Reply to: We All Live in a Nuclear Submarine ...

[IR35 Avoider]

The most disappointing aspect of this incident, is that I heard a British Admiral pronouncing nuclear as "nucular."

[Doggy Styles]

However, one might have expected the French Navy to be well versed with underwater maneouvres as a great deal of their fleet has historically been berthed there!!

[shaunbhoy]

The problem you have is that both vessels were stocked with matelots. There are numerous recent examples of these muppets running aground on the surface FFS. Hardly surprising that they have now managed it beneath the waves.
However, one might have expected the French Navy to be well versed with underwater maneouvres as a great deal of their fleet has historically been berthed there!!

[Moscow Mule]

If it was a hide/seek exercise, a very valid thing to do, surely it would be of two different classes?

Not necessarily, both classes of boat (missile & fleet) have similar sonar types and the skills required in both sets are similar (hide quietly or hunt quietly).

[d000hg]

Although I would have accepted the line that it was an exercise that went wrong, there is one thing that makes me doubt it. Would you use two subs of the same class i.e. ballistic missile? If it was a hide/seek exercise, a very valid thing to do, surely it would be of two different classes?

I was actually thinking an unofficial exercise. e.g one sub spots the other and decides to try and get as close as possible without being detected and they end up chasing each other around.

Again, this is directly from Red October but the extra tenseness of an unscripted activity would both be good for training and more open for cock-ups.

[Doggy Styles]

yeah, good idea. what was it called ? seaview or something. Voyage to the bottom of the sea, Richard Baseheart.

(Yes. Sorry, it wasn't a cartoon it was real life. Wasn't that bloke with the black hair and dark, dark eyebrows in it as well?)

With the windows though, you'd have to make sure the view isn't obscured by the old tyres hanging down from the deck. The length of rope could be a critical bit of design.

Do you think they should fit indicators too? Those ones that flip out sideways like on the old morris minors.

[EternalOptimist]

But THAT frogman wasn't looking where he was going. Too busy lighting up a Gitaine I shouldn't wonder.

Why don't submarines have windows all along the sides like they do in cartoons?

yeah, good idea. what was it called ? seaview or something. Voyage to the bottom of the sea, Richard Baseheart.

[Doggy Styles]

You can't be serious. Dont you relise that it was crashing INTO a frogman that caused all the fuss in the first place

But THAT frogman wasn't looking where he was going. Too busy lighting up a Gitaine I shouldn't wonder.

Why don't submarines have windows all along the sides like they do in cartoons?

[jmo21]

Most of what he writes is well researched.

Most of mine comes from a stint in a now defunct government agency but it's fascinating stuff.

CTU?!

[EternalOptimist]

Good idea. I'd also reintroduce crow's nests. They always used to spot each other in those days. Obviously being a submarine the man in it would have to be dressed up as a frogman.

You can't be serious. Dont you relise that it was crashing INTO a frogman that caused all the fuss in the first place

[Drewster]

the man in it would have to be dressed up as a frogman.

I am not sure we want to share in your fanasies!

Although thinking about it..........

[Doggy Styles]

They should hang old tractor tyres off the sides, tied on with old rope, so they sort of bounce off each other. Thats what I would do if I was an admiral

Good idea. I'd also reintroduce crow's nests. They always used to spot each other in those days. Obviously being a submarine the man in it would have to be dressed up as a frogman.

[EternalOptimist]

They should hang old tractor tyres off the sides, tied on with old rope, so they sort of bounce off each other. Thats what I would do if I was an admiral

[Moscow Mule]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7892294.stm

Nothing like the words "Nuclear" and "Collision" to bring over-reaction and hyperbole to the BBC.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Although I would have accepted the line that it was an exercise that went wrong, there is one thing that makes me doubt it. Would you use two subs of the same class i.e. ballistic missile? If it was a hide/seek exercise, a very valid thing to do, surely it would be of two different classes?