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this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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Showerthoughts
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North Korea has the largest submarine fleet of any nation. Of course most of those are old diesel subs, but the point still stands.
Diesel subs have some advantages over others, some distinct disadvantages too, but a few advantages
Name one advantage that diesel subs have over modern nuclear subs? Lol
Diesel subs are loud AF from my understanding, and loud subs are dead subs according to my understanding of modern day submersible warfare.
They are loud when they recharge, they are slow compared to nuclear subs and they carry much less armaments.
On the other hand, when they are on battery power modern diesels can be much quieter than nuclear subs, they are much cheaper and smaller so ideal for operations in coastal waters. Which is why many (also western countries) rely on them for coastal defense.
Economics wise: You can trade 3 diesel subs against a nuclear subs or a large warship and still come out ahead cost/effort wise.
How long do you think 1950's era batteries last? Like in what world do you think "a 1950's diesel on battery power surely outclasses a modem nuclear sub"? GTFO with that bullshit, lol.
A sub on battery power is essentially in free fall depending on their ballast situation, they're not going anywhere because they would have to turn their loud ass engines on to go somewhere, which would then alert the entire modern navy they would be up against.
No the countries that still use those just don't have enough money to maintain a nuclear sub fleet for what's essentially their coast guard, it's cost efficiency not "better".
All of your points are just deep stretches in vain attempts to be the "well ackschully!" Guy, or to be the contrarian throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks.
IRC the French have at least one diesel sub, the SMX-Ocean Range 30,000km.
They also have modern battery tech, the money and the tech to maintain/build nuclear subs. They have existing nuclear subs. The SMX-Ocean is actually quite modern. 2017 I think. Certainly more modern than most existing nuclear subs.
Here's an article which explains why modern diesel subs can be quieter than nuclear subs:
https://navalpost.com/nuclear-submarines-diesel-electric-submarines-noise-level/
I googled. 20 knots for the SMX-Ocean. 25 for France's nuclear subs. Not a huge difference.
Wait so you honestly think they're going 30,000 km on battery power?
Do you not get that submarine combustion engines are just like car combustion engines? You generate power through the engines and that power is stored on battery to power the electrical systems and serve as a backup, battery power is not going to power the whole entire sub and magically move the sub quietly through the water, that's not how these things work, that's how nuclear subs work.
My point is, you're not going to be able to move your sub at all on battery power, at some point you will have to turn on those loud ass engines in order to move your sub, which will absolutely alert every modern sub to your location.
Obviously not, as the article I linked to mentions the range is limited in electric mode.
It will, but the range is limited. Electricity and batteries aren't magic. We also use them to move cars.
You should read the article I linked to above. Current nuclear submarines often aren't perfectly silent. In fact, they can be louder than a modern diesel sub running in battery only mode.
Which is likely why the French, who do have nuclear subs, chose to build a diesel sub anyway while simultaneously also working on quieter nuclear subs.
From your article:
So you agree that diesel submarines can be quieter than nuclear subs when operating in electric mode, although their range is limited.
That's good.
I thought this was turning into one of those reddit level discussions, where people refuse to accept they were wrong, because they'd rather 'win' an argument by misrepresenting what the person they're debating actually said, than have a nuanced discussion
Bro I just copied and pasted a literal quote from your own article saying otherwise, you are your own Reddit moment rn.
This is one of the things you quoted:
Also in the article:
Ie. a diesel sub is quiet in electric mode, potentially quieter than nuclear subs because in battery mode there aren't turbines or pumps whining away, even though that is for a limited time.
Another example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotland-class_submarine
The article goes on to say:
TLDR: an advanced/modern diesel submarine is louder than a nuclear submarine in normal operation. Chugachugachugachuga. Then it goes into battery mode. It goes near silent, quieter than many nuclear submarines which still have turbines, pumps, etc. The diesel sub dissapears like a ghost. Torpedo away, too late.
And that's a relatively old sub. The French sub I mentioned is something like a decade newer, with newer and better batteries.
Batteries are one of the easiest components to swap out...
Dude, if someone here is "well akshually" that is surely you. When people talk about people on the internet that are annoying to meet - that's you.
But apart from that. You are simply mistaken in a lot of things or are projecting so hard you may as well have an HDMI input.
Nobody said 50s era or even modern diesel subs or their other non nuclear equivalents are "better" than a nuclear sub in all ways but in some situations, e.g. coastal defense and operation sin shallow water, they may be better suited to the mission than a nuclear sub that is 4 times as large.
In addition there are economical considerations. If I can buy 4 diesels for the price of a nuke sub it may be better for me to have 4 diesels who can lie in wait at 4 places at once.
The question is mission fit of the asset. A ship will sink all the same whether it was sunk by a 2 billion USD Nuke sub or by a diesel on the way to the wrecker that had a really really lucky day.