New Submarine Blog

Check out Underway Life, a new blog by a submariner. He's already got some pretty good posts up.

posted by Bubblehead @ 8:04 AM 3 comments

Run Wired, Run Deep: Subs May Finally Get Online

A nuclear submarine in deep dive may be the last place on Earth where it’s impossible to get a phone call, a text message or the day’s dose of spam. But all that may soon be over, if a Lockheed-led program works out as planned.

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Comms at Speed and Depth will be the first two-way underwater communication system for submarines. The exact depth at which subs will be able to deploy the buoys is classified, but Reints asserts that the length of the buoy cables is “measured in miles, and it’s long enough to allow the submarine to launch at significant depth and continue at normal operational speeds during a mission.”

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All of this underwater communicativeness might just take the thrill out of boomer movies. What kind of drama will stoke the next Crimson Tide if the captain and XO get crystal clear instructions from D.C. that they can verify real-time?

I can see the value in this, but also the danger. Imagine a sailor on the mess decks with his iPhone (which sends it location data if so enabled). He tweets away before watch, and all of a sudden the subs location isn't so secret anymore.

I'd imagine this will be very, very, very tightly controlled when it's finally deployed for full use. Internet is all well and good, but opsec is far more important.

However, being able to email home would sure be nice.

posted by Robert Schumacher @ 5:32 PM 3 comments

Back in the day, the U.S. Navy Submarine Service-1915. "Diesel Boats Forever" (Tommy Cox)

I'm sure all you bubbleheads, past and present will enjoy this all too brief footage of the United States Navy Submarine Service-1915. It was sent to me by my friend Don from over at "Don's Mind". Thanks again mate!

Those old boats were powered by diesel engines and were filthy, dirty, grimy and smelled of oil sweat and God knows what, hence the nick-name "Pig Boats". In my book, the men who served in those unsafe and often untested death traps had balls of iron. "Iron Men in Steel Tubes."



"Diesel Boats Forever".



Y'all have a safe and great 4th of July weekend mates.

Cookie

posted by Cookie..... @ 5:01 PM 2 comments