British & French Nuclear Subs collide.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Thought this one was interesting, I know the two have a long standing feud but you would think that the French and the UK could at least talk about these things. Both contain nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. Not a good thing. Guess no one was looking out the window Good thing no one got hurt or at least thats what the two are reporting.http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1879777,00.html

 

[mkrishnan]

Against whom is France guarding itself, pray tell, with it's most important-to-national-security nuclear deterrent?

 

[xUKHCx]

Against whom is France guarding itself, pray tell, with it's most important-to-national-security nuclear deterrent?

Wouldn't that be the same as ever other nuclear nation, the other nuclear nations.

I heard about this incident on the news. It is good news that nothing went catastrophically wrong.

 

[OllyW]

It's the bloody French, they drive on the wrong side of the sea.

 

[mkrishnan]

Wouldn't that be the same as ever other nuclear nation, the other nuclear nations.

Well... in some limited fairness the US is more of an enemy of nuclear powered nations than other developed nations (this is largely our fault ), and I think the developing nations that have nuclear technology -- India, Pakistan, Israel, China to some extent, etc -- have a better argument for its deployment as a deterrent than any of the US, Russia, UK, or France at this point, but of course I think that there needs to be much more disarmament by the large, established nations.

Then again, I notice the distinct absence of any Non-European subs in this collision.

 

[Peterkro]

I heard some "expert" saying that because all the nations with patrolling nuclear subs practice the same hiding techniques in the same places he was surprised this sort of thing wasn't more common.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Against whom is France guarding itself, pray tell, with it's most important-to-national-security nuclear deterrent?

Everyone who isnt French no doubt, My guess is the U.S., The Brits, the Russians, and China are at the top of List. Might as well throw Germany in that since they did kick their butt hard just 60 years ago.

 

[xUKHCx]

Then again, I notice the distinct absence of any Non-European subs in this collision.

The Americans were told to patrol near France but latest reports put those subs somewhere off the coast of South Africa

 

[Peterkro]

I assume that all the nuclear nations have scenarios where they could be attacked by any of the other nations in combination or alone. First rule of warfare don't trust anybody.

 

[mogzieee]

I laughed when I heard this!

How hard can it be to avoid a submarine!!?

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Man is a paranoid war loving religious making monkey, history proves that over and over and over.......

 

[Peterkro]

I laughed when I heard this!

How hard can it be to avoid a submarine!!?

I'm no expert but I assume they were running silent that is no sonar no electronics of any kind.

 

[Sun Baked]

I though British and French seamen were best mixed in a petri dish.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

I laughed when I heard this!

How hard can it be to avoid a submarine!!?

If your running silent you are simply listening to the other guy and predicting your course by your speed,currents, temp,salinity last known position,etc. Its why every once in a while subs run into mountains.

Now if they are pinging then they can see everything or rather hear.

 

[Mr. lax]

What are the odds? Seriously, subs move in 3 dimensions, and the ocean is a pretty big place. I would think that this isn't possible

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

What are the odds? Seriously, subs move in 3 dimensions, and the ocean is a pretty big place. I would think that this isn't possible

That makes no sense, we just had two satellites run into each other and the space above the Earth is way way more expansive. I would imagine the areas they patrol are in the same places since they have common threats.

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

They were trying to avoid this.

The ocean is big. Not that hard not to crash....

 

[Schtumple]

It's the bloody French, they drive on the wrong side of the sea.

Yeah right, we were just minding our own business, drinking cups of tea out of our victorian china tea set, when they come swaggering along, not looking what they're doing, and then bang, it's a right awd bleedin' mess.

 

[mkrishnan]

The Americans were told to patrol near France but latest reports put those subs somewhere off the coast of South Africa

Oh, sure, for once, violence occurs in the world and we seem to be completely uninvolved, and it's still our fault.

 

[j26]

Was one of the sub drivers a woman?

 

[StealthRider]

Was one of the sub drivers a woman?

No women on subs, at least in the US Navy. If you read other articles it sounds like the Triomphant got a bump on the nose, while the Vanguard got scraped on the side...so unless someone was moving sideways (a pain in the ass to do on a boat that big without side thrusters)...blame the French.

 

[iJohnHenry]

He ran a whale, and got t-boned.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Oh, sure, for once, violence occurs in the world and we seem to be completely uninvolved, and it's still our fault.

Thats what happens when you are World Police. Its not a pretty job but someone has to do it.

 

[Phazotron]

Against whom is France guarding itself, pray tell, with it's most important-to-national-security nuclear deterrent?

Why the Roast-Beefs (English), of course. And zee Germans. Can never forget zee Germans.

Actually, while it may be hard to believe considering their dismal performance in WW2, the French have a long history of having a strong military. While being a NATO member they've insisted on being quite independent (not fully participating in its command structure).

And if you ever get in trouble you can always join the Foreign Legion:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Foreign_Legion

 

[notjustjay]

Despite the ocean being a huge space, there are probably established routes for most efficient travel. Just like a countryside is enormous, but you'll most likely find all the cars travelling along the same 50-foot-wide strip of land that we call a road.

And subs are designed to be undetectable, with special sonar-absorbing skins and other countermeasures. If they were running silent, they were essentially running blind. Sure, you can ping, but then the other guy knows where you are too.

And it goes without saying that subs don't have portals or windows.