Ballistic Missile Submarine Movie

The modern nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine is one of the most complex, and without doubt the single most destructive machine man has ever created. Capable of remaining submersed and invisible for up to six months, then within minutes able to shower any landmass on the planet with multiple independently targetable thermonuclear warheads. Marrying a nearly undetectable launch platform and virtually unstoppable miniaturised warheads reentering the atmosphere at 12,000 mph, each submarine can deliver enough explosive force to destroy an entire continent.

Technology reviews and science news videos.

"Typhoon" Class Submarine 

The Typhoon class submarine is a type of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine deployed by the Soviet Navy in the 1980s. With a maximum displacement of 48,000 tonnes, Typhoons are the largest class of submarine ever built.

Technology reviews and science news videos.

When Does Shabbos End at Sea?

The Israel Navy this week completed its 96th submarine training course, with the new graduates receiving the rank of sergeant after a difficult 16 months of training, now certified to man and run a naval submarine. According to a Kikar.net report, there are a number of shomer shabbat sailors included in this graduating class, and their new lifestyle, like many other soldiers in an array of IDF units, compels rabbonim to probe different aspects of halacha, such as when does shabbos end in a submarine far out at sea.

Members of many IDF units have indeed addressed such questions, especially the graduates of the mechina pre-IDF yeshivot, which place an emphasis on shmirat shabbat in combat situations, and there have been seforim published over the past two decades addressing the halachic difficulties encountered by infantry and other soldiers who may find themselves in combat positions, but not necessarily pikuach nefesh, having to learn how one observes shabbos under such conditions.

Navy could sink B1bn on submarine

The navy is looking into the feasibility of buying submarines for military and economic security reasons, navy chief Kamthorn Pumhirun says.

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A feasibility committee has been set up to study submarine technology.

The navy will push for the purchase of the submarines, priced at 20 billion baht each, when there is enough money available.

In the meantime, Adm Kamthorn said, the navy might buy a second-hand submarine for training purposes.

The idea is to buy a used submarine costing less than a billion baht and recondition it.

"The reason for acquiring submarines is to fulfil our military strategy. It's not something we want to pursue on a whim," Adm Kamthorn said.

The navy chief said neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam all had ordered submarines from Russia.

AEW&C systems

The technology is inferior to the American Awacs long denied to Pakistan.— Photo from AP/File 

THE induction of the first ‘high-tech’ aerial surveillance system into the Pakistan Air Force has been hailed as a great leap forward for the country’s defences. But we are circumspect. Here’s why. First, the Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system purchased from Sweden is actually a mid-range technology, better than the rival French technology currently in use by the Pakistan Navy but inferior to the much-sought-after-but-denied American Awacs. Second, it is not clear yet to what purpose the new Swedish systems will be put. Handing the first over to the air force suggests that the war planners have an eye on India’s ‘cold start’ doctrine, which would theoretically make possible quick, surgical strikes inside Pakistan. But the fact is, the Swedish technology acquired can be equally useful over water, where the Pakistan Navy could use it to keep an eye on India’s submarines, particularly now that India is testing its first indigenously built nuclear submarine (though it is not yet clear if the Indian craft is merely a nuclear-powered submarine or a nuclear-missile-armed submarine).

Why Prime Minister Putin may be throwing a wrench in US-Russia arms talks

Russia Prime Minister Putin said there were problems with arms talks aimed at finalizing a new strategic arms reduction deal. Is it a hardball tactic or a bid to derail the negotiations altogether?

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs a Cabinet meeting in Moscow

Russia's powerful prime minister, ex-President Vladimir Putin, may have just tossed a wrench into the sensitive last-minute negotiations aimed at finalizing a new US-Russian strategic arms reduction deal early in the New Year.

"The problem is that our American partners are developing missile defenses, and we are not," Mr. Putin complained Tuesday. "In order to maintain balance, without developing the antimissile system just like the US is doing, we have to develop an offensive combat power system."

Some analysts say Putin, whose brief as prime minister does not include strategic policy, may be simply engaging in a bit of hardball negotiation aimed at securing fresh American concessions as talks for new treaty to reduce offensive nuclear arms wind down to an expected January finish line.

Japanese Budget Thrown Into Disorder

The election of the new more liberal government in Japan this year has led to major proposed changes in their overall budget and defense spending. The decision to delay spending on the PATRIOT PAC-3 air and missile defense system has already been discussed. The new budget is reflecting a proposed shift to more social spending and less on the military. This may disrupt plans for purchases of equipment and contracts with U.S. and other defense contractors.

 

PAC-3 Missile Elements Photo : defense.gov

PAC-3 Guidance Approach Photo : defense.gov

Northrop Grumman delivers New Mexico sub to Navy

Northrop Grumman Corp. on Tuesday delivered the submarine New Mexico to the Navy, meeting its end-of-year deadline to complete the sixth Virginia-class boat.

Virginia Class Photo: Navy.mil

Workers at the company's Newport News shipyard pressed to finish the sub by the end of the year after finding construction errors in the boat's weapons room that delayed its scheduled August delivery and November commissioning.

 

Iran subs get boost from North Korea

U.S. Navy confirms rogue nation working on underwater stealth technology

Iranian Sub

The U.S. Navy, worried by Iran's increasing underwater capability, has revealed for the first time that the rogue nation has acquired its submarine technology largely from North Korea, which has provided both mini-submarines and manufacturing know-how, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

Saab Signs Contract With LIG Nex1 For Localisation of Signal Intelligence Systems for Submarines

Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with LIG Nex1 for the localisation of Saab’s naval ESM system for the South Korean second batch of Class 214 submarines. The order value is close to MEUR 11 (approximately MSEK 114).

The contract, which sees LIG Nex1 localise parts of the Saab ESM (Electronic Support Measures) system, is for the delivery of ESM systems to Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) for the South Korean Navy’s second batch of Class 214 submarines.

 

 U-214 Class

Lockheed Martin-Built Trident II D5 Missile Achieves 130th Consecutive Successful Test Flight

D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile Launched in Navy Test in the Atlantic Continues 20-year Record of Reliability

The U.S. Navy conducted a successful test flight Dec. 19 of a Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) built by Lockheed Martin ( LMT). The Navy launched the unarmed missile from the submerged submarine USS ALASKA (SSBN 732) in the Atlantic Ocean.

This test marked the 130th consecutive successful test flight of the Trident II D5 missile since 1989 - continuing a 20-year record of reliability that is unmatched by any other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle.

 

 Photo : military.cz

"The professionalism of the entire Navy and industry team for the Trident Strategic Weapon System has made possible the 100-percent mission success of the D5 missile in 130 test flights over 20 years," said Melanie A. Sloane, vice president of Fleet Ballistic Missile programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the Navy's Trident missile prime contractor.

The Navy launched the missile as part of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) to certify USS ALASKA for deployment, following a shipyard overhaul period. For the test, a missile was converted into a test configuration using a test missile kit produced by Lockheed Martin that contains range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation.

India to Receive Nerpa Submarine in May 2010

India would receive its first new generation Nerpa Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine by March next year on a 10-year lease with the vessel being inducted into the Russian Navy prior to its transfer.

 

Russian seamen line up on an unidentified submarine 

believed to be an Akula-class during a military parade in Vladivostok in July

The Nerpa submarine was today formally inducted into the Russian Navy with the raising of St Andrews Flag, shipyard officials said.

The commissioning of the submarine coincided with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to the region, but it was not clear whether he was present at the ceremony.

The submarine will be subsequently leased to the Indian Navy under the name INS Chakra in March under the USD 650 million for a 10-year lease.

The 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine belongs to the class of the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.

India Prepares For The Worst

India is preparing for the worst, when it comes to its submarine fleet. This can be seen by the fact that India paid the U.S. Navy $100,000 to be one of the countries that can have American SRDRS (submarine rescue equipment) flown in, on 48 hours notice. 

 

Foxtrot class

 

Indian Kilo Class

India is expecting a submarine disaster.  Indian admirals are resigned to the fact that their submarine fleet (of 16 boats) will shrink before new subs can be built. By 2012, five of India's 16 subs (10 Kilo and two Foxtrot class Russian built boats and four German Type 209s) will be retired (some are already semi-retired because of age and infirmity). Two years after that, India will only have five working subs. Meanwhile, the older subs still go to sea for training. While it would be safer to just keep these boats in port, without the training, these subs, and their crews, would be in even greater danger if war broke out.

Russia's Nerpa sub passes final trials

Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, damaged in a fatal accident during tests in November last year, has successfully passed final trials, a Pacific Fleet spokesman said on Monday.

 

On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire suppression system activated, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, onboard the vessel at the time.

Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($65 million), the submarine had been cleared for final sea trials.