Something is Unsettling

BACKGROUND

Le Terrible is a Triomphant-class strategic nuclear submarine of the French Navy. The SSBN was launched in 2008.

On 27 January 2010, the submerged Le Terrible launched an  M51 SLBM missile from  Audierne Bay. The missile reached its target 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off North Carolina; the 4,500-kilometre (2,800 mi) flight took about 20 minutes.

Le Terrible's Armament includes 16 Nuclear M51 SLBM missiles.

WHERE IS the GREATER GRAVITAS ? 

WHAT SEEMS TOO SIMILAR ? ...
 

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Two Submarine Mysteries: Each Not Telling (Yet)

Molten Eagle:  "Submarines are always silent and strange." 

 

MYSTERY #  1 (Enduring)

Background

"Top Secret Data on India’s New Stealth Attack Submarine Leaked ... French defense contractor DCNS suffered a massive leak of secret documents."  click here for a few details revealed by those leaked documents

(AUGUST 24, 2016) India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar seeks submarine data leak report, navy says no need for alarm.  

"The navy also made it clear that the leak did not take place in India. The data, which comprises over 22,000 pages, was leaked, the Australian media reported. It contained documents on the Scorpene submarines, designed by French company DCNS and being built in India by the Mazagaon Dock Limited in Mumbai (Maharashtra) at a cost of around $3.5 billion. The news created ripples in India soon after the report in the Australian media came out."

 (AUGUST 25, 2016)  France and India Claim Submarine Data Leak Is No Big Security Problem
 
"France and India on Thursday played down the security risk posed by leaked data on French-designed submarines that a source told Reuters was probably stolen by a French former employee and that has raised concerns over a $38 billion contract with Australia. More than 22,000 pages of data about six submarines that France's DCNS is building for India's navy looked to have been stolen in 2011 by a subcontractor who was fired while providing training in India, the source said."

(SEPTEMBER 3, 2016) Scorpene leak: India shelves plan to expand French submarine order after data breach

"Details of the Scorpene submarine were published in the Australian newspaper last month, triggering concerns that it had become vulnerable even before it was ready to enter service." 

M.E.'s Rhetorical question: Which nation is responsible for the submarine data leak (Australia, France, India, none of the foregoing)?

****

MYSTERY #  2 (Enduring SSBNs; Temporary SSNs)

Background

"US Naval think tank: The US needs more submarines and smaller aircraft carriers" 

(FEBRUARY 10, 2017) Navy says more money needed to address submarine maintenance shortfall
"Five attack submarines could be decertified this year if Congress fails to provide more money to the Navy to address maintenance and readiness shortfalls, according to government officials.

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on which submarines are at risk of decertification."

M.E.'s Rhetorical questions (those serving aboard already know):  

• Which 5 U.S. submarines are at risk of "decertification"?  

• Is 5 actually the correct number?

****

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Answers to Submarine Q.O.T.W. from 14 NOV 2016

Related information, photo(s) and links for questions are found in the original posting.

Q & A: 

"In 1968, A US Nuclear Submarine Went On a Russia Super Secret Spy Mission (And It Never Came Back)" by Kyle Mizokami

1 - An unusually high number of submarines vanished in 1968, including three (3) non-U.S. subs. Identify 3 of the non-U.S. subs sunk in 1968 (by names and navies). ANS: The Israeli submarine Dakar (69 lost); The French submarine Minerve (52 dead); and, The Soviet submarine K-129 (98 lost).

2 - The U.S. sub which sank in 1968 "was in a very poor state of preservation", according to its commanding officer.
- a) Who was the commanding officer? ANS: Cdr. Francis Atwood Slattery  
- b) Some of its crew had derisively referred to the sub as (fill in blank) USS Scrap Iron.
- c) Name the vessel's major (most restrictive) known defect before its 1968 departure on a secret Russian spy mission. ANS:  Leaking valves caused the submarine to be restricted to  less than half its nominal test depth. It had “chronic problems” with its hydraulics, its emergency blow system didn’t work and emergency seawater shutoff valves had not yet been decentralized. source
 
3 -  The U.S. Navy’s report on the U.S. sub incident is inconclusive. Several malfunction theories—and at least one conspiracy have arisen to explain the loss of the ship and its ninety-nine crew, but all lack hard evidence. What is the leading conspiracy theory?  ANS: The leading conspiracy theory is that the Scorpion was somehow caught up in some kind of Cold War skirmish, and that the nearby Soviet flotilla had sunk the sub.
 
4 -  What major fact issue tends to confound the leading conspiracy theory? ANS: There is scant explanation for how a Soviet task force with only two combatants could manage to kill the relatively advanced USS Scorpion.  
 
5 -  Does it now appear at all likely that there would ever be a conclusive explanation for the loss of the U.S. sub in 1968? ANS: No. 
 
6 - What has been the convention (minimum average time) for submarine secrets to be divulged by various navies (in Vigilis's opinion)? ANS:  30 years.

7- How many years have already elapsed since May 1968? ANS: 48 years
 
8- BONUS QUESTION:  Where is the longest submarine memorial in the U.S. now located? ANS: The entire length of Route 9 in Saratoga County, NY (a fifty-four-mile stretch) has been named the U.S. Submarine Veterans Memorial Highway.  The county is home to the Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit where American sailors learn how to operate nuclear-powered submarines. The New York state submarine veterans memorial honors the fifty-four submarines lost during war and the Cold War. 

Submarines are always silent and strange.  

Recent Submarine Curiosities Around Globe

 Curiosity 1  (?)

Can you identify the vessels and location pictured below?

During what event was this?

M.E. Comment:  Answers Friday

Curiosity 2  (US)

  "The Submarine Force is seeking high caliber female applicants from all ratings."

(Actual accompanying photo)

M.E. Comment:  Are those storm clouds rising?

 

 Curiosity 3 (INDIA)

‘Nepotism nuked our careers’  

A critical component of the almost $100 million training programme was a group of 11 officers who were to be trained by Russian experts for operating nuclear reactors on submarines. This group was to play a critical leadership role as India’s nuclear submarine capabilities reached the maturity to launch nuclear missiles.

In a bizarre twist to that pioneering effort, all the senior reactor operators, nine of them, have been denied promotion to the rank of Captain, despite their expensive and exclusive skills in commissioning, operating and maintaining nuclear reactors on submarines. 

 

 M.E. Comment:  Did Vice-Admiral Chatterjee manipulate the promotion process in such a way that he has been the Reviewing Officer for his own son-in-law for family benefit, or because the unpromoted officers are too valuable to INS nuclear subs to promote?  Well, read the linked story. 

 Curiosity 4 (Canada)

Partner with Australia for submarines

The Canadian government has an opportunity to partner with Australia to build DCNS Barracuda-class subs for the Royal Canadian Navy. 

 M.E. Comment:  But read the next curiosity --- is the price of those boats about to rise with India cancelling its big INS order?  India Drops Plans to Add 3 More French Stealth Attack Submarines.

Curiosity 5  (India)

   India Drops Plans to Add 3 More French Stealth Attack Submarines

The Indian Navy has purportedly shelved plans to add more French submarines to its fleet following the DCNS leak.  The INS will not procure additional Scorpene-class (Kalvari-class) diesel-electric attack submarines from France's DCNS, following the leak of documents detailing the top-secret combat capabilities of India’s new submarine fleet, according to media reports.

“India has ordered only six Scorpene submarines and orders have not been placed for three more as reported by some media. Therefore question of cancellation does not arise,” an Indian naval officer told Reuters.

 M.E. Comment: The less work for DCNS, the higher its residual overhead costs per hour of production.  If there was no agreement for 3 additional subs, why has justification been cited? India's defence official said he did not expect any movement on that project until the investigation into the Scorpene leak was completed and new security measures put in place. In other words, for leverage.

 Curiosity 6 (United Kingdom)

Morale: How The Internet Cripples SSBN Operations

In Britain the Royal Navy has found it impossible to attract enough qualified sailors to operate all its nuclear submarines, especially the SSBNs (nuclear powered subs carrying ballistic missiles). The reason is that SSBNs stay at sea for 90 days at a time .... The problem is that too many otherwise qualified sailors and officers are not willing to spend 90 days without Internet access. This shortage has already reduced the number of days British SSBNs can spend at sea.  

 

 M.E. Comment:  What has changed since the Cold War has been the waning interest of the recruiting pool in military service and modern youths' dependence upon their communication culture. (U.K., France, U.S., etc.).  

 Curiosity 7 (Australia)

Submarine Data Leak Roils Three Governments

The revelation Aug. 24 by an Australian newspaper that thousands of pages of presumably secret submarine documents were on the loose shook governments in Canberra, New Delhi and Paris. The news threatened the operational security of India’s new Scorpene-class submarines, embarrassed French shipbuilder DCNS, and raised security questions about Australia’s recent Australian $50 billion deal with DCNS for 12 Shortfin Barracuda submarines, of a design similar to the Scorpenes.

As reported by The Australian newspaper, a reporter was shown samples of up to 24,500 pages of highly technical data on the Scorpene submarine, an advanced, non-nuclear design that has been exported by DCNS to several countries. The documents, said The Australian, include highly technical drawings, specifications and operational capability descriptions of the submarine’s stealth features; noise signatures at different speeds; range, endurance, diving depths, magnetic and infrared data.  

DCNS has been made aware of articles published in the Australian press related to the leakage of sensitive data about (the) Indian Scorpene,” the company told Defense News on Aug. 23. “This serious matter is being thoroughly investigated by the ...  French national authorities for defense security,” DCNS said."

M.E. Comment:  There is ample blame to go around, hence very expensive learning opportunities.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Unfathomable Submarine Quote of the Month (29 AUG 2016)

BACKGROUND

MELBOURNE, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A French shipbuilder plans to seek an injunction to prevent further publication of information contained in 22,400 secret documents about stealth submarines built for India. 

UNFATHOMABLE Quotes  

First, with previously hidden Scorpene data now revealed...

"Any leak of information is viewed very seriously. We have viewed the leak of Scorpene data very seriously and we have asked (French firm) DCNS to launch an urgent investigation into this." - Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, Indian Navy 

Yet, before mitigation measures are even identified and certainly unimplemented... 

"This is not a matter of much worry. The committee is analysing and they will see what data has been compromised and what mitigation steps have to be taken." - Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba, Indian Navy 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ <>_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Retired Rear Adm. John Padgett, former commander of U.S. Pacific fleet Submarine Force, warned the leaks would undermine confidence in ability of French companies to protect classified information. Padgett, also the current president of the U.S. Naval Submarine League, said, "It is never good for an opponent to have your playbook."

He said "aggressive action" is needed to investigate the leak and France should share the outcome with Australia.

M. E. Comment:  According to today's NDTV article (Press Trust of India),  the high-level review committee responsible for analysing risks connected with the leak(s) will issue its findings to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in three weeks ( by September 20 ).
Also, some of the pages leaked cover top secret data on the capabilities of six highly advanced submarines being built for the Navy in Mumbai in collaboration with French company DCNS in a project worth more than $3 billion. DCNS also recently won a contract to design Australia's new $50 billion submarine fleet.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Latest Court News - No Submarine Evidence (Photo)

Known Timeline (2004 - 2016)

2004 - French trawler BUGALED BREIZH sinks on January 15th with the loss of its (5-man) crew.

2007 - British and Dutch submarines were cleared by French court officials of any involvement in the sinking.

2008 - Inquiry concludes a nuclear submarine snagging the boat's trawl was the "highly probable cause" of the sinking, but the judges recommended the investigation be wound up, with no guilty party traced.

2010 - [April] A French appeal court relaunches investigation to try to identify what US submarines were in the vicinity at the time.

2010 - [May]   No "Submarine Expert" Would Even Ask: Story Unravelled   Molten Eagle's observed, "Salles is hoping that the transformational Obama administration will share more details about any subs in the area of casualty on 15 January 2004. Is he correct?" Note: Molten Eagle has always said, "Submarines are always silent and strange."

2014 - The inquiry was eventually thrown out by a court in Nantes in 2014.

2015 - Appeal court in Rennes rules there was no evidence that a submarine was involved or that it was a fishing accident.

2016 - France's Court of Cassation, France's court of final appeal for civil and criminal matters, said there was no evidence to support the claim, nor that it was a fishing accident. The latest decision of France's highest judicial court backs up the ruling by the appeal court in Rennes in May 2015. 

Photo: Salvaged Trawler BUGALED BREIZH 

Note the circled hull depression (which was evident on port side, as well).  The depressions have been explained in the opinion of some experts [translated] as follows [color emphasis mine]:

"4 / The hull of BUGALED BREIZH presents a depression of the shell, on both sides, at the fish hold. It is the sign of a quick drive to the bottom, causing the implosion of the fish hold remained closed by the water pressure. If classic shipwreck by water such as water seeps everywhere, but the process takes time and leaves the crew of survival."  five more expert opinions (untranslated) here

When state security is involved, evidential protocols regarding "Submarines are always silent and strange". 

The Cake Icing for Australia's Submarine Selection

Background 

Aside from submarine performance criteria, shifted political winds and related labor participation mandate for domestic build economics, was there another, especially enticing incententive, for selecting DCNS?  Quite possibly .... Here are some leading opinions.

Headlines

Consider 5 excerpts from some recently published opinions [color emphasis mine]:

May 6, 2016  |  Japan's Failed Australian Submarine Bid: Is America at Fault?
"The widely understood sticking point for the European bids, namely U.S. reluctance to share the details of its AN/BYG-1 Combat Management System with European firms has evaporated. President Obama is reported to have indicated as much to Prime Minister Turnbull, with a “senior source” suggesting that there would be no implications for the alliance, no matter which bidder won.  ... If an overture to Pyongyang is in the offing, with China, South Korea, and Japan onside, was the scuttling of the Japanese submarine bid part of the price, unbeknownst to Japan until very recently of course? All it would have taken, as the French bid which promises a full Australian-based build is both politically and economically attractive to the Australian government, was the hint that “Option J” was no longer necessarily an American preference."  - Zac Rogers in The National Interest
 
May 6, 2016 | Australia’s Submarine Superiority: Strange Strategies and Overspending
"Given Australia’s relatively benign strategic environment, the very high projected cost for the 12 Shortfin Barracuda boats is probably not justified, especially since the primary practical missions of the submarine fleet will be covert operations and intelligence collection.  ...  The country probably needs a regionally superior cyber-enabled and balanced military force across all services before it needs a force of 12 submarines. We can expect that the Australian government will come to see that. In the absence of a direct military threat to the Australian mainland, the projected submarine spend of A$50 billion is almost certainly unsustainable in political terms. The eventual build through the 2020s and 2030s of new Australian submarines will almost certainly be closer to six boats than 12." - Greg Austin, in The Diplomat
 
May 10, 2016 |  Why DSCNS Won - Some reasons not yet covered in the media.
"It still needs to be said that   TKMS can offer no nuclear option   if Australia changes its mind and (say, in 2025) actually wants "regionally superior" submarines, especially if China and/or Putin become threatening. - this might mean Australia would want the Barracuda SSN for the first batch of 6 (2030 - 2040) and/or for a second batch of 6 (2040 -2050) Nuclear Barracuda option for second batch." - Peter Coates in Submarine matters
 
May 11, 2016 |  Superannuation change means that savers can no longer trust governments 
 [see "Submarine facts"]
"The submarine program is the most complex defence procurement ever undertaken in this country. The commercial discussions will require the Defence Department to negotiate a number of contractual arrangements to ensure we get the right capability while maximising Australian industry involvement. Once we conclude negotiations with DCNS and select a combat system integrator, work to design the new submarine and combat system will begin in Adelaide this year, not sometime after 2019.   ...  Most disappointingly, Gottliebsen repeats the incorrect claim that the government selected DCNS of France as the preferred partner to enable nuclear propulsion for the future submarine, despite being advised that this is not the case after he incorrectly reported the same thing last week." -  Marise Payne, Minister for Defence, Canberra, ACT in The Australian.com
 
May 11, 2016 |  Should we rush to smooth Japan's ruffled feathers?
"We must be realistic about the challenges posed by China's behaviour, particularly in the South China Sea. We should forthrightly tell Beijing that continued aggression could, eventually, result in the formation of anti-China alliance. But we should not be eager to reach this outcome. For now, closer defence ties between Japan and Australia are likely to worsen, not improve, security in Asia." - Iain Henry, PhD candidate at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University's Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs. in The Sydney Morning Herald

Submarines are always silent and strange 

ANSWERS: Sub Questions of Week (28 JAN 16)

Background

Related information, photo(s) and links for questions are found in the original posting.

ANSWERS Submarine Questions of the Week

1  -  Why are modern, military-quality submarines not prone to capsizing?   ANS:  By virtue of their capability to submerge and operate near neutral buoyancy, submarine design includes features allowing significant ballast controls. ( more )

2  -  Is it even possible for modern, military-quality subs to capsize?  ANS:  Not only is it possible, as recently as 1979, a Danish military submarine did capsize, though not at sea:   

(The following relate to the recent capsizing of car carrier Modern Expess)

3  -  If the vessel shown has not washed up upon a beach, approximately where is it?  ANS: The photograph accpmpanying the question shows the capsized vessel in the In the Bay of Biscay.

4  -  Has the crew been rescued?  ANS: Fortunately, yes, all 22 men were rescued by Spanish authorities last Tuesday in an operation co-ordinated by the UK’s Falmouth Coastguard. 

5  -  From where did it sail, and to where was it sailing?  ANS: The Modern Express had sailed from Gabon, Africa en route to port Le Havre, France.
 
6 -  How large (tonnage) is the vessel, and with what cargos is it said to be laden?  ANS:  The Modern Express is a mid-sized car carrier of 33,000 tons.  Besides a cargo of 3,600 tons of timber and construction equipment, it also carries 300 tons of fuel which could complicate an ongoing salvage operation. 

7 -  Where is the pilot house located? ANS:  Due to the vessels severe list, the Modern Express's pilot house was not visible in the photo published with the QOTW.  It is positioned forward in the vicinity of the bow (as shown below):

8 -  Has this vessel sunk or has it been towed?  ANS: A Spanish tugboat is currently towing Modern Express to open sea.
 
Submarines are always silent and strange.
 

Pretty Good Cover Up or an In-port Fire of No Consequence

Background

While US ballistic missile subs are designated SSBNs, the official French designation is SNLE-NG (Sous-Marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins de Nouvelle Génération).

Since 1972, ’Île Longue (Long Island) located in the Atlantic harbor at Brest, has been the homeport of France's 4 ballistic missile subs. ’Île Longue provides maintenance between deterrent patrols as well as depots for storage of nuclear warheads and reactor fuel. Naturally the’Île Longue base is home to two or more highly-classified nuclear installations.

The French ballistic missile submarine Triomphant (S616) entered active service in March of 1997.  On a night in early February of 2009, Triomphant collided with the Royal Navy submarine HMS Vanguard.    Le Triomphant, the oldest of its class, reportedly proceeded to Brest submerged with extensive damages to her sonar dome.   

This will probably not be news to members of various wardrooms, sub groups, etc. and others with access to classified intel.
 

Belated News that dies or Sketchy Leak with Legs?

Published November 21, 2015  |   By Editor -
(The incident dates back to August 2015):

Île Longue. Un incendie sur le Triomphant en travaux  (untranslated)
Reportedly, a fire broke out in the boiler of nuclear submarine Le Triomphant which was docked in its base Ile Longue (Finistère). Since August 4, the crew has resumed onboard operations with normal work restored.  

--------------------------------*-----------------------------

M.E. Note:  Readers need to be aware of a language peculiarity we found.  Apparently, the term "boiler" can be confused in translation with "nuclear reactor vessel". Decide for yourselves:

" ...fuel elements of her nuclear boiler...".    

"Nuclear boiler" [reactor fire ? ]. See what we mean?  It is very easy to understand why a related incident in a strategic nuclear sub would have been highly classified by national secrecy and placed beneath the reach of the French press.  

What is very difficult to understand is the misplaced patriotism or political leanings of those responsible for leaking such an item in the midst of France's internal terrorism scare.  

To those enemies of France and the free world Molten Eagle says,

Vive la France !  (translation: Long live France!)

Submarines are always silent and strange.