Answers to Sub Mystery Questions from 10 OCT 2014

Background information, links and illustrations for questions is found at original posting here.

 ANSWERS - Sub Mystery Q.O.T.W.

1 - Identify INS Tanin's German type and nearest (public) class number. ANS:  The air-independent propulsion (AIP) equipped Tanin is similar to Type 212 German Navy subs in underwater endurance.

2 - What is unusual about INS Tanin's size? ANS: The three Dolphin 2 AIP subs are 12 metres longer with a crew capacity exceeds both Type 212 and Type 214.

3 - What two security precautions are evident in the video?  ANS: Faces are blurred or not shown in the video; and below deck scenes are darkened and/or rigged for red.

4 - Have we ever seen those precautions utilized in connection with publicly-released videos of U.S.  subs? ANS: Yes!  Operational sub examples:  darkened and red rigged (below):
 
5 - What is disconcerting about the captions in some video scenes (HINT:  Not language).  ANS: The juxtoposition of Navy uniforms with Army titles.  Example: "Major General Ram Rothberg" in admiral regalia at 0:09 minutes).

6 - What is the exact rank of the presiding admiral?  ANS: "Major General Rothberg is a general ("aluf") in the Israel Defense Forces and head (Vice Admiral) of Israel's  Navy.

7 - What is the rank of the "Submarine Project Commander"?
ANS:  Colonel (see the back of "Colonel A, Commander of the AIP Dolphin Submarine Project" at 0:42 minutes).

8 - What is the customary rank of a U.S. SSN COs currently? ANS: CDR (O-5).

9 - What was the customary rank of a U.S. SSN COs when SSNs carried nuclear weps (during Cold War)? ANS:  CDR (O-5).

10 - What has been the customary rank of U.S. SSBN COs that have traditionally carried nuclear weps?  ANS: CAPT (O-6)

11 - What is a major diiferent between IDF and U.S. officer rank insgnia? ANS: IDF NAVY officer insignia are all gold versus silver or gold for U.S. officers (all branches) and other IDF branches.  (reference).

12 - What IDF naval rank insignia most resembles a U.S. commander's?  ANS: Lt. Colonel.

Submarines are always silent and strange.