Air-Independent Propulsion
 

I'm curious about the propulsion mentioned in this article:

http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-21294.html

"...the first prototypes were constructed by the Germans during the World War II but they failed to experiment and use them before the war ended..."

"...the system has become common since the '90s..."

Anyone know what this is talking about? Very interesting!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-independent_propulsion

And interesting article here: http://www.navyleague.org/seapower/aip_alternative.htm

Why the thumbs down icon?

LOL that looked like a question mark icon. Oops!

Thanks for the links, heading over now to read up.

http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/...-XVIIB-sub.gif
Partially dismantled Walter Type XVIIB U-1406 up on the stocks shortly after the end of World War II.


http://www.maniadekit.com.br/images/Fotos/RVA5019.JPG
Modern Type U212a

more:
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/...propulsion.htm

regards

Yep - looks like the Germans are using old tech from WWII - they just spruced up the boat a bit even though it was built 60 years ago! :D

Na,na! We have spruced it DOWN!!! Whe don't whant do rule tze world ägain, thiz time it has jüst önly 400PS not 5000! For real, man.

Quote:

...he fielded a fully functional - if troublesome - 5,000-horsepower AIP system in 1945, the maximum power output of current AIP installations is typically on the order of 400 horsepower (300 kilowatts)...

:arrgh!:

I like the U212. Looks nice and just nice enough for a small SubSim crew :D

Turks with subs:hmm:


Stealth subs at that:hmm:

This should prove intresting.

As we all know that kind of is the point regarding the building of submarines, that is to make them stealthy. :ping:

I don't know why America don't develop its own AIP... Even Russia, which is relatively poor after her dissolution, got her AIP technology ready. It seems that America is relying on her sucking (noisy + expensive) Los Angels Class, which can be a huge DISADVANTAGE when she wants to use it in shallow seas. China might get one, by buying one Russian sub (just like Kilo)

I thought that the virginia class was designed for more 'littoral' work. At least, thats what i read when having a look into it recently

The new virginias are good but they are still large submarines thier draft alone wont allow them into realy shallow waters where say a kilo can go or a 212 which puts the virginia at a disadvantage but only a slight one.

Despite being very quite the nukes have always been alot louder than a conventional submarine so in shallow waters with a conventional your basicaly not existing at slow speeds.

i have no doubt that the type 212 is alot quieter than a virginia.

The 212 at the moment, is the quietest submarine in the world. So no doubt it's quieter than the Virginia's. :yep:

Well, that article isn't real informative. And the "specifications" listed are highly misleading (50 days "underwater" because you're running with a snorkel at 15 meters) .

AIP's, if I remember, are just a Sterling engine and compressed oxygen. The system is "air-independent" like the Space Shuttle is air-independent -- until it's next refueling. It is a good idea if you used your nuclear reactor to generate the oxygen, then shutdown and run on the Sterling. The pump noise would disappear during the 6 or 7 days the oxygen supply lasts. These AIP's are diesel boats. Once the AIP runs out of oxygen it's just a regular old diesel boat. Much cheaper to build than a nuke. Quiet when it's running on batteries, loud as hell when it's time to recharge.


They're a good idea if you're going with a zerg rush. Which is pretty much what America is going to have to re-tool to defend against. I personally think pebble-bed reactors and these AIP's would make for one quiet, small boat.

plus, it has to refuel very often, meaning it can't do littorial work for very long. Virginia can stay there for ~15 years, food supplies limiting it only.