I don't know but would zig zaging work against homing torpedos and sub launched sea skimming missiles do navies still do this? If we acting with USN they would have SSNs if we need them.
As to a force deploying 10-12 SSK against us,Im not sure many nations could afford that at £300-350m a go, India is managing 6 Scorpenes, Spain 4 or maybe 6 S80. Our SSN force stacks up very well IMO., could do with more but its good, and will be similr sized than France who also have gone the SSN route.
India operates 16 SSKs, France operates SSN & SSKs
The current U212a which is probably the best in class is c280 Euros. The RN was lukewarm about SSKs and offered them up as soon as it faced a challenge. I look at the exports of Oberons and compare with the 70 boats German has exported over the last 35 years.
We are never going to war with Russia, China or India
I would think sonar technology was more sensitive, than nuclear reactors. With no serious export orders I see a very dark time for the RN. We are building very small production runs the most expensive way to procure. Where will we be in 20 years, 6 SSN, 3 SSBN, 6 T45, 8-12 C1/2, something has to give, I would rather forgo SSN for SSK? [/QUOTE]
So in summary 1805
Do you accept that SSK's are inferior to SSN's in terms of global reach and ability to protect a task force on the other side of the world, hence the USA would help us out? What if they wont?
Are you saying that we need not worry about the RN based nuclear deterrent being compromised because we will never go to War with Russia, China or India? As you would prefer SSK to SSN, are you actually in favour of UK sea based nuclear deterrent, or would you scrap that?Does it bother you that Russia , China and India would or could sell the secrets to the RN SSN and SSBN fleet to anyone in the world should they wish. As a side point the most active countries currently involved with espionage within the UK is China, Israel, Russia and France so clearly our industrial secrets are worth protectiong and are coveted. Over the next 50 years the race for energy sources will spark tensions globally, it is very niave to rule out direct conflict.
Are you saying that we could realistically market SSK's despite the fact that most navies who will have a need for them over the next 20 years have either comitted to Franco/spanish , german of Russian designs already? Where is the niche in the market?, and do you seriously think we could design an SKK and guarantee sales that fit in with custmer requirement slots, or would the yards and workers sit idle until a customer pops up? That price for U212 seems cheap, considering Scorpene boats are said to come in at 438m euros.
So a cutting miniaturised nuclear reactor, full of large quantities of highly enriched nuclear fuel, is a safe thing to export? Hmm , so it wont end up in spin off nuclear programes that one day might be used against us?
If I wasnt so trusting 1805 I would suspect you might be a wind up.
What with your fantasies for Sea Dart, trading goods that germans dont need in exchange for U212s like some cooperative collective, and now flogging SSN's to India (who by the way have an indigenous programme and who wouldnt need a joint venture for SSK's becuase they have bought the Scorpene class) whilst suggesting that the RN itself may be better off with SSK's despite that destroying the very same nuclear sub industry that the Indians would covet? Plus the basic ability to check basic information such as France going the SSN route and ditching SSK's.
