Victoria Class Submarines

[a_majoor]

I'm going to wade in here and disagree with SHF about the efficacy of SSKs in the ASW game.

As I understand it from all of the briefings that I have received from VICTORIA Class operators, this class was designed to hover in the GIUK gap and ambush Soviet Nuke boats as they tried to get into the Atlantic and sink or convoys rushing     the rest of 1 CAN DIV to Germany and hopefully plug the Fulda Gap before it was too late.   They seemed pretty comfortable with their ASW capabilities- given the right set of circumstances.   I'm guessing the right circumstances might be shallow water and messy acoustical conditions.

I have worked against HMCS VICTORIA and found her to be a very elusive boat.   Good luck to anyone who wants to find her while she is on batteries and does not want to be found.   You will need it...

Cheers.

A bit over my head here, but the conditions described would be most favorable for the SSK since the Soviet subs would be transiting at high speed to enter the convoy zones and block the arrival of re enforcements. The Soviets would be making lots of noise, and would have very limited ability to hear or otherwise sense the presence of any defending force. "Alpha" sub drivers probably didn't care, since they were (supposedly) fast enough and able to run deep enough to evade most threats, and on the grand scheme of things the former USSR was bloody minded enough to accept fairly high casualty figures to force the gap and get their subs operating in the open Atlantic.

 

[SHF]

Tacco,

Can't let this one go. 

A.  The Russian SSN/SSK hordes are not heading southerly on any intercept courses to take on any CA TG; also trust me I knew my enemy.

B.  I agree that if a threat axis is known, an SSK can be prepositioned (given time) to provide an ASW deterrent.

C.  In open water the SSK cannot keep up with an SSN.  Speed equals noise and renders other sensors ineffective.  The SSN simply has greater speed and can run far and hide each and every time.

Perhaps my initial point has been lost, SSKs have proven for me to be the most difficult targets to track.  They work well in shallow water, have small MAD signatures, and are ultra quiet on battery.  My point is that an SSK is not a good choice as an ASW platform unless cuing is in place or the threat axis can be readily identified.  Tacco is right when he says the Vic is quiet, I too can attest to that.

It is good to see some discussion on ASW.  Things in the Aurora community are slanting towards overland.  There is an Aurora crew flying on Phoenix Ram this week.  Us older Cold Warriors have a hard time shifting gears, but we're willing to learn.  How big is the Taliban Navy? 

 

[Spr.Earl]

The boats had been in service with the Brits for just on 2 years before they decided to go for a all Nuke Service and paid them off.Any seaman worth his salt knows you can't lay up a ship or boat for close on 10 yrs and expect everything to be as it was when laid up.Also it took our Gov. just on 2yrs to acquire them once they had decided to buy them.

Majority of the blame can be put on the Gov. and some on DND,right now the Vic is in the graving dock for her EDR which when finished will have cost $23 mil.
Hey the B.C. Ferries just put in $32 Mil for the passenger up grades but prick nada down below on each of 3 ferries now so $23 Mil for a near new Sub sounds good to me as long as the job is done right.
The main engine is having a 6,000 hr refit and that's only 250 day's running,the Vic had only 150 odd day's at sea under our flag.

 

[buckahed]

To answer the refuelling question. no, AOR's cannot refuel SSK's at sea.  No need, really, the Victorias have a range of 18500 klicks. Don't use much when the boat is on station, either.