Cargo Submarines...

[natehale1971]

I've been doing a little reseach on Typhoon submarines, and read where Rubin Design Bureau has been wanting to create merchant cargo submarines based upon the Typhoon hull. This has been something Sci-Fi writers have been doing alot (i can't count the number of pictures from the Cyberpunk RPG sourcebooks of various cargo subs that look like the Typhoon-class, admittedly one of the coolest looking subs i've ever seen)...

It's made me ask the question "If the Cold War had continued, how much more developed would Submarine technology have gone?"

Would we actually have cargo submarines operating in use by both the civilian and military markets?

[Targan]

Originally Posted by natehale1971

Would we actually have cargo submarines operating in use by both the civilian and military markets?

Civilian-operated cargo subs do exist but are not utilised in exactly the manner I think you are suggesting... as in, there have been several cases I have seen news reports about which involved the detection and seizure of submersibles and semi-submersibles being used to smuggle drugs (cocaine into the US IIRC).

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by Targan

Civilian-operated cargo subs do exist but are not utilised in exactly the manner I think you are suggesting... as in, there have been several cases I have seen news reports about which involved the detection and seizure of submersibles and semi-submersibles being used to smuggle drugs (cocaine into the US IIRC).

I've known of subs being used by smugglers, and their being intercepted by the Coast Guard over the past ten (almost twenty) years... Even read a report about a group of industrious cartel smugglers who actually had a type of submarine built just for smugglilng their product.

I was thinking more of a legal merchant fleet of submersibles. especially with the growth of pirates in modern times off the horn of africa... submersibles would be just one kind of answer against such low-tech criminals. while also creating a new headache for coast guard formation trying to deal with smuggling.

but the possibility of drilling for artic oil and getting it out would be enough to start deveopment... but also with the continuation of the Cold War it could become an answer to problems for some counties as well.

[pmulcahy11b]

You can strip out a military sub to be a cargo vessel. The Germans and Japanese did that in World War II to send items, expert personnel, and intelligence back and forth when they wanted to be sure (as possible) that they would not be intercepted.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

You can strip out a military sub to be a cargo vessel. The Germans and Japanese did that in World War II to send items, expert personnel, and intelligence back and forth when they wanted to be sure (as possible) that they would not be intercepted.

Perfectly true for the Japanese and the German sub you are talking about were converted Type IXD1. In addition the Germans designed such cargo subs during both world wars.

In WW1 they had designed the U-151 but only 2 out of 7 were completed as cargo: Deutschland and Bremen. They had a cargo capacity of 700 tons and would have been used between USA and Germany.

In WW2 they designed the type XIV (10 units) that had a cargo capacity of 430 tons+torpedo supply. All were lost to air attacks.

For my part I had the barrikada converted to a cargo sub (my players failed that one). This Typhoon was brought back to Russia, it was stripped of the three remaining missiles (placed on trains) and converted to a cargo/special mission sub.

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

Perfectly true for the Japanese and the German sub you are talking about were converted Type IXD1. In addition the Germans designed such cargo subs during both world wars.

In WW1 they had designed the U-151 but only 2 out of 7 were completed as cargo: Deutschland and Bremen. They had a cargo capacity of 700 tons and would have been used between USA and Germany.

In WW2 they designed the type XIV (10 units) that had a cargo capacity of 430 tons+torpedo supply. All were lost to air attacks.

For my part I had the barrikada converted to a cargo sub (my players failed that one). This Typhoon was brought back to Russia, it was stripped of the three remaining missiles (placed on trains) and converted to a cargo/special mission sub.

If i remember right, the cargo subs during WW2 where called 'milkcows' by the Germans

[Abbott Shaull]

The Japanese were working one that could be used with limit Aircraft carrier capabilities. I forget the exact details, but I seen on the history channel.

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