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New Class Of Silent Submarines Poses Threat

October 28, 2006

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The Pentagon said it believes the greatest undersea threat facing the U.S. Navy since the end of the Cold War has arrived. The threat involves a new a new class of silent submarines, subs that the U.S. Navy is having trouble finding under water.

Subs have always had two weaknesses: they make noise and can’t stay submerged very long. But the Gotland runs on a high-tech system called Air Independent Propulsion, or AIP. With AIP, The new class of sub can stay submerged for weeks.

Since last summer the Navy has spent months playing a game of cat and mouse with one such sub, the HMS Gotland, off San Diego, and time after time the Swedish sub has eluded its pursuers.

The Pentagon leased the Gotland for one year, but now has extended the lease for a second year, as they try to learn why this submarine so difficult to find underwater.

According to Swedish newspapers, in training exercises the Gotland has sunk our most sophisticated nuclear submarines. But perhaps even more disconcerting, it reportedly sunk our largest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Reagan.

Two months ago in the Persian Gulf, Iran tested a new anti-ship missile fired by one of its subs.

If the Iranians are successful in getting a Gotland-class submarine, it could pose a new silent danger to vital oil tanker traffic in the region.

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Written by Homeland Security NTARC News · Filed Under Homeland Security News 

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