Tuesday Submarine Tidbits

1

Navy aircraft returning to former Cold War base in Iceland

Updating Land Base

DOD’s fiscal 2017 budget request includes funds to upgrade an existing P-3 hangar for the P-8 Poseidon. The Keflavik base, established in 1951, has been closed since 2006.

NAPLES, Italy — The Navy is turning to a former Cold War air base for a familiar mission — hunting Russian submarines.    ...The Navy now routinely sends P-3’s to Keflavik from its air base in Sicily to patrol for Russian subs in the North Atlantic, a Navy official said. The P-8 will fill the same role once the hangar is updated with new wiring, flooring and a rinse station, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the record about the project.

Russian submarines are patrolling the North Atlantic more frequently than at any time since the end of the Cold War, U.S. and European defense officials say.  ...Keflavik was home to about 2,500 Navy and Air Force personnel when the base closing was announced in 2006. 

2

US Navy Absorbing $7 Billion Budget Cut

Fiscal Pressures  

A Navy source said the decision was made due to fiscal pressures, and claimed the service can meet operational requirements with nine active wings. Four aircraft squadrons are to be deactivated or canceled, and Whidbey Island will shift from sea to land-based ops.

WASHINGTON — The US Navy is absorbing a $7 billion reduction in fiscal 2017 funding – about 3.5 percent over last year’s plan, according to newly released budget documents. The service is reducing the number of ships it’s buying while adding more aircraft, and uniformed personnel also are being cut, up to as many as 6,400 sailors below previous forecasts.

 3

 The Ottoman Empire invented missiles and submarines in the 18th century  

 Taking Liberties with the Truth

Salim Ayduz of the British Muslim Heritage Center stated that missiles and submarines wereinvented in the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century. According to Ayduz, the Ottoman Empiresignificantly surpassed Europe in terms of weapons development during the so-called Tulip Era, which lasted between 1718 and 1730.  

"First, the Tahtelbahir submarine was created by shipyard worker Ibrahim Aga and shortly after, gunner Bayramoglu Ali Aga invented firearms and missiles," Ayduz said, adding that all knowledge in this field was ultimately lost."

What about a little  History Check from 1620?

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Latest Nuclear Sub Thriller or Flopper

Based on the very entertaining book Thunder in the Deep: A Novel of Undersea Military Action and Adventure by Joe Buff ...

.

U.S.S. Challenger (SSN-803), a high-tech, 'ceramic hulled' submarine.
.

Synopsis

After destroying a German weapons lab, U.S. submarine captain Jeffrey Fuller goes head to head with his archenemy, German sub commander Kurt Eberhard. Fuller is assisted by a team of Navy SEALs and a sexy South African woman named Ilse. link
.
Publisher's Note

Coming off a tactical nuclear battle at Durban, South Africa, the crew of the damaged submarine USS Challenger, under the command of acting Captain Jeffrey Fuller, heads for the northern German coast to destroy a lab developing unstoppable Mach 8 cruise missiles and find themselves in a vicious duel with their nemesis Kurt Eberhard, captain of the SMS Deutschland. [ibid]

.

Wikipedia

Tactical nuclear warheads are now the weapon of choice with a gentleman's agreement not to hit any civilians. link
.

The Planned 3D Movie

Movie Negatives (4)

.

from M.E.

Production is going to be delayed well beyond the tentative start (spring 2011) since little over 25 percent of the production budget has been raised and 65% of projected costs are needed for filming in CT. Lengthy production delays often result in serious cost escalations and extra promotional expenses. PREDICTION #1: Richard Meyer's film script will not result in a 3D-blockbuster, and, more likely than not, never be released nationwide.

.

from Library Journal

Despite almost nonstop action, ... this novel fails at several levels. ...Thunder and its predecessor include premises that stretch plausibility. The first is that the fossilized Hohenzollerns could somehow regain control of Germany and reinstate both the monarchy and the militaristic Prussian aristocracy. The second is that both sides could explode tactical nukes like popcorn without any real concern about escalation toward mutually assured destruction. The book just doesn't work. link

.

from Poten & Partners

Richard Meyer, the executive producer, ...is also the screenwriter and co-star,... Even though he'd never written a screenplay, ...Meyer then wrote the script, and plans to star as the villain. He has little movie experience, but has acted Off Broadway. link

.

The film does not [bold added], however, have official cooperation of the U.S. Navy, which has a submarine base in Groton. The reason: Germany is a U.S. ally.

.

Movie Positives (4)

.

from Poten & Partners (cite to The Hartford Courant)
The big-budget production will be in 3-D. [ibid]

.

The big-budget production [has] ...a storyline about a nuclear war... [ibid]

.

The big-budget production ... [has a storyline] with German fascists in 2030,... [ibid]

.

from M.E.
Movies about submarine ops have had little traditional appeal to a rather large segment of our population -- females. Even a blockbuster film like Tom Clancy's Hunt for Red October attracted females through casting Sam Neill in a leading role. Apart from that, there were only 3 female speaking roles credited (Ryan's wife, young daughter, and flight attendant). In Thunder in the Deep Meyer has an opportunity to cast and portray a leading female role (Ilse). If clever enough, Meyer's script and casting can make Ilse's role the movie icon for female submariners, the general image for which is being promoted, free of cost to the filmmaker by the U.S. Navy. In M.E.'s opinion, the actress Minnie Driver is a natural pick for the role of Ilse.

PREDICTION #2: If this ambitious film is ever produced, producers will force Meyer to cast a voluptuous, relatively unknown actress as Ilse, to attract a male audience.

.

PREDICTION #3: Within the next 7 years or so we can expect a book and hollywood film about the one-way pioneers to the planet Mars, mentioned in the news for 2030 departure. Any related Mars movie would be released before Thunder in the Deep.

.

Submarines are always silent and strange.