BULLETIN 36
AIP VERSUS NUCLEAR POWER

SRC has recently received an inquiry from Roger Thompson, professor of military history at the University of Knightsbridge, England. His subject of interest is the challenge that diesel-electric submarines and air independent propulsion submarines (either fuel cell or Swedish Sterling engine) represent in being quieter and more effective than nuclear powered submarines be they using screws or propulsors for forward thrust. (See bulletin 21)

Discussion followed via email where we offered to professor Thompson two articles written by Robert G. Williscroft. The first was written February of 2002 and was titled, "Tomorrow's Submarine Fleet - The Non-nuclear Option". The second article written in September of 2004 presents several arguments in favor of diversifying America's submarine force to include either diesel-electric or AIP boats. A recapitulation of his arguments include the following points:

1. The Virginia is indeed a remarkable submarine and by accounts of its sea trials it has surpassed what the designers had forecast. Her propulsor delivers quiet thrust that drives the boat at speeds much in excess of her contemporary boats with screws and she is loaded with the latest of every piece of gear- sonar, ECM, countermeasures, fire control, weapons, navigation etc. She is 377 feet long with a beam of 34 feet and displaces 7,300 tons submerged.

2. All this comes at a price. The Virginia is the number two boat with the propulsor, but she is still a prototype. She cost the taxpayer over two billion dollars.

3. The mission of the American submarine is changing fast to keep up with changing types of confrontation. One thing about the Cold War, we all knew who the bad guys were. The Soviet Union with its huge fleet and military threat was a tidy enemy compared to the nebulous world-wide forces seeking to do us harm today. The question arises as to the role that submarines play in the American struggle against terrorism. The definition of a mission most likely involves surveillance of coastal regions, intelligence gathering and surreptitious insertion of special forces units. Some American nuclear fleet ballistic missile submarines are currently being converted to accommodate this type of mission. The Virginia has capabilities that correspond to the suggested mission types, but its size may play against success in tight coastal regions.

Dr. Williscroft and Dr. Thompson ask the question, "Are super expensive, large and fast submarines what is needed to fight a war against small insurgencies and nuclear threats by rogue nations?" While it is true that American engineering produces the best submarines in the world, German designed AIP boats are being built at a ratio of eight of theirs to one of ours per unit cost. Howaldtswerke in Kiel is selling their small boats (see bulletins 22 and 25) to nations throughout the world. They build or license the building of extensive AIP submarine dockside support facilities.

An interesting observation came to Richard Pekelney who is affiliated with the USS Pamanito Submarine Museum in San Francisco. He was filming the USS Tang (SS-563) now in the Turkish Navy as it conducted exercises with surface units of that navy. The boat experienced minor mechanical difficulty during the exercise and surfaced to make repairs. After the boat's captain had radioed his colleague in the surface ship and told him that repairs would be completed in about twenty minutes the surface ship captain was surprised. It seemed that he had been accustomed to working with German 209 type submarines which when a casualty occurred simply canceled the exercise and returned to port.

The American Tang class boats went through many years of debugging before they became so reliable. Chock up one for the old diesel type guys.

Rumors in Saratoga at the USSVI convention in September suggested that Trout, another Tang class boat was now in Philadelphia being converted to some form of AIP propulsion. SRC has not been able to confirm this, but if true, perhaps BuShips is taking a look at diversification of propulsion. There is no question that the Siemen's fuel cell is reliable and well tested. Is the Navy looking at the option of smaller, less expensive and more versatile submarines using something other than nuclear power?