Blue Trafalgars

[Linton]

I just saw an article about the RN ssn force are going to be painted blue and wondered if anybody has any pictures?

[Ramius]

http://images.thesun.co.uk/picture/0,,2006130041,00.jpg

[JSLTIGER]

Why are they painting them blue? Air detection avoidance?

[lesrae]

It's supposed to be better than black in clear, shallow waters. Can't think where that could be....

[Ramius]

Why are they painting them blue? Air detection avoidance?

Supposed to stop this happening...

http://usschicagobase.org/images/usschicago1.jpg

And yes that is a Black submarine in the pic.

[Linton]

Ramius,you posted the picture I saw in the article that I originally saw.Have you found any of the whole boat?

[STEED]

Your still see it, strange decision.

[TLAM Strike]

It would be interesting to see images of the HMS Trenchant, this blue T boat, and a Black one all next to each other at PD. :ping:

Personally I think the Trenchant’s type of paint job is a better idea since the different colors make it harder to recognize the object. :hmm:

[Ramius]

Only this one ....

http://images.thesun.co.uk/picture/0,,2006130043,00.jpg

By TOM NEWTON DUNN - The Sun Newspaper

ROYAL Navy chiefs are painting their entire fleet of submarines BLUE to camouflage them better.

They are ditching black, which has been the colour of choice in the 105 years of the “Silent Service”.

Nuclear sub HMS Torbay has become the first to get the new paint job. The rest of the fleet is expected to be changed by the end of the year.

Navy boffins picked the colour after exhaustive trials and lab tests. They also discovered black was the WORST low-key colour to deceive an enemy.

The new shade — called Steely Blue — was the hardest to spot against different shades of light and through water.

A change was prompted by a move in ops away from the North Atlantic, where subs spent most of the Cold War.

Now most are fighting the War on Terror in the Middle East and Indian Ocean, where seas are brighter.

Lieutenant Commander Steve White, in charge of the change, said: “This should make subs twice as hard to spot.

“It may not look as macho as dark black, but when sailors realise what it does they’ll love it.”

HMS Torbay has left Devonport, Plymouth, on a secret six-month mission during which her new colour will undergo visual tests from the air, land and sea.

And Admirals have challenged holidaying Sun readers to spot the hunter-killer sub anywhere in the world — and then tell them if they think the colour works.

# EMAIL internet@dccn.mod.uk if you spot new-look Torbay.

[Linton]

Did you notice the bulge?This is same as the one on Trafalgar that was covered by a large binliner at the fleet review last summer.

[lesrae]

I was on Torbay a couple of days before she sailed and the paint job's a bit weird, it's slightly glossy (as you can see in the photos) and a bit of a culture shock after 15 years orking on matt black boats :o

Trenchant's colour scheme was very different when they tried it - it was a much lighter blue and was painted on in patches. I'm not sure if the patches were intended as disruptive camouflage or if it was just test patches.

[Kapitan]

Now it just looks but ugly.

[Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense]

well... it's gonna stick out like a sore thumb in the dark north atlantic... what's the plan with that, to repaint it every time it's deployed to a different part of the world... sandy tan in the carribean, maybe :-j

and what are they gonna do when the barnacles and other stuff starts attaching themselves to the hull... and the wethering effects start to wear away the new paint job...

if they really wanted to do something crazy and far fetched, they should've design a skin that could change color with the differening environments... like a chameleon does...

why didn't they ask me... i would've told em :-j :-j :-j

hey, my idea aint no worse than painting em all dayglow blue :doh:

--Mike

[XabbaRus]

I guess it must work if they are applying it to the fleet.

N Atlantic they would be deep anyway most of the time.

I am more interested in that new bit of kit on each side of the sail.

[Bill Nichols]

Here are links to hi-res (wallpaper-size) photos of the RN's new Blue subs:

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.5109

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/upload/img_400/sub1_20060321160416.jpg

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConMediaFile.18905

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/upload/img_400/sub2(sun).jpg

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConMediaFile.18906

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/upload/img_400/sub3(sun).jpg

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConMediaFile.18907

[TteFAboB]

This could start a trend.

Why don't they paint Jaws on the bow like you'd do with Aircraft? Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

[Skybird]

Warning: Punks aboard!

[Linton]

Xabbarus,if you saw Tragalgar at the fleet review last summer,she had the same mod.The crew covered it up once the sky news helicopter had flown past and televised it to millions!

[Bill Nichols]

I am more interested in that new bit of kit on each side of the sail.

Looks to me it's only on the port side of the fin. But, what about the two 'speed bumps' on the hull supersructure, both sides?

[Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense]

I guess it must work if they are applying it to the fleet.
well, time will tell... but if you look up at that snorkeling 688 in the pic above, there's no way that painting it blue or red or pink or brown is gonna hide that in those water conditions... to me this seems like somone in the blue paint industry is related to the MOD... at least dazzle paint was shown to be effective... but even that didn't last...

I am more interested in that new bit of kit on each side of the sail.
yeah, now you're talkin... that lil addition to the side of the sail is indeed noteworthy... and definitely of more interest than the new fashions the subs'll be wearing... i've got no idea of what it might be... an addition to the super sonar suite... something to do with littoral ops and detection of the new generation of quiet diesels ?

i dunno...

--Mike

[Oberon]

I am more interested in that new bit of kit on each side of the sail.

Looks to me it's only on the port side of the fin. But, what about the two 'speed bumps' on the hull supersructure, both sides?

I was pondering that myself...maybe an upgrade to the lateral sonar?

[Linton]

I wonder how the mod will affect performance?More drag and disrupted flow around the sail=less speed,more of a pitching moment in turns?

[Ramius]

Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

All have already been done :up: (and i dont mean for films or songs either)

Plus other colours tooo.....

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/769/camsubs3sm.jpg

[Bill Nichols]

This could start a trend.

Why don't they paint Jaws on the bow like you'd do with Aircraft? Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

Like this?

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0863202.jpg

[TLAM Strike]

This could start a trend.

Why don't they paint Jaws on the bow like you'd do with Aircraft? Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0842311.jpg
(Grrrr... just copy and paste that link. I'm too lazy to upload it someplace else...)

[lesrae]

But, what about the two 'speed bumps' on the hull supersructure, both sides?

Do you mean these?

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/lesrae/sub3(sun).jpg

If so then they're not new - all of the boats have them, they're related to the cooling system as I remember it.

Another example:

http://www.baesystems.com/programmes/sea/astute/imagebank/images/15hires.jpg

[Oberon]

Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

All have already been done :up: (and i dont mean for films or songs either)

Plus other colours tooo.....

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/769/camsubs3sm.jpg

*Stares at the pic* Are those Obies? :huh:

[Ramius]

*Stares at the pic* Are those Obies? :huh:

:up: :up:

Both along side in HMS Dolphin (or what was :nope: :nope: )

[Godalmighty83]

i think its a good idea, even when moderatly deep during daylight the traditional black sub is visible, so if blue is better at disguising the sub then so be it.and unless the paint is luminescent it still wont be visible at night.

they are built to be unnoticed and deadly not to win design contests.

trying something new :up:

[TLAM Strike]

Open mouth full of sharp teeth, maybe the eyes...

How long untill we see a yellow one?

And a pink one?

All have already been done :up: (and i dont mean for films or songs either)

Plus other colours tooo.....

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/769/camsubs3sm.jpg

*Stares at the pic* Are those Obies? :huh:

Wait there are two there! I didn't notice the one to the right, damn that S*hit works! :rotfl:

Wasn't those repaints done for the 1st Gulf War in 91? :hmm:

[Ramius]

Actually theres 3 in that pic ;)

Yep, they where painted like that for use in the Gulf

[Mike 'Red Ocktober' Hense]

yup... a lot better than Blue... but from a plane in the ocean, one of the subs at periscope depth would a lot easier to notice... especially in the clear waters that the pic of the 688 was taken...

ahhh, on second thought, if the bottom was sandy, maybe not...

--Mike

[Godalmighty83]

what? you cant see the ones that cleverly painted as a row of small sailing boats?

[Oberon]

Ohkay, I never thought I'd be playing a game of 'Where's Wally?' with Oberons :hmm: I can clearly see two there...but the third?

Anyway, back to this blue paint scheme...didn't the Chinese do that with their Xia...only IMHO they got the paint scheme too bright and made it even more noticable.


EDIT: (Aaaah, if you count HMS Dolphin then that's three :up: )

[TteFAboB]

Bill, TLAM, thanks for the pics. :up:

Simply hilarious. :-j

[Linton]

Here is a link to a pink one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Petticoat

[XabbaRus]

I like the way the disruptive camo on teh Obies makes it look like it is melting into the water like wax. especially the Obie on the right, look at the light green camon at the water edge.

Sorry hadn't seen the pics of the T-Boat from the starboard, only the port and someone one another board hadmentioned both sides. Must have been talking about the stuff on the hull.


I do wonder what that stuff on the sail is though.

[Linton]

I found this picture that shows Trafalgar at the fleet review last summer with the same mod.
http://www.ajaxnetphoto.com/recent/050701_t200ifr/pages/page_30.html
Unfortunately the image is copyright protected but you can see the item of interest.

[Ramius]

Heres a couple more shots of HMS Opposum for you Oberon :up:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4837/opposum9hy.jpg
http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/7522/opposum27ka.jpg

[Kapitan]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y262/russian-navy01/941desguazado2ae.jpg

Here is half a pink submarine, cant find the one of the Romeo that is all pink :oops: :cry:

[micky1up]

well not to make a joke here guy the truth is the colour trial for the middle east and far east is PINK believe it or not

[Linton]

I believe the Israel navy prefers green!

[Bill Nichols]

Here's a detail of the Blue Trafalgar's sail. (Question -- In this pic, the 'bulge' is on the starboard side. On other pics, it's on the port side. Is this photo reversed?)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7768/912/1600/bsub3.1.jpg

[joea]

Well modern subs don't really need to be at PD, in the Cold War days they would have been deep in the North Atlantic except to launch missiles. Of course if they are delivering fellows (SAS) to do in the bad guys or their projects (ie. Rajamamamamdude and his nukes) they don't want to be spotted by some heli or something. Makes sense I suppose.

[awood6535]

Bill the photo dose seem to bereverised not the flag. Unless its windy. But look at the previs photos on page one of this topic :ping:

[micky1up]

sorry to shoot u down joea modern subs do still need to be at pd todays mordern navy tactics where we participate in tri-service task force need the clarity of ship to ship coms and other coms methods

[joea]

Ahh thanks for setting me straight micky1up, didn't think of comms and stuff. :hmm: