Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
RE: The more things change...ya know the rest...
Posted by:
rabbit
()
Date: June 30, 2000 05:43PM
Actually, some may not agree with me here, but I think WWII submarines were indeed true submarines! Sure they conducted the vast majority of their attacks on the surface or at periscope dept, but then again, in a major fire fight today, so would a modern submarine.
So whats the difference? Sure a modern sub is designed to opperate better underwater as oppose to the surface, where as WWII boats were designed for surface stability over subsurface performance, but thats really the only major difference.
Yes, Yes every system on a modern sub is much more advanced than a WWII boat but the principles are still the same.
In a major "the crap has hit the fan" senario against a formidable opponete modern submarines will face the same problems that WWII U-boats faced, their really is no happy go feely right answer when it comes to sub opps, now or then.
A modern boat will conduct most if not all of it's attacks at periscope dept, as just like in WWII, the closer a submarine is to the surface the more danger it is in of being detected. That has not changed.
A modern boat that is communicating will most likely give it's position away, (again asuming were talking about a capable opponet here) either in radio communications or active sonar, if picked up can be triangulated by the enemy. That has not changed either.
A modern boat conducting unlimited warfare, sinking everything it finds of the adversaries, faces the same questions and problems of a U-boat. After the attack does the boat surface and help survivers? Does it provide them with supplies and set them on a course for shore? If to far out, does the submarine take survivers on board?
Again same problems U-boats faced and came up with no easy answers, lot's of stories of WWII boats helping survivers of the ships they just torpedoed. But times have changed, ASW capability has come just as far as modern subs have, and sub on the surface, even modern boats are going to be detected and hunted down and sunk. Do you risk it?
Submarines, then and now, are easily the ultimate ocean hunters of all time, but they also pose some hard questions for the opperators of them simply because they are so deadly and effective.
I stop for now, sorry post is so long, good thread!
Cheers...
So whats the difference? Sure a modern sub is designed to opperate better underwater as oppose to the surface, where as WWII boats were designed for surface stability over subsurface performance, but thats really the only major difference.
Yes, Yes every system on a modern sub is much more advanced than a WWII boat but the principles are still the same.
In a major "the crap has hit the fan" senario against a formidable opponete modern submarines will face the same problems that WWII U-boats faced, their really is no happy go feely right answer when it comes to sub opps, now or then.
A modern boat will conduct most if not all of it's attacks at periscope dept, as just like in WWII, the closer a submarine is to the surface the more danger it is in of being detected. That has not changed.
A modern boat that is communicating will most likely give it's position away, (again asuming were talking about a capable opponet here) either in radio communications or active sonar, if picked up can be triangulated by the enemy. That has not changed either.
A modern boat conducting unlimited warfare, sinking everything it finds of the adversaries, faces the same questions and problems of a U-boat. After the attack does the boat surface and help survivers? Does it provide them with supplies and set them on a course for shore? If to far out, does the submarine take survivers on board?
Again same problems U-boats faced and came up with no easy answers, lot's of stories of WWII boats helping survivers of the ships they just torpedoed. But times have changed, ASW capability has come just as far as modern subs have, and sub on the surface, even modern boats are going to be detected and hunted down and sunk. Do you risk it?
Submarines, then and now, are easily the ultimate ocean hunters of all time, but they also pose some hard questions for the opperators of them simply because they are so deadly and effective.
I stop for now, sorry post is so long, good thread!
Cheers...