Iran Claims To Have Sonar Evading Submarine

[Parche]

Iran says it has sonar-evading submarine By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer
16 minutes ago



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 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 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 independently verified, and analysts are skeptical of its claims to such weapons as a super-speed 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. Iran has provided very little information about the craft, including its dimensions or the size of its crew.

The Ghadir submarine 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.

Iran has also 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's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the new submarine is part of Iran's drive toward self-sufficiency in arms production, the television report said.

"Today, you have been able to design and build many of the military requirements. We have become self-sufficient from other countries," Khamenei was quoted as telling navy commanders Wednesday.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said the Islamic Republic will defend itself should the United States or archrival Israel ever attack.

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

Washington and others charge Iran wants to use enrichment to produce material for atomic bombs, but Iran contends it is only working to provide fuel for nuclear reactors that would generate electricity.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071128/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_submarine_1&printer=1;_ylt=A0WTUdpZ8k1HCzUBmwgUewgF

[spanone]

1. saddam claimed to have wmd

[dmkinsey]

2. Maybe it's the one from that movie

that Fred Thompson was in.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Wonder if it's related to this:

The uninvited guest: Chinese sub pops up in middle of U.S. Navy exercise, leaving military chiefs red-faced

When the U.S. Navy deploys a battle fleet on exercises, it takes the security of its aircraft carriers very seriously indeed.

At least a dozen warships provide a physical guard while the technical wizardry of the world's only military superpower offers an invisible shield to detect and deter any intruders.


That is the theory. Or, rather, was the theory.

....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=492804&in_page_id=1811

[nealmhughes]

4. All modern subs, nuclear or diesel-electric are quiet. When a sub is running on its batteries,

I doubt passive sonar would be very good at detecting it from any nation with modern sound-arresting technology. Now, when the diesels are running or the main coolant pumps on a nuclear sub, and the turbines turning, it is another story, but even then they are very quiet in comparison to a surface ship, and still don't have to worry about radar.

Any submarine with any motive power is a most powerful arrow in a state's quiver.

"I've spent more time in the head at test depth than you have been alive" (old submariner's quip to those wet behind the ears amd quaking at the sound of their time first hearing the sound the diving alarm). Even more scary for them is the sound of the air rushing out of the vents and the water rushing into the ballast tanks for the first time. They can't understand why old salts are saying "When in the hell are we going to dive? I can't take this surface transit much longer!"

[Parche]

5. SUB

"When the last war call has sounded,
and the fleet will sail no more,
When a lasting peace is founded,
And no enemy threatens our shore,
When at last they write the story
and the reason for victory is seen
you will rise in honored glory,
YOU MIGHTY SUBMARINE :hi: