Tuesday Submarine Tidbits 15 MAR 16

Background

The latest M.E. posting related to each topic is linked by (item number).

The Tidbits

(1)

"S. Korean military refuses to confirm on missing DPRK submarine"    South Korea's military on Monday refused confirmation on a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) submarine, which United States media reported had gone missing for days.   ... Seoul's Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun told a regular press briefing that the intelligence authorities of both South Korea and the United States maintain a position that they cannot confirm the relevant report.

M.E. Comment (a):  Obviously, neither S.Korea, the U.S. or other suspect nations (China, Japan, Russia, [Some rogue element of DPRK,s own military) can be foolish enough to state conclusively the fate of Kim Jong Un's missing sub (an 8-man,  70-ton Yugo class sub used in espionage operations, according to Yonhap.) without raising suspicion of their own guilt in the matter. However, they are free to speculate in a manner that disparages North Korea's readiness.  For EXAMPLE:  "Because these subs are very old, they are susceptible to mechanical breakdowns and due to North Korea's economic situation, it is not likely that they have been well maintained," the military official told Yonhap.
M.E. Comment (b):  An 8-man espionage sub would be a perfect target for a counter-espionage operation.

(2)

"Iran says it recovers information from US sailors' devices" TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran has retrieved thousands of pages of information from devices used by U.S. Navy sailors who were briefly detained in January, the country's state television reported Tuesday. The report quotes Gen. Ali Razmjou, a naval commander in the powerful Revolutionary Guard, as saying that information filling about 13,000 pages was retrieved from laptops, GPS devices and maps.

M.E. Comment (a):  U.S. taxpayers should have expected this administration to have fired another admiral (or general) by now for his poor planning / execution of the embarrassing capture 2 months ago of ten U.S. sailors, including one female.  No such firing at the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which is responsible for American naval forces in the Gulf, nor in a higher authority has yet come to pass. Obviously then, the quick "catch and release" may have been a nefariously pre-arranged excuse to either plant false information with an enemy, or to share accurate information with Iran's government.  

M.E. Comment (b): Hmmm!  The truth is out there, but acts of espionage are typically not divulged for at least 3 decades.  So, is this why no one has fallen on his sword?

(3)

"2 plane parts to be examined in Australia for links to MH370" KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia's transport minister says two plane pieces found in Mozambique will be sent to Australia to verify if they belong to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said Monday both pieces will then be sent to Australia to be examined by an international investigation team. The plane vanished March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The search is ongoing in the southern Indian Ocean.

M.E. Comment:  Forsenics is an intriguing process, and as time progresses more and more Boeing 777 variants like the MH-370 (a 777-200ER) have been delivered worldwide (1372 to date).  If undisclosed evidence of foul play were not involved, the course of the forensics would not involve such inordinate delays. At this stage, M.E. cannot be critical of the process or non-disclosure of actual evidence in hand.  Why? Remember what was stated in (2) above: "acts of espionage are typically not divulged for at least 3 decades".  

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Answers to latest Submarine Questions of the Week

Background

Related information, photos and links for questions are found at original posting.

Questions of the Week with ANSWERS

1 - TRUE or FALSE: There was no Son Won I class?   ANS:  TRUE

2-  TRUE or FALSE: KSS designates the project to build up the Republic of Korea's Navy Attack Submarine program in phases KSS-I, KSS-II, and KSS-III?   ANS:  TRUE

3- TRUE or FALSE: In KSS-II (the second phase) the lead ship of her class, ROKS Son Won-il (SS 072) was launched in 2006, the first of nine 1,800-ton Type 214 AIP subs?  ANS:  TRUE

4- TRUE or FALSE:  A total of nine 3,000-ton KSS-III submarines are expected to be built in South Korea with indigenous technologies (i.e. not going under license as the previous KSS-I and KSS-II submarines).   ANS:  TRUE

5- TRUE or FALSE: The first KSS-III, with vertical launch tubes and 1,500-kilometer cruise missiles, is scheduled for service by 2022.   ANS:  TRUE

6- TRUE or FALSE:  Due to sensitive technologies the KSS-IIIs will be built indigenously and likely blocked from export.   ANS:  TRUE

7-  In February 2015, South Korea launched an independent submarine command — only the sixth of its kind in the world — bringing operations, logistics, training, and maintenance under one roof, according to Republic of Korea (ROK) naval officials. What are the other 5 nations with independent submarine commands?   ANS:  The United States, Japan, France, the United Kingdom and India operate submarine commands. 

8.  Name the late officer pictured (available at link in Background statement above).  ANS: Son Won-il.

- a) What, if anything does he have to do with the Son Won II class?   ANS:  In honor of Son Won-il, the Reuplic of Korea's  Son Won-il (SS 072), the first of Son Won-il class submarines, was named for him.

- b) Was he ever a submariner?   ANS: No.

- c) What were the highest naval rank and national office he had held?  ANS:  Vice Admiral Son Won-il had been South Korea's FIRST Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and later served as as its Minister of National Defense, and first ambassador to West Germany.
 
Submarines are always silent and strange.