ANSWERS: Submarine QOTW (29 SEP 2015)

Background 

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

Submarine Questions of the Week with ANSWERS 

1- Is the U.S. submarine identification correct? ANS: No, USS Providence is SSN-719, not SSN-716 as the French publication stated.  SSN 716 was the USS Salt Lake City, which has been decommissioned since 2006.

2- Is the sub's given homeport coast correct? ANS: Yes, although the article was imprecise ("based on the east coast of the United States").  As of 2014, Providence is assigned once again to Submarine Development Squadron 12 and home-ported at US Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, CT.

3- When else was the sub USS Providence in Toulon? ANS: USS Providence was in the port of Toulon, France, from July 13-19, 1990, and made later visits including February 11, 1995, August 5, 1998, May 11, 2001.  reference

4- On what mission was USS Providence at the time of its earlier visit? ANS: On 19 March 2011, the submarine launched Tomahawk cruise missiles at Libyan air defenses in Operation Odyssey Dawn.  

5- With what special type of missiles was USS Providence armed during its earlier visit? ANS:  Most notably disclosed was "USS Providence, a submarine also armed with TLAMs, and a range of anti-radiation missiles, are expected to be called into action during this phase of the operation, shortly before the RAF goes in."

6- The purpose of the special missiles is what? ANS:  Anti-radiation missiles (ARM) are designed to detect and destroy the source of certain enemy radio emissions to degrade the enemy's anti-aircraft defenses in early stages of conflict. The anti-radiation effort is made to reduce friendly aircraft losses. Additionally, anti-radiation missiles can quickly neutralize unexpected surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites during air raids. Hence, in Odyssey Dawn", shortly before and while "the RAF goes in."

7- Why would USS Providence return to the French port of Toulon?  Answer "Unknown", as stated when question 7 was originally posed.  Submarines are stealthy platforms that may perform covert missions rarely made public, unless such disclosure serves a higher national purpose.  Example.

SPECIAL Submarine NOTE

USS Providence (SSN-719) has received three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, four Navy Expeditionary Medals, six Meritorious Unit Commendations, four Navy Unit Commendations, six Battle "E" awards, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. 

Submarines are always silent and strange.  

UK Submarine Quote of the Week - 6 April 15

Background

George Kerevan, (born 1949) was in the International Marxist Group for several years between 1968 and 1982.

In 1996 he joined the Scottish National Party (SNP) and was Edinburgh East's candidate for the 2010 General Election. SNP, which supports Scottish independence, is also the third-largest political party, by membership, in the UK.  

As a jounalist, Kerevan was associate editor of The Scotsman from 2000 to 2009, and chief executive of What If Productions (Television) Ltd. 

Submarine QUOTE of the WEEK

  "The ultimate reason America maintains the Mutual Defence Agreement with Britain [note 1] is political – to make sure the UK, as a junior partner, can never use its nukes independently of the White House. Every Lockheed Trident D5 missile at sea today is rented from the Pentagon. Royal Navy submarines must visit the US base in Kings Bay, Georgia for the maintenance and replacement of these missiles – so much for referendum scare stories about the strategic importance of Faslane." - George Kerevan, THE NATIONAL, April 6 2015, "How the nuclear option is chosen for us by the US".

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note 1 - The treaty is renewed every ten years, and currently extends to 31 December 2024.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Quote of the Month 13 NOV 2013

Background

April 2013
"It only takes being wrong once and I don't want to be the secretary of defense that was wrong once,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on April 4, explaining why the military deployed missile batteries in Guam as a defensive measure against North Korea.

Nov 4, 2013
(Reuters) - North Korea sailors killed when ship sinks during 'combat duties'
At least 19 North Korean sailors were killed when a naval vessel sank during "combat duties" off the east coast last month, state media said, a rare admission by the impoverished and reclusive country.  

Nov 4, 2013
(NYT)  North Korean Sailors Reported Killed in October Sinking; South Says There Was No Clash
SEOUL, South Korea — A North Korean naval vessel sank last month, killing an unspecified number of sailors, according to North and South Korean news media.

Nov 5, 2013  - Type 037-class submarine chaser (Losses) Wikipedia
On October 13, 2013, North Korean submarine chaser No. 233 was lost off Wonsan with the loss of at least nineteen of her crew. She may have been in collision with another Korean People's Navy ship.[2][3][4]

Nov 12, 2013
(Baltic Review) North Korea: Our submarine has sunk [color emphasis added]
According to the photos that the media presented, it is seen how the leader goes among more than 12 tombstones of the submarine team ‘chasing submarine number 233’. It can be seen that the date when the submarine sunk is October 13th and the pictures of the sailors with their names. According to the Korean Central News Agency of DPRK, the submarine sunk during a military operation.

According to ynet.co.il, the submarine has been built at the early 60th of the previous decade, and the age of the submarine probably was the main factor for the accident.

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Do we trust dictator Kim Jong-un's North Korean news outlets?  South Korea's, Reuters, New York Times, Baltic News, or none of the above?  Chuck Hagel must know the truth by now, but that must be classified.  Could it really have been a lost submarine?  Which brings up, today's sarcastic quotation...

Quote of the Month

“Never trust a politician. If you want to trust a politician go to live in North Korea, and line up and applaud them and say ‘What a marvellous job, Kim Jong Un!’ - or whatever Kim is currently occupying.” - Eric Jack Pickles,  Move to North Korea if you want to trust politicians, Pickles says, The UK Telegraph, 13 NOV 2013.  (Mr. Pickles is United Kingdom Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, a Cabinet position.)

Submarines are always silent and strange.