This can strike targets 8,300 km away. Russia is also testing a new missile called SSNX-30 or Bulava with a range of more than 8,000 km.
And China is now developing the JL-2 missile which can also reportedly strike targets more than 7,000 km away.
India will now join the select group of nations with its own nuclear ballistic missile submarine. But it may be decades before the Indian Navy picks up the expertise to operate these submarines -- the most sophisticated and deadly military hardware ever built.
Why a nuclear sub is so important?
Vishnu Som, Sunday July 26, 2009, New Delhi
There are stealth fighters jets like the American B-2 which are invisible to radar, but in fact the ultimate stealth weapon is the nuclear submarine.
Diving the depths of the oceans, submarines universally run on one principal -- run silent, run deep; for all practical purposes make a hole in the water and do everything very quietly to avoid sonar searches from other submarines, ships or reconnaissance aircraft.
Detecting the latest nuclear ballistic missile submarines is often next to impossible.
It's a cat and mouse game which has gone on for decades, particularly during the Cold War when the US Navy went to any lengths to track the movement of Russian nuclear submarines particularly ballistic missile submarines.
The goal for both the US and Russian forces was to stay submerged and hidden off each others coastlines while being prepared to launch a volley of nuclear missiles at each other. Fortunately, that instruction never came.
Typically, Russian nuclear submarines were thought to be more noisy than their American counterparts and often and easy picking for the electronically advanced detection systems on board American attack submarines.
But there were areas where the Russians were ahead. Though noisier, several classes of their nuclear submarines were faster than their NATO opponents and more deep diving as well.
The Russians also built what NATO calls the Typhoon class, one of the most feared Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) ever made.
This largest class of nuclear submarines ever built was armed with nuclear tipped missiles so long ranged that they could actually strike their targets on the US coast without having to leave the safety of their docks.
In fact the nuclear missile complex lies at the heart of the nuclear ballistic missile submarine and some of the deadliest nuclear weapons ever created have been Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs).
American and Royal Navy nuclear submarines are armed with the Trident II D5 missile with a range of 8,000 km. French submarines have the M45 and M51 missiles with a range of more than 8000 mms.
Russia operates variant of the missile designated by NATO as SS-N-23 Skiff. This can strike targets 8,300 km away. Russia is also testing a new missile called SSNX-30 or Bulava with a range of more than 8,000 km.
And China is now developing the JL-2 missile which can also reportedly strike targets more than 7,000 km away.
India will now join the select group of nations with its own nuclear ballistic missile submarine. But it may be decades before the Indian Navy picks up the expertise to operate these submarines -- the most sophisticated and deadly military hardware ever built.
:gunfight2::2guns:
