What's the relative merits of each location? UK nuclear boats seem to be basically US designs with UK reactors but why move the dive planes?
2007-07-26 10:08:09 · 6 answers · asked by David W 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Basically, better depth control on the bow and better sonar detection on the sail.
Some U.S. boats have moved the planes to the bow.
"Once the boat is trimmed to more or less neutral buoyancy, the depth of the boat is controlled with the hydroplanes. To use the hydroplanes the boat requires speed to create a force on the tilted planes. At slow speeds, the fore hydroplanes are exclusively used to keep the boat at the required depth. The fore planes can be located on the hull near the bow or on the sail of the boat. Because bow mounted hydroplanes are located further from the center of gravity, the depth control is more accurate with these types. Arguments for locating the fore planes on the finn of the boat are (a) improved performance of the spherical sonar array in the bow because the fore hydroplanes generate noise and (b) bow mounted hydroplanes can be damaged during docking of the submarine. Penalties for placing the fore planes on the fin are (a) the operating gear takes up space in the fin where room badly is needed for the masts, (b) the ice breaking performance is decreased, (c) at periscope depth the planes are close to the surface so their performance is adversely affected by the surface turbulence and finally (d) the hydroplanes are closer to the center of gravity and are thus less effective. Note that while improving the Los Angeles class submarine (688I) the US Navy relocated the fore planes from the sail to the bow. At sufficiently high submerged speed (more than 12 knots), the fore planes are no longer needed to control the depth of the submarine. At these speeds, they are rotated in a neutral or slightly dive position. Because the fore planes generate noise, many submarines are capable of retracting the forward bow planes at high speeds. All this considering, we may conclude that (retractable) bow planes are more favorable. It may be added that the author is not aware of boats having both dive planes on the bow and on the sail. "
2007-07-26 10:21:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Our newer submarines have gone back to that configuration.
When the sub dives, the planes on the bow are already in the water and can help get down quickly.
On the sail worked fine but also increased noise in an area where you didn't want it.
It doesn't matter where the diving surface is once you are under water as they work the same.
g-day!
2007-07-26 10:43:11 · answer #2 · answered by Kekionga 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not an iron clad rule most US are now bow planes as well, the sail or fairwater planes are for fine depth control and they worked better on earlier "albacore type hulls by having the on the sail almost all reactors are the same or similiar design on UK and US boats and have no bearing on where the bow or fairwater planes are
2007-07-26 16:58:08 · answer #3 · answered by jstiffeyssn648 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dive planes on the sail provide more control, the planes on the hull make it impossible to broach (slam the planes on the water)
2007-07-26 10:17:21 · answer #4 · answered by davidmi711 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because then the ones that are lower permit them to dive earlier! Those damn British are so inventive aren't they?
2007-07-26 10:12:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do US drive on the right side on the road and UK drive on the left side of the road?
2007-07-26 10:13:13 · answer #6 · answered by bobanalyst 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋