Keeping the blogosphere posted on the goings on of the world of submarines since late 2004... and mocking and belittling general foolishness wherever it may be found. Idaho's first and foremost submarine blog. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me; don't call me at home.)

Thursday, August 10, 2006

More "Israeli Subs In Indian Ocean" Idiocy

Once again, we see people with no perception of maritime distances spouting off a bunch of ridiculous crap. In this case, it's World Net Daily, which yesterday posted a long "analysis" of how Israel is going to get their three Dolphin-class submarines to the Iranian coast -- if fact, it says that they "usually patrol" in the Indian Ocean. While this article at least recognizes that they won't get able to transit the Suez Canal, the article claims that the Israeli subs will be able to refuel in Eritrea, which is just across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia. (As everyone knows, the HOA is a hotbed of pro-Israel sentiment.) {/sarcasm}

Diesel subs have a range of about 12,ooo miles -- one way. (The Dolphins have an advertised range of 8,000nm at 8 knots, but the article says that the Israeli's are having the fuel tanks "enlarged" -- as if there's just plenty of room on a diesel boat to add a lot of additional fuel capacity.) It's about 12,000 miles from Israel to Iran when circumnavigating Africa. Even assuming the Israel thinks they can refuel in Eritrea, they'd be idiots to send a sub there -- if permission to refuel gets denied, and they're stuck sailing up to Eilat with their tails between their legs -- and with the port of Eilat visible from Jordan, they'd kind of lose any element of surprise. Plus, with a diesel boat doing about 12 kts sustained, it would take 40 days to get to Iran, and another 40 days to get back -- not very efficient when you have only three boats, which would probably have a 45 day max on-station time. (At 8 knots, it's 120 days total transit time.)

Bottom line -- no matter how many idiots you see writing that Israeli subs are getting ready to take out the Iranian nuclear facilities, you can bet the farm that they're blowing smoke out their ass.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

BH, I'm astounded. Manly submarine man that you are, and you forget your submarine heritage. If all this is true, BH, then how did U-boats operate off India? Milch cows? Think the Israelis couldn't pull off a stunt like this?

Please believe that I'm not buying into the story...but it could be done, if someone wanted the subs there.

8/11/2006 2:36 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's up with the nutjob in the first posting? This whacko obviously doesn't recognize that most submariners are fairly intelligent, or he would have save himself the trouble of flinging poo in this direction.

What a load.

RM1/SS

8/11/2006 6:57 AM

 
Blogger Bubblehead said...

Byron -- it could be done, yes, but the chances of having a submarine get stranded without a way to get home are too high nowadays. There's a difference between risking a few subs out of hundreds you have during a world war, and risking one of three in an era of instantaneous worldwide comms.

8/11/2006 7:38 AM

 
Blogger Bubblehead said...

Yeah, the first visitor is quite the idiot. Still, I like to provide a forum for free debate, where moron conspiracy theorists can indulge in public self-mocking.

8/11/2006 7:40 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not a full fledged dolphin wearer (started on quals, and boat decommed; few non nuke EM3/2 billets to go to), but I had an old chief EN tell me a tale of putting fuel in the bilges to extend range and time on station in Cuban Missle Crisis. Took suction from bilges for 2 days; I would assume they were either on the surface and ventilating, or snorkeling (is that enough fresh air for sailors?)

That said, I do agree it is unlikely that Israel would give up one of their few boats for such a long time and at such high operational risk.

And that first poster? I was the guy hovering over his house last night in the silent black helo. We were going to pick him up, but his tinfoil hat provided shielding from our transporter beam. Instead, we got his wife. We are sending her back tonight. Now we know why he is the way he is....

8/11/2006 9:54 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And that first poster? I was the guy hovering over his house last night in the silent black helo. We were going to pick him up, but his tinfoil hat provided shielding from our transporter beam. Instead, we got his wife. We are sending her back tonight. Now we know why he is the way he is....

W. O'Boogie, Thanks for the chuckle.

8/11/2006 10:14 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm all for conspiracy theories. I firmly believe that people plan in secret to do evil. Some examples are the Mafia, the Thuggee cult of India, the dudes at Enron, Congress, and.. oh, sorry.

But anyone with half a brain can understand that when you fly a plane full of jet fuel into a building, it's gonna come down. Maybe anonymous doesn't have even half a brain and that's the problem.

And you guys with the black helicopters - when you realized your transporter beam didn't work, couldn't you have at least snagged him with a boat hook or something, so whackjobs like him don't pain the rest of us?

Lessons learned for next time...

8/11/2006 3:17 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Would it be that difficult to lash together a tender to send around the horn to supply the sub? Probibly not something you'ld want to do for routine patroling, but if you had a real strong need to sit off Iran...
Not as crazy as some of the doomsday plans the US had in the 50's.

8/26/2006 9:32 PM

 
Anonymous nader paul kucinich gravel mckinney said...

Does the government lie to you?
Does the media lie to you?

5/31/2010 4:17 AM

 

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