External USB TDC panel - wouldn't it be awesome?

[Harald_Lange]

Originally Posted by Missing Name

To be honest, I'm pretty much pulling this out of... somewhere the sun doesn't shine. The cost of a Type VII is not exactly easy to find.

A brand new Type 214 submarine cost about $330 million US in 2008. It weighs about 1700 tons.

A brand new Type VIIB u-boat cost about 4.8 million RM, with rough conversion to today's money is $182.3 million US. That weighed 750 tons. A Type IX would cost much more (bigger, more equipment, etc). For arbitrary sake, let's say a IXB cost 50% more, for $273 million. They weighed 1050 tons.

But except for "F=ma," technology is no longer at 1940 standards!

More efficient and powerful propulsion could be fitted to the IX. Batteries have advanced in weight and capacity since WWII, if more expensive.

Weapons (armament and launching systems, guidance) have become more and more expensive, if looking at the US Navy budget is any indicator. Radar and sonar... also exponentially expensive.

Modern subs need to go deep. Really deep... make the IX's skin thicker with higher quality steel. That would also necessitate better depth-keeping equipment (ballast regulation, compressors, etc) lest we repeat USS Thresher. Add in extensive streamlining if we want better underwater performance... pretty pennies right there.

My head hurts now. All my idle sketches of "Type IXH/2030" modernized u-boats are getting more and more expensive. My newest estimate at cost is $300 million in 2008. $320 million for inflation.

The largest US Mega Millions lottery paid out $462 million off the bat, before enormous taxes. New York taxes would leave you with $420 million.

...the lottery will be enough. Maybe.

Thinking about it, I'd probably just get a bigger screen then...