2007-03-01 14:20:55 · 6 answers · asked by Stefan 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
To train against diesel-electric boats now the the US submarine fleet is all nuclear. Diesel boats are what some potential enemies are equipped with (like Iran), so the USN needs to war-game against similar boats.
Canada's subs will perform the same role in the future, but Canada's Upholder class boats have had problems that keep them in port a lot. I assume that's why the Gotland's contract has been extended. The word is the Gotland has been impressive in war games against the USN.
2007-03-01 15:46:45 · answer #1 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The USA leased the boat with a Swedish crew under Swedish command for one year to practice anti-sub warfare tactics against diesel subs. Since the HMS Gotland uses then new "air independent propulsion' system, the US Navy was very interested in seeing how hard it would be to track subs with that kind of system.
If the USA could have rented the RED OCTOBER from the USSR, it would have done the same kind of testing. LOL.
2007-03-02 01:30:14 · answer #2 · answered by forgivebutdonotforget911 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I didn't know they had. But I'm willing to speculate. Some of the small European countries have subs that are capable of operating in much shallower waters and closer to shore than American subs. Maybe we are sending teams into Iran with some laser designators to illuminate particular targets.
I hope not. I wouldn't do it that way. We've got nukes than don't need to be pin point accurate to get the job done. I say we use those.
2007-03-01 22:26:20 · answer #3 · answered by Roadkill 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
because the US made the huge mistake of doing away with its deisel sub program years ago.
deisel subs have many advantages over nuclear powered ones, but the military industrial money making complex deemed the US to have nuke powered ones only.
even adm rickover himself stated to congress after he retired that getting rid of diesels was a mistake, when congress asked him why he pushed for nuclear only when he was in charge of naval reactors, he responded "because it was my job to"
2007-03-01 22:32:15 · answer #4 · answered by mricon 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
So that we can use it to attack a Lithuanian cruise ship and blame it on the Swedes?
2007-03-01 22:25:03 · answer #5 · answered by Crystal Blue Persuasion 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because it's a diesel attack sub that we don't need at the moment
2007-03-01 22:24:48 · answer #6 · answered by Nick F 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋