Ask anything Thread

subotai1

Junior Member
Registered Member
Why do Chinese and Russian subs have windows while US subs do not?
Those are only windows in the conning tower. Not a place you occupy while submerged. They are only there for running on the surface in inclement weather. That's more a matter of doctrine and preference than anything else. Now, on a side note, a lot of subs are experimenting with putting hard wired cameras outside the hulls and stitching together a virtual picture of what is outside the hull, combining sensor feeds and many other things. Then they really can fly the sub.
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
Do you get much flow noise from the free-flooding holes on the boat's sides? I'm looking at the old Type 09I Han class and see some of them with lots of individual open slot whereas others have long partially covered holes. I wondered which is the more 'modern' design and therefore (probably) the cleanest?

Supposedly the longer. But the Han first came out with the long sink hole, then later changed to the string of short sink holes, then went back to the long holes again. You see this happening on the 093 also during its evolution. You can say neither of them, or both of them.
 

palejade

New Member
Registered Member
Supposedly the longer. But the Han first came out with the long sink hole, then later changed to the string of short sink holes, then went back to the long holes again. You see this happening on the 093 also during its evolution. You can say neither of them, or both of them.
Thank you Tam, this is most helpful, also for your reply in the 091 Submarine page which illustrates these points very well.
 

PUFF_DRAGON

New Member
Registered Member
Do we have any information on the size and current plans for the PLA Navy auxiliary fleet? I'm thinking large fleet oilers and replenishment ships.
 

halflife3

Junior Member
Registered Member
Those are only windows in the conning tower. Not a place you occupy while submerged. They are only there for running on the surface in inclement weather. That's more a matter of doctrine and preference than anything else. Now, on a side note, a lot of subs are experimenting with putting hard wired cameras outside the hulls and stitching together a virtual picture of what is outside the hull, combining sensor feeds and many other things. Then they really can fly the sub.
Do windows affect the stealth of the submarine?
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
Do windows affect the stealth of the submarine?

Unless water flowing around the seams of the windows can cause hydrodynamic noises through turbulence, or if bubbles leak from the window, it shouldn't.
 
Last edited:

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
Thank you Tam, this is most helpful, also for your reply in the 091 Submarine page which illustrates these points very well.

You should check other pictures of modern submarines. There are not just short or long holes, but also medium length ones. They also try to break lines, and there are also combination of long and short holes, in a way, it reminds me of a musical note. So there is no real rule here as to what form of sink holes are more 'modern'.
 

gelgoog

Brigadier
Registered Member
Do we have any information on the size and current plans for the PLA Navy auxiliary fleet? I'm thinking large fleet oilers and replenishment ships.

Other people should have better information but just try their mainline replenishment ship's page on Wikipedia.
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Follow the links from there and the appropriate ship types in the "Auxiliary Ships" section at the bottom of the page.
There are loads of vessels from the replenishment ships, to oilers, several kinds of cargo ships, etc.

The PLAN has more than enough ships to do long distance operations that's for sure.
 

tamsen_ikard

Junior Member
Registered Member
PLA has a large number of very new corvettes and missile boats. How useful are such vessels compared to a smaller number of high end AEGIS-like destroyers. What is the advantage of having such smaller vessels compared to destroyers.

Since PLA will be fighting a defensive A2/AD battle against US for example, would these missile boats and corvettes be useful against Carrier battle groups?
 

banjex

Junior Member
Registered Member
^You can't compare corvettes and missile boats to AEGIS destroyers. They're not even in the same universe. The small green water ships are for patrol and perhaps light combat duty close to shore. Their real purpose is to free frigates, destroyers and cruisers for blue water missions. Think of the small ships as a particularly nasty coast guard.
 
Top