It's always been tough to make submarines go all that fast due to the drag they get when trying to plow through water. It's a lot heavier than air, don't cha know! But the smarties at the Pentagon might have figured out a way around that little problem.
Their new speedster sub, dubbed the Underwater Express, can go 127 miles per hour as opposed to the standard sub's top speed of about 29 mph. How does it do it, pray tell? Well, it separates itself from the water by encasing itself in a giant gas bubble. The bubble can move through the water quickly, with no drag on the sub itself. Technically, the process is known as super-cavitation. Sounds pretty cool to us. We're looking forward for such tech to get implemented not just in real subs, but in The Hunt for Red October II.
Darpa, via Danger Room
editor@dvice.com
By BillDrew at 4:23 PM ON 02/27/07
I will believe it when I see it in action.
By xaelith at 5:43 AM ON 03/01/07
Supposing this thing does work like the pentagon says it does, that's gotta be some super machine to have enough force to create the bubble. Especially at top speed, and even if all the more is needed is a "skin" of air 1 inch or less thick.
On another note, no wonder why the government hasn't ebbed petroleum profits (besides the fact that a chunk of that change gets dropped into their pockets). They were busy beefing up their bath toys!
By aethernaut at 6:53 AM ON 03/01/07
Supercavitation is nothing new, the Germans have been experimenting with supercavitation on the drawing board since the World War II. The Russians have a practical application, the Shkval supercavitation torpedo and the Chinese apparently have some sort of supercavitating weapon as well.
It's certainly possible to apply it to a sub as it has nothing to do with toughness of the craft's body, it's really all about the shape of the nose. Apply a powerful engine (rocket or jet) besides the normal propeller and wings to the thing, as you need something to touch the bubble's surface for guidance, and you've got a ship that can create cavitation.
Image this technology applied as submarine fighter craft!
By DavemanXP at 8:03 AM ON 03/01/07
Holy Cow Batman! I have an Uncle who can emmit a giant gas bubble, and I suspect the force of which could propel him 225 mph!! And now we have science for it? Far out!
This is impressive stuff. But if what, aethernaut, said in his entry is true, looks like we may be behind the times and just now inventing the proverbial wheel for our subs. We should hire my uncle to propel our subs so we can stay ahead of Ruskow and Chinee.
By kalfeer at 9:39 AM ON 03/01/07
A subspace warp bubble for submarines! ;-9
Seriously, while it works for small weapons like torpedos, the larger question is whether it is truly scalable. Torpedos are small, they are largely point-and-click weapons, with minor internal guidance. Whether the technology scales to tons will be the first marker. If they can achieve that, the next question will be how agile will that multi-ton warp ship be? Being able to outrun the enemy is one thing, but I would be willing to bet that stopping, or turning, on a dime will play havoc with crew and equipment.
That said I am both pleased, and saddened, to see that the government is actually "investing" some of my tax money it siphons off. Pleased to see some real innovation on the table, sad to see it being used for the second oldest occupation.
By merlin83221 at 10:14 AM ON 03/01/07
i bet this is happening. it is no secret that it is possible. one thing is though this is its top speed. it isnt likely that is will be constantly criuseing at that speed. second this sub would be heard so far away in sonar you wouldn't use it on an attack sub. if this tech were ever to be put onto an attack sub it would be for the top speed for being used when needed. this might have the best appliance to our icbm nuke subs so that they could fire off there nukes if ever the situation needed and the get the heck out of there.
By eddii at 5:16 PM ON 03/01/07
This is March 1 not April 1.
And with all that government hot air what would keep the Sub IN the water?
Just imagine the depth you could reach... two or three inches and your Bubble would burst..
April fools to you to.
Eddie
By fucanchew69 at 4:42 PM ON 03/02/07
Like the last guy said i work with submarine sonar and anything that makes that amount of air in the water is gonna light up sonar like a chistmas tree out of deck the halls. plus the factor that supercavitaion causes severe damage to any surface it encounters just look at your out board motor propeller, then times that by the speed this so called sub can travel underwater, i dont think there would be much left of the arse end of anything going that fast, with supercavitation as the means of travel through water.
By ShadowChild at 7:27 PM ON 03/04/07
What happens when it runs out of gas to make the bubble...?
I have to go with the first comment on this one: Ill believe it when I see it.
By badlands at 10:42 PM ON 10/22/08
not a problem conserning high speed submersed transport,look at supercavitation as advance boundery layer control system allowing the vessel to exceed speeds of 100+ Knts.all thats left is the propultion and the control system challanges,I;ve got a solution to that also.