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.)
It looks like Iranian TV showed some sort of "Meet the Iranian Sub Force" documentary lately, because clips have been showing up on YouTube. Here's a clip where they go on one of the Kilo-class boats (supposedly the Taregh), and here's one where they go inside one of the new mini-subs:
posted by Bubblehead at 5:16 PM
I'm Joel Kennedy -- a married, 50-something year old retired submarine officer and esophageal cancer survivor with three kids who has finally made the transition to civilian life. Politically, I'm a Radical Moderate. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me. Don't call me at home.)
17 Comments:
Is that one of those new goatonic periscopes we see?
12/03/2007 5:34 PM
Nice video clip. Hoping to view some more clips.
12/03/2007 8:35 PM
Kinda of an easy firing solution when they all face the bow and pray 5 times a day with the boat on bearing with Mecca. Seems like kinda of a waste using a Mk48 ADCAP on something not much bigger. Maybe we need baby torpedos for the cute baby submarine.
12/04/2007 9:34 AM
Just wondering, my step son is on an aircraft carrier in the south asia area. What is the range of those mini subs? Do they pose a threat to our ships?
12/04/2007 11:17 AM
Several of their video screens look suspiciously like the old 688I computer game...
12/04/2007 11:39 AM
They are classified as midget subs. Very coastal where carriers won't be, not to mention a carrier is haulin ass. All the electronics I saw were COTS in fact I have better electronics on my yacht.....ya thats the ticket on my yacht
12/04/2007 3:14 PM
Great coverage bubblehead. I've posted some of the news coverage on my blog and linked to your story. I appreciate the job you do in spreading the word.
zero
12/04/2007 5:45 PM
I'm with bkt(ss) - seems like all you gotta know is when they pray, because you know that "Otto (auto)" will be driving the boat. Too easy.
12/04/2007 9:26 PM
You know, they could use the same argument: "The best time to attack those lazy Christians is on a Sunday morning..." wait, we wouldn't fall for that a second time, would we?
If you subscribe to ANY western religion, you've really got no grounds to criticize the peculiar requirements of someone else’s religion – I can think of about 30 really weird things the Judeo-Christian bible requires of you. Of course, being lazy about the whole process of religion (unlike those who respect their religion enough to carry out even the inconvenient requirements, like praying 5 times a day), we disregard all the requirements we don’t feel like doing.
Something else to keep in mind: After the Civil War, most of the world looked at OUR navy the way you’re looking at the Iranians. It wasn’t until after WW-2 (which was luckily fought everywhere but our front yards) that we achieved super-power status. I’m sure the Russians thought the Japanese navy was similarly impotent... until the Japanese sank their whole pacific fleet at the turn of last century. And, speaking of mini subs, who invented those? What do you think David Bushnell’s Turtle was? I bet the British blockading our entire eastern coast had a laugh over THAT idea.
If history teaches us anything (and the Romans are the ones to study these days), it will be a bunch of barbarians from smaller country that eventually hands us our collective asses. Those death-star subs we built are certainly impressive... but there’s only a handful of them. A coast crawling with diesel boats and mines are more than a match for the quietest boats we have.
They bow down to Mecca... we crawl down in a bilge regularly for the COB. What’s the difference?
12/05/2007 7:30 AM
Regarding the post-Civil War (actually ~1870-1890) Navy:
[The Ghost speaks] "I don't think I should like America."
"I suppose because we have no ruins and no curiosities," said Virginia satirically.
"No ruins! no curiosities!" answered the Ghost; "you have your navy and your manners."
Oscar Wilde, "The Canterville Ghost: A Hylo-Idealistic Romance," in Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (New York: Harper & Row, 1989) (reprint of 1966 edition), 207.
12/05/2007 11:52 AM
I'm a wind dummy , so anything I say is talking outa turn. But, this sub doesn't look to be much less cabable than the German fleet boats of 39-45. given that diesel/electric boats are quieter than nucs, if they can retract the electronic masts to cut flow noise, they may well be very quiet.
Layin up silent in a choke point, they might just be able to sink say, a Tarawa class Amphib. Or two. With their missle launching Patrol Boats, operating in an area made for such things, they can be a problem. Especially considering that they don't seem to mind dieing for an objective, or even a dramatic statement.
and their electronics ain't all that hot, but didn't Much Morten enter Tokyo bay with less?
Using the history of land warfare--the Indians fought against a numerically and technologically supeior enemy for 400 years!
12/05/2007 4:48 PM
The minisubs would be a bitch kitty laying mines, but so would anything more advanced than the "Hunley".
As for the swimmer delivery vehicle, time to practice Operation Awkward. Though we have some unusual environmental issues there.
12/05/2007 9:56 PM
American submariners are also willing to risk death to accomplish the mission, as our track record over the last hundred years readily demonstrates. We may not be as overt with our religious motivations (not having one state-mandated faith may have something to do with that) but we've got our share of sky pilots cheering us on.
If there was an enemy invasion fleet heading towards the American coast, we would sink it, or die trying. I don't expect any less of other nations' submariners, whatever they go to sea in.
12/06/2007 7:32 AM
Your son's safe as long as the carrier does not enter the Persian Gulf area in any conflict. The Iranian midget sub has an underwater duration of 8 hours or so on its batteries, plenty to come in to fire a few small torpedoes at a carrier in an enclosed area such as the Gulf.
12/09/2007 1:15 PM
Followup to previous comment on the Iranian sub's duration: of course in any conflict US aircraft will attempt to take out any Iranian naval assets in the initial minutes. If these subs are in port, then they're done for within the first 1/2 hour of conflict.
12/09/2007 1:18 PM
Reminds me of the hilarious quote from the film Porky's: "It's like a penis, only smaller."
12/15/2007 8:10 PM
I read really much effective material here!
2/13/2012 11:35 AM
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