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| Down Under |
| Oz's Magnetic Sub-Hunter |
| 2005-06-07 |
| Being a sub-hunter has gotten tough, lately. The new diesel subs that Iran and China are buying up are tiny, quiet, and can swim through the crannies that hug the coasts. That makes 'em really hard to find. And it's a major reason why the U.S. Navy is switching from passive sonars to Slayer-loud, active sonars that makes whales slam dance onto dry land. Australian scientists may have found a better way to find these quiet subs, The Engineer reports -- one that doesn't drive whales psycho. The Australian development, called MAGSAFE, uses the detection of changing magnetic fields to identify and monitor a moving submarine. The method, which is unique in that it captures 12 magnetic field-related data values per reading as opposed to the single number measured by a conventional magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) magnetometer, arises from research into new minerals exploration technologies that detect magnetic fields... The technology is basically a 'tensor gradiometer', which is a device that can measure minute changes in magnetic field gradients. It uses three independent rotating sensors, which use high-temperature superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to monitor the magnetic field gradient. In theory, the system means that pilots whose aircraft are fitted with MAGSAFE detectors will be able to measure the range, depth and bearing of a submarine, how fast it is going and if it is diving - all from one flyby. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 OS: I hear Tainwan is due to receive 12 P3s. Dunno when though. |
| Posted by: badanov 2005-06-07 23:05 |
| #5 New life for P-3 Orions and the old S-3's (if there are any left) maybe? |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2005-06-07 22:53 |
| #4 Don't see why not, Iblis. Sure, the pressure hull is titanium, but all the rest of thing (heat ex, turbines, piping, second hull, bulkheads) is steel. Plus, if we retain the passive sonar, they are plenty loud. Multiple sensors are the way to go. I have to wonder how effective D-E subs are. Sure, if they are in place, they are very quiet and can get in a good targetting shot. But, they have to move to the target location. That pretty much involves surface (or snorkel) travel over anything more than a few dozen miles. They might be useful in defense (Taiwan straits, Persian Gulf) if pre-positioned before we have a chance to establish air supremacy. Once we have an operating CV group in a area, though, and control the seas and air for 200 miles in all directions, I don't see how one of those guys can get close enough to do any damage. But all I know is what I read in the Naval Institute publications (and Rantburg, of course). |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-06-07 16:02 |
| #3 Piece of cake Bob. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-07 15:53 |
| #2 Sure. But can it find an Alfa? |
| Posted by: Iblis 2005-06-07 14:54 |
| #1 The new diesel subs that Iran and China are buying up are tiny, quiet,.. Probably because when these subs are submerged, they aren't likely to be using diesel power. Of course, a battery won't last forever without having to be charged up sooner or later... |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-06-07 13:19 |
