Iran Reports Launching Of New Sub

[Jack Ray]

This remiinds me of the Romulans.



Iran Reports Launching Of New Sub
By Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press
Seattle Times
November 29, 2007

TEHRAN, Iran � Iran claimed Wednesday to have built a small submarine equipped with sonar-evading technology, saying the craft had been launched in the Persian Gulf.

The navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, was quoted by state television as saying the new Ghadir-class submarine is the second Iranian-built underwater craft outfitted with "state-of-the-art electronic equipment." He said it took 10 years to build.

The report showed a picture of a submarine, but it was not clear that it was the Ghadir. Official media said Iran's two domestically built submarines can fire missiles and torpedoes simultaneously but gave no information on the weapons' ranges.

Iran also has three diesel-electric Russian-made submarines. The submarines, while not as sophisticated or quiet as U.S. and Russian nuclear-powered craft, could be perceived by the West as a threat to vessels in the heavily traversed waters of the Persian Gulf.

Iran has been pushing an arms-development program in recent years, producing its own jet fighters and armored vehicles and claiming to have built radar-avoiding missiles and other high-tech weapons. On Tuesday, it announced a new long-range missile.

But many of Iran's weapons-development claims have not been verified independently, and analysts are skeptical of its claims to such weapons as a superspeed torpedo and radar-evading, anti-ship missile.

Iran described the Ghadir as a "light" submarine, presumably meaning it is smaller than the attack subs used by the United States and other industrial nations.

It is named for a site in the Arabian Peninsula that is holy to Shiite Muslims, who make up the overwhelming majority of Iran's 69 million people.

Pressure has been mounting on Iran over its nuclear program, with the United States and its allies pushing for a third round of U.N. sanctions as punishment for Iran's failure to obey a Security Council demand that it suspend uranium enrichment, which some believe is intended for nuclear weapons.

[Guest]

The navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, was quoted by state television as saying the new Ghadir-class submarine is the second Iranian-built underwater craft outfitted with "state-of-the-art electronic equipment." He said it took 10 years to build.

How state of the art can a submarine still be after spending 10 years under construction?

[Yamato1701]

The navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, was quoted by state television as saying the new Ghadir-class submarine is the second Iranian-built underwater craft outfitted with "state-of-the-art electronic equipment." He said it took 10 years to build.

How state of the art can a submarine still be after spending 10 years under construction?

No kidding! our subs take 4 to 5 years to go from keel to commisioning and they have equipment on board that is practically the same as equipment used by WW2 submarine sailors

[Werner]

I thought the great difficulty in manufacturing modern submarines was in manufacturing the high-yield steel and then welding it to form hull sections. I assume the Russians or Chinese could sell Iran the steel, but the welding techniques would not be a particularly useful addition to the civilian economy.

[Guest]

Given the prodigious depth of the Persian gulf, I don't think Iranians need to be too worried about steel strength in their submarines.

[Seasick]

The gulf is a dangerous place for submarines. The gulf is narrow and curved. Its deepest portions are along the Iranian coast where the water bottom is made up of sand and mud. On the Arabian side carbonate ramps prograde out into the gulf with hard featureless structures. The carbonate rock has a high seismic velocity and is a much better at transmitting sound waves than water or the rocky mud on the Iranian side. The water is warm to a greater depth than the oceans and is much saltier. These factors result in a horrid enviornment for sonar.