In 2015, a 30 Year Old French Nuclear Submarine 'Sank' a US Aircraft Carrier

[Onkel Neal]

In 2015, a 30 Year Old French Nuclear Submarine 'Sank' a US Aircraft Carrier

In March 2015, one of the largest nuclear-powered warships in the world was “sunk” by one of the smallest.

The Saphir, a French nuclear attack submarine, reportedly penetrated the defenses of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and scored simulated torpedo hits on her. The incident, originally reported by the French Navy, was later suppressed.

On March 4th, 2015 the French Navy announced in a blog post that the submarine Saphir (“Sapphire”) had simulated stalking and killing the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Not only was the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier simulated sunk but an unknown number of her escorts. The post was later removed without comment from the blog.

Here’s what the world knows: according to the French navy blog post (saved and reproduced by the RP Defense blog), the exercise between Saphir and the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group took place before an operational deployment. According to the French navy, the carrier strike group included several Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine.

No fair, we weren't ready

[Skybird]

No fair, we weren't ready

Same excuse like in Pearl Harbour.

Just that this time your adversary just wanted to play, lucky dogs you are.

Serious, submarine versus carrier group - I always put my money on the submarine. Chances are that the majority of such duels will be won by the sub. Carrier groups are weapons for fighting inferior enemies for whom they are out of reach - not equals of same eye level.

German and Swedish conventional subs sunk US carriers before, too.

With the short legs of the new aircraft for the carriers, the US will need to move carriers much closer to the Chinese reach, putting them at much higher risks, if they should be of military use in a war with China. I don'T think that carriers are a good bid to put money on in a Chinese-American war. Leaves the US with cyber warfare, drone warfare, submarines - and the Chinese on their way of reaching parity and numerical superiority.

With every year passing now, the US looses the next war a little bit more.

Provided Saphir targeted Roosevelt and three of her escorts, it would have damaged four ships—not sunk them.

In such a scenario, a skipper ticking like me would send all four torpedoes for the main target - the carrier. And for that thing then the war would be over.

[Rhodes]

In 1983 was one of ours.
Em Maio de 1983, o "Barracuda" durante o exercício NATO "LOCKED GATE 83", realizado numa área a Sul de Cádiz - Espanha, constituiu com outros submarinos uma barreira de oposição ao trânsito de forças de superfície opositoras que navegavam para o Mar Mediterrâneo, através do Estreito de Gibraltar.Na sequência da intercepção de comunicações, o "Barracuda" identificou a aproximação da força naval do porta-aviões nuclear "Eisenhower" (CBG - Carrier Battle Group) da Marinha dos EUA, não integrada no exercício, com destino ao Mar Mediterrâneo a fim de render o CBG da 6.ª Esquadra.

Após análise dos dados disponíveis foi possível identificar que a força naval cruzaria o limite Norte da área de patrulha atribuída ao "Barracuda", pelo que com base na detecção a longa distância da força naval, na identificação do respectivo rumo de progressão e fazendo uso do profundo conhecimento das condições batitermográficas prevalecentes na zona, foi possível posicionar tacticamente o "Barracuda", utilizando as zonas de sombra dos sonares dos navios de escolta da cobertura de protecção do porta-aviões de modo a dificultar a respectiva detecção.

Perante a situação táctica e a possibilidade irrecusável de tentar-se simular um ataque a um porta-aviões, foi decidido manobrar de forma a passar sem ser detectado pela poderosa cobertura de protecção do "Eisenhower", constituída em avanço por helicópteros ASW com sonar em activo e posteriormente por navios de superfície operando também os sonares em activo.

Tal manobra foi conseguida com recurso a opções tácticas adequadas, permitindo ultrapassar com êxito total a cobertura do "Eisenhower" e posicionar o "Barracuda" a navegar ao mesmo rumo e sob o porta-aviões, até atingir a posição de ataque simulado com torpedos, totalmente indetectado.
Após a acção e logo que a situação táctica e operacional o permitiu, o "Barracuda" foi à cota periscópica e transmitiu uma mensagem para a entidade condutora do exercício (CINCIBERLANT), relatando a acção. O CBG só teve conhecimento da acção à posteriori e com suporte nos registos efectuados a bordo do "Barracuda" durante a acção.

Findo o exercício o "Barracuda" foi destinatário da seguinte mensagem pessoal de parabéns do Contra-almirante Deputy CINCIBERLANT:
"FOR BARRACUDA, THE RARE OPPORTUNITY OF ATTACKING A CARRIER MUST HAVE MADE YOUR DAY. BRAVO ZULU AND GOD SPEED".

Sorry, only in portuguese, do not know if google can translate accurately.

[Rip]

I wouldn't read too much into it. These exercises usually involve the carrier group trying to transit an area that opfor stalks.

It isn't that hard for a sub to sink a carrier when you can lurk around a box you know the carrier will have to transit through at high speed.

[Onkel Neal]

True. In a real war situation, the carrier group would probably have procedures to minimize potential contact with enemy subs. Too bad the article does not describe where the exercise was conducted, ie off the coast, mid-ocean, etc.

[moose1am]

Remember when the US Navy rented or borrowed that Swedish AIP sub and it sunk our carrier in simulated war games?

China has AIP subs too. They also have long range missiles that are suppose to be carrier killers.

And the range on the new carrier planes is limited so the carries need to get in closer to their targets before launching the planes if they expect to recover the planes. Remember it's a two way trip.

Carriers are getting more expensive and less effective against larger countries who have updated naval and air force missile and subs.

The test will come in the South China Sea or the East China Sea. And we are losing the Philippines as a base of operations too.

It's becoming a troubling situation for the US Navy. We don't even have a aircraft carrier in the Middle East right now. I read that right now we don't' have any carriers deployed. I didn't really believe that we have NO carriers deployed because the USA has 10 carriers with some new one's on the way. I asked myself how all ten could be at home base or under repairs or whatever they do with them when they are not being deployed.

[jdkbph]

We should also keep in mind that often these "exercises" are scripted to test various scenarios... some would undoubtedly represent worst case for the defender doing something or not doing something they would or would not do in a RL threat environment.

Still good pub for the French, as well as more ammo for the Military and reps from certain districts and states to argue for more defense dollars.

Not that I entirely disapprove, mind you...

JD

[Mr Quatro]

Well lets just go ahead and give up

We obviously don't stand a chance ... why waste our time trying to have a winning side

But as a game player I say never give up

[Jimbuna]

The Royal Navy and the Aussies (possibly one or two others) have achieved the same in past years so I'm surprised the US Navy isn't like the Royal Navy and has no carriers left

In a real wartime scenario I'd expect it to be much harder....least I hope so