A submarine
February 10, 2001 1:02 AM   Subscribe

A submarine of the US Pacific Fleet has surfaced under the Ehime Maru, a 191-foot boat used for Japanese fishery training, just off Honolulu, sinking the boat and apparently killing some high school students and teachers who were onboard. Not long ago, on August 12, an American sub was blamed for crashing into and sinking a Russian sub in the Barents Sea. It's not unusual for subs to hit subs.
posted by pracowity (8 comments total)
 
I think by now everyone is pretty much agreed that the Kursk was not hit by another sub; it sank when two of its own torpedos exploded.

That's not to downplay today's story, which is tragic. The probability of a surfacing sub hitting a boat or ship just seems so unlikely...shouldn't the sub have been able to do some sort of radar or sonar sweep?
posted by briank at 5:56 AM on February 10, 2001


I think by now everyone is pretty much agreed that the Kursk was not hit by another sub; it sank when two of its own torpedos exploded.

That's not to downplay today's story, which is tragic. The probability of a surfacing sub hitting a boat or ship just seems so unlikely...shouldn't the sub have been able to do some sort of radar or sonar sweep?
posted by briank at 5:56 AM on February 10, 2001


I can't figure that out either, briank....
What the hell? How does a gigantic fishing boat slip by the most advanced enemy detection equiptment in the world? I mean, the boat had a crew of 35. It had great big, noisy, deisel engines.

For that matter, doesn't anybody look through the damn periscope, anymore? I certainly hope that it's not SOP to just blow the tanks and hope no one gets in the way. Then again, with the mentality of the U.S. Military, it probably is.

Damn shame.
posted by Optamystic at 8:05 AM on February 10, 2001


"The submarine was not damaged, Navy spokeswoman Lt.-Cmdr. Cate Mueller, said in Washington."

Who cares about the condition of the sub at this point in time? This collision is unacceptable. I would definately think they have some system that tells them if the surface is clear or not.
posted by howa2396 at 10:53 AM on February 10, 2001


howa, that is newsworthy, for instance, it tells you something about the characteristics of the accident. The submarine will have a double or even triple hull (depending on when built) designed to withstand enormous pressure. It probably tore through the fishing boat like a fist through a paper towel.

Surfacing is always tricky. We imagine they have wonderful sonar etc. but sonar is only effective directionally. A surface boat, especially with its engine off (don't know if this is the case), might be practically invisible in certain conditions. But procedures may have been violated, or equipment malfunctioning. Here's something from sci.military.naval:

"Retired Navy Capt. Alec Fraser told CNN that the protocol for bringing a submarine to the surface is typically strictly followed. The submarine first searches the waters in front of the vessel by sonar, Fraser said, and then it alters course so that the propellers don't disrupt an acoustic search of the area behind it. If all appears clear, the vessel rises to periscope depth -- about 20 to 30 feet below the surface -- and the waters are surveyed visually to ensure they are clear, he said. Only then does it rise to the surface, he said."

It's also been reported that they were training in emergency procedures -- which may have meant some equipment was turned off.
posted by dhartung at 12:31 PM on February 10, 2001


> I think by now everyone is pretty much agreed ...

Not quite. NATO authorities may be "pretty much agreed" (predictably) that the Kursk disaster wasn't their fault, but Russian sources (also predictably) say otherwise.
posted by pracowity at 12:49 AM on February 11, 2001


research boat... ummmhmmm
posted by stbalbach at 8:14 AM on February 11, 2001


research boat... ummmhmmm
posted by stbalbach at 8:14 AM on February 11, 2001


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