What do astronauts, polar explorers and submariners eat. About the collapse of the Russian Navy and new ways to detect submarines What do submarines have
Thanks to the novel by Lothar-Günther Buchheim and the film of the same name by Wolfgang Petersen "Das Boot", which was released in the 70s and 80s of the last century, interest in the actions of the German submarine fleet in World War II increased dramatically. History buffs began to have many questions not only about military operations, but also about the life of submariners. Of particular interest is the topic of crew nutrition, selection and storage on the submarine in the conditions of long trips of products, including those without which a person cannot do for a long time. Why did German submariners take with them fresh bread, which quickly became moldy in conditions of high humidity, and not crackers, which are stored longer?
Supply issues
The Germans superbly supplied food to their submarines. After the establishment of German hegemony in Europe, products were supplied to submarine bases from France, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Italy, etc. Boats took fresh and boiled meat, fresh vegetables and fruits, cheese, honey, chocolate, smoked sausages, juices, various canned food and much more on the trip. There was only one problem - on a hike, in conditions of poor ventilation and high humidity, fresh food quickly deteriorated. As a result, the submariners had to sit on a canning-vitamin diet - the longer the trip was, the worse it was with food.
In general, the food of German submariners was very diverse and not without delicacies. In this photo taken in 1944, two members of the crew of the submarine U 672 pose with lobsters.
The boats were provided with both provisioning and cooling chambers, but when issuing technical specifications to submarine designers in peacetime, it was difficult for the German Navy command to imagine that type VII medium boats would operate off the coast of the United States, Africa and in the Caribbean, and large type IX boats - in the Indian Ocean.
During the war, I had to improvise, adapt to the situation, which required an increase in the autonomy of the boats. Submarines received provisions at sea from supply ships, entered the ports of Spain to replenish supplies, then “cash cows” appeared - transport boats of the XIV series. However, this did not completely solve the problem. Provisions deteriorated, saturated with different smells - in general, gourmets with a delicate gastronomic taste on the "seven" or "nine" had nothing to do.
How was the food supply for the crew calculated?
In this matter, the role of two members of the crew of the submarine was very great - the third watch officer (or navigator) and the cook, who were responsible for procuring provisions. The cook, or, as the submariners called him, "trouble" (smutje, smut - which can be roughly translated as a mocking "dirty", "dirty"), was a man with a special status on the boat. He had to not only cook well, but also have the talent of a restaurateur to make a menu for every day of the voyage.
Boat cook U 604 supervises the loading of provisions. In the foreground are jars of fruit preserves (left). Numerous sausages and hams hang from the ceiling of the compartment, adjacent to the equipment (right)
Based on the approximate duration of the trip, a calculation was made of the quantity and range of products that were obtained in the warehouse by the navigator. After that, the provisions were loaded onto the boat under the control of the navigator and mechanical engineer to the places that were most suitable for storage. The placement of food on the boat has always followed three basic rules:
- Products had to be placed and secured so as not to fall or scatter during the maneuvering of the boat and its attack with depth charges.
- Provisions had to be evenly distributed throughout the boat so as not to create a trim or minimize it, while food consumption had to be taken into account. The daily consumed foodstuffs were weighed so that the mechanical engineer could compensate for their weight with ballast.
- The placement of products should not interfere with free access to all hatches and valves.
The main places for storing provisions were the bow, stern and electric motor compartments, and this was logical. It was impossible to store anything in the diesel compartment, since the products would quickly become saturated with the smell of a solarium, known for its all-pervading ability. In no case was it impossible to litter the central post, since this was the place of control of the ship, it would not have been possible to place many officers and foremen in the living compartments, and all passages had to remain free.
Fruit crates in the bow section of the U 295 boat are adjacent to the torpedoes. The inscription "Nantes" is clearly visible - the surroundings of the French Nantes are famous for their apple orchards to this day
This is what the food supply looked like on a Type IXC boat with a crew of 55 people, with the calculation of its food for a 12-week period. The boat was loaded with food and drink weighing more than 12 tons (12,583 kg), including:
- fresh and boiled meat - 224 kg
- sausages - 108 kg
- canned meat - 2180 kg
- canned fish - 150 kg
- fresh potatoes - 1750 kg
- other vegetables - 1555 kg
- lemons - 416 kg
- fresh fruit - 300 kg
- fresh eggs - 270 kg
- butter - 50 kg
- cheese - 50 kg + 65 kg (hard and processed)
- coffee - 60 kg
- tea - 3 kg
- milk - 784 kg
- fresh bread - 456 kg
- canned bread - 660 kg
“Take bread for dinner in moderation ...”
Bread on a submarine was a necessary product, and with it there were special problems in storage. Undoubtedly, under these conditions, the solution to the problem would be the use of crackers, which are stored much longer, but lose bread in taste and cause digestive problems with prolonged use, so the Germans approached the issue differently. They used fresh bread, which received the interesting nickname "rabbit" from the submariners. Here is how the famous German submarine ace Reinhard Suhren wrote about this:
“The biggest problem was bread. We hung it in nets so as to provide air to it, but still after a while it deteriorated, began to mold and became like a white and fluffy rabbit, because it was covered with a lot of mold. We cut it as far as possible and ate bread. When the campaign lasted more than four weeks, nutrition became a problem, and it became difficult to keep the team in good health.
The cook "conjures" cooking in the cramped galley of a German submarine (left).
Eating on the upper deck of a German submarine. The picture was taken before war time(on right)
Except fresh bread, was also canned, but what was its quality? This question was answered by a very unusual witness. On November 21, 1942, U 163 sank the British merchant ship Empire Starling, then taking on board the ship's captain, Eric Monckton, as a prisoner of war. Subsequently, Monckton left curious memories of his stay on board the U 163, including food:
« Breakfast was served at seven in the morning and consisted of milk soup, coffee and biscuits or bread with jam. The bread was stored in hermetically sealed cylindrical jars about 10 cm in diameter and 23 cm in length. In this form, it was preserved very well and, perhaps, was only a little dry.
As a result, the supply system seems quite logical. The supply of bread on the submarine was divided into two almost equal parts, consisting of fresh and canned bread. Fresh bread, of course, did not lie for a long time, and they tried to eat it as quickly as possible. After the fresh bread was eaten or became useless, there was still a fairly large supply of canned bread on the boat, the use of which was strictly limited.
Washing dishes on a submarine after a meal (left).
Judging by the vegetation on the faces of the divers, the trip does not last the first week, and no one is against diversifying the menu with fresh fish. In the photo, shark cutting on the deck of a German submarine (right)
If you look at the menu of the crew of the boat U 93, compiled by the cook for the fourth week of the campaign (January 12-18, 1942), it becomes clear that bread was served to the “table” twice a day (it is not clear what explains the lack of dinner on Thursday - was it missed is it on the menu by an oversight, or was it an official "fast day"):
Monday:
breakfast: coffee, bread, lard
lunch: lentils and sausages, plums
dinner: tea, butter, bread, various sausages and meat
breakfast: coffee, buns, oil, jam
lunch: soup, pork, potatoes, vegetables
dinner: tea, butter, bread, various sausages
breakfast: corn flakes, buns, oil
lunch: poached eggs, spinach, potatoes, apricots
dinner: tea, butter, bread, tongue, sausage, cheese
breakfast: coffee, bread, butter, jam, cheese
lunch: sauerkraut, pork knuckle, stewed apples
breakfast: coffee, butter, bread, eggs
lunch: soup, goulash, potatoes, peaches
dinner: tea, butter, bread, various sausages
breakfast: coffee, butter, bread, jam
lunch: noodle soup, beef, pudding
dinner: tea, butter, bread, cold meat
Sunday:
breakfast: coffee, bread, eggs, butter
lunch: pork, cabbage, strawberries and cream
dinner: tea, butter, ham, bread, sausage
It is worth noting that German submarines had the opportunity to receive freshly baked bread right at sea, for a rendezvous with "cash cows" - the latter were equipped with electric ovens for baking bread. So, in the report on the first campaign of the transport U 459, the lead boat of the XIV project, it was said:
“In about 10 hours of work on board, about 80 kilogram loaves of fresh bread can be baked. About 800 of these loaves were baked at night, transferred to the boats and gladly accepted by their crews. In addition, approximately 250 loaves are prepared for our own use. Baked rye bread is hearty, has great taste and well kept...
A picture taken aboard U 604 in February 1943 depicted a rendezvous with the "cash cow" U 459 in the North Atlantic to replenish supplies, including provisions
It is worth adding to the above that each warboat had its own 300-kilogram supply of dough, as well as biscuits - it is obvious that Admiral Doenitz's subordinates did not need crackers.
List of used literature:
- Paterson L. U-Boat Combat Missions - Chatham Publishing, London 2007
- Paterson L. U-Boat War Patrol – The Hidden Photographic Diary of U 564 – Chatham Publishing, London 2006
- Malmann Showell J. Wolfpacks at War - The U-Boat Experience in World War II - Compendium Publishing, 2001
- Uboat.net (http://uboat.net)
- Uboat Archive (http://www.uboatarchive.net)
Publishes a translation of the U.S. Navy Submariner's Code. The main provisions set forth in the Code are understandable, well known and applied by submariners of all countries in their daily and combat activities. Russian submariners have a concept of "good underwater service practice" that combines much of what is outlined below. At the same time, there are significant differences determined by the historically established paths of development of submarine forces and underwater service.
war under water
The fighters of the submarine front brought a unique and indispensable set of tools and capabilities to national security USA. Through stealth, surprise and daring, submarine forces provide a presence and deterrence effect on a scale far out of proportion to their size and numbers. When our invulnerable and undetected submarine forces operate in conjunction with the obvious and intimidating strength of carrier strike groups and expeditionary groups marines, such a grouping is a formidable, flexible and very complex power projection of power.U.S. Navy Submarine Emblem
The role of the submarine forces in this alliance is based on the advantages dictated by being under water. Whether it's cold and lifeless Arctic waters or warm and busy tropical, peacetime or wartime, storm or calm, our submarine forces do everything to maintain stealth in order to threaten a permanent presence and increase combat capabilities. Stealth makes it possible to carry out a wide variety of operations unnoticed, allows you to penetrate deep into enemy defense, allows you to suddenly attack, surprising the enemy with the time and place of choosing a target, contributes to survivability and creates uncertainty and uncertainty in the enemy, which greatly complicates his planning of operations. But all these advantages and attributes cannot be achieved without the tireless efforts of smart and courageous fighters. Our submarine forces must be staffed with highly professional personnel with specialized technical and military knowledge, skills in the use of stealth, the ability to act independently, proactively, prone to tactical innovation and aggressive combat tenacity. The courageous fighters of the submarine front are the guarantee that our submarine forces are ready to enter the fray in the shortest possible time, penetrate far ahead without interference, make full use of the underwater space for maneuver, seize the offensive action initiative and quickly adapt to the changing situation in the chaos of war.
For us, submariners, it is important that we understand the significance of the role played for the security of the country. While technology, adversaries, and battlefields have changed many times throughout history, the primary purpose of our submarine forces has remained the same: to exploit the properties of the underwater environment to provide the military advantage of the United States. The set of skills that submariners must possess has not changed. The purpose of the Code is to provide our submarine warriors with common ground and perspectives that will serve as the basis for their training, planning and conducting training activities and peacetime operations. Such a secure base will create the possibility of a smooth transition from peace to war, if necessary.
Part 1. Necessary qualities of American submariners
Success in submarine warfare depends on the skillful application of technically complex systems in an environment hostile in every respect. Although the military leadership combines the effect of submarine warfare with the overall efforts of the US Armed Forces, it is clear that submarine warfare is a type of independent warfare and is carried out with little or no external support. Underwater combat requires a special breed of warrior who is a technical and military specialist who can act covertly, autonomously, ready to show initiative, creativity and be angry and stubborn.Submarine warfare depends on submariners. It is not enough for the US Navy to have quiet and fast nuclear submarines with excellent technical and combat characteristics and the ability to carry various technical devices and devices on board and outside. The fleet must be manned by trained and experienced submariners to make the best use of expensive submarines and submersibles. To be effective, submarine forces must possess a number of qualities, and for this, submariners must also possess special qualities. The U.S. Navy requires professional submariners to:
- technical literacy,
- military experience,
- skills in the use of stealth,
- independence,
- initiatives
- tactical creativity,
- perseverance.
Independence cannot be magically acquired during a war - it is practiced daily when the operators find the full use of their capabilities. Innovation and creativity are also in demand in the context of exercises and in daily activities, so we are sure that they will also manifest themselves in war conditions.
Technical literacy and awareness
Underwater combat systems and submarines are machines, and there is no chance of success in underwater warfare if the weapons and equipment are not properly maintained and used for their intended purpose. As in aviation, submarine warfare is entirely dependent on the failure-free operation of submarines. Submariners know that technology can, in its own way, punish those who do not maintain it regularly or operate it incorrectly - such a punishment may not follow today or tomorrow, but a bad attitude towards technology will certainly lead to trouble. Poor maintenance of systems and mechanisms may not affect their operation today, but it will certainly lead to premature equipment failure many years later, when life will depend on this or that device.Submariners are competent and disciplined operators and look after their materiel. We know that achieving this level of excellence requires careful preparation and continuous training to meet the exacting standards of a ship's service. Absolute knowledge of technology is the most important basis for its effective use in combat. Knowledge Tests Possibilities technical means and provides experience in the use of design redundancy and reliability testing.
It is easy to see that there is technical readiness in relation to technical systems such as an echo sounder, a weather controller, torpedo and missile silos, fire fighting systems and a propulsion complex. But the concept of technical readiness also applies to other areas that are not so obvious. The combat effectiveness of a submarine can be quickly undermined due to poor management of spare parts stocks or due to illness of the crew due to poor sanitary conditions, due to injuries due to unsafe work practices, due to the need to return due to failure anything. The need for technical experience in the performance of duties extends to all members of the submarine crew in all parts of the submarine force without exception.
Technical readiness is a key factor not only to eliminate material problems - it is the basis of a successful damage control. Practice in switching to standby modes of operation and manual control of systems that usually operate automatically is an essential component in the training of specialists. Exercises to fine-tune teamwork and organized action have always been an important element of our success. Hard training and careful analysis of the lessons learned from the practice of our best crews became a characteristic of the submarine fleet even before the Second World War. The experience accumulated over decades has been one of our main strengths.
The hostile underwater environment makes special demands on the character and personality of submariners. The safety of the entire crew often depends on the command of one person. Safety deep underwater, in a sophisticated machine with high pressures liquids, nuclear power, electrical voltage, explosives, is achieved by a common culture of underwater service, personal responsibility, teamwork and mutual assistance. Generations of submariners have passed on these lessons to us, and we work hard to ensure that each new submariner learns them. It's part of us, it's part of our underwater DNA.
Combat Experience
In addition to technical training, which is very important in itself, real submariners have good combat experience. The basis of this experience is a reflection on what has been done in the historical past, and an understanding of how this legacy continues to influence today's reality. This includes an assessment of the use of submarine forces by other fleets, our own combat experience, which serves as a starting point for predicting the possible use of submarine forces in the future.There are many new aspects modern war, which were the result of a high degree of automation in the age of computers. On Aegis-equipped ships, for example, radar and sophisticated fire and weapons control systems can detect, track and intercept multiple aircraft automatically if needed. Submarine warfare, however, despite the unconditional support of complex computer systems, will still depend on the human mind. The opaque nature of the underwater environment, the distortion of sound waves, the presence of interference and the active efforts of opponents to confuse and deceive each other combine to place increased demands on the knowledge and experience of underwater warriors. In the next section, we will see that ambiguity and vagueness are indispensable companions of action under water.
Submarine forces often operate far ahead without the support of other friendly forces. This means that submarine forces are often the only ones actually operating in these areas. As a result, after the First World War, it was proposed to use single submarines for various military operations in the forward echelons. Each of the military categories has its respective military elements. Submarine crews are small—half to one-fourth the number of sailors per ton of ship displacement—compared to a typical surface ship. A small submarine crew must be able to perform the very diverse tasks of anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and air attack evasion, special operations force delivery, information operations support, reconnaissance and mine warfare. Often, these separate tasks must run concurrently.
Important for combat use submarine forces is knowledge of the geography of the main hot spots in the world's oceans. There are areas of the World Ocean, which become the sites of the most important battles. Knowing the conditions of the navigation area can be key here. This is especially true for submariners, who must make full use of the "3D" model of operations.
The stable nature of the mention of certain areas in naval history due to the sustainable nature of commercial shipping routes, the location of the world shopping centers, used straits and narrownesses. Submariners must have a solid understanding of the limitations of the area and make the best use of the available data on its geography. Even with modern positioning systems, knowledge of the geography of the navigation area has crucial for the submariner.
Ability to use stealth and attack confidently
Submarines are more likely to operate under conditions of information starvation than data glut. All the smallest fragments of the information we have are subject to careful study in order to fully understand their essence. Most importantly, our submarine forces regularly work in conditions that allow us to hone the skills of crews in applying and evaluating the degree of their stealth, in a form they can understand. Stealth is a property that cannot be measured, resulting from the interaction of a submarine and a sensor, both of which are controlled by a person in a changing environment, riddled with natural and man-made effects. There is no "stealth gauge" that glows yellow when the risk is high and red when our submarines are detected. Submariners know that the only stealth sensor is in the brain and soul of every member of the submarine crew. All history shows that it is necessary to carefully calibrate this "stealth device" of a submariner in peacetime so that it can be used in wartime.Before the Second World War, our submariners were trained in stealth, using the same techniques, which affected the benefit of the enemy, and as a result, they realized that they needed to take extreme precautions and tricks in order to survive. They moved to a constant practice of diving during the daytime, to performing daytime attacks using sonar data from maximum depths without the help of a periscope, and to minimize the time spent on the surface. The transitions were slow, and the time spent in position was insufficient. The accuracy of torpedo attacks was very low. Too many commanders did not show sufficient perseverance. At the beginning of World War II, the experience of the command staff of boats on a mission averaged 15.7 years of service, and by the end of the war - 9.8 years of service, of which 3.5 years they spent in combat campaigns.
Peacetime training, which did not meet the requirements of real combat, so "calibrated" many commanders of the older generation, making the scale of their internal "stealth device" very sensitive, that this limited their persistence and success. Of the 465 commanders who served in World War II, only about 15 percent were successful, accounting for more than half of the total number of all ships sunk. Of these 70 officers, only four were killed in action (Morton, Daly, MacMillan and Gilmour) and only four U-boats were lost (Wahoo, Harder, Thresher and Tang). This means that the most successful commanders and crews had significantly higher survivability than the submarine forces as a whole. The submariners in that 15 percent were three times more likely to return safely from a cruise compared to the other 85 percent of the crews. The professionalism of the attack, as a rule, is inseparable from a safe return to the base.
Today's submariners are preparing themselves for a future war by practicing in peacetime, taking into account the lessons of the past, striving to achieve the necessary skills and qualities that guarantee victory. Among these skills, stealth and cunning are mandatory. Stealth is more than just making a ship silent. It includes actions and activities performed in the order that is most appropriate for the conditions of the task being performed, in order to extract the maximum benefit with the minimum risk. Stealth means more than protecting yourself from detection. Stealth - the inability to identify and classify the boat even after detection. Stealth also consists in the use of methods that prevent the location of the boat, even if it is detected and classified. Submariners should strive to ensure that all of these tools are used, because war may require the ship and crew to take risks, as a result of which the ship will be discovered, and then the survivability of the boat will depend on how the crew uses all possible means and methods available in such an environment.
Consider the example of a Marine Corps sniper. A sniper in a Ghillie camouflage suit is almost invisible. Indeed, in many cases the sniper's stealth is not about avoiding detection, but about avoiding identification. Sometimes, when new snipers are introduced to training, cadets are surprised to discover that the "bush" they've been in the field for half an hour is actually a deadly shooter. Submariners have at their disposal the same variety of stealth options and the same skill and experience in using each of them.
During World War I, Great Britain landed troops at Gallipoli in an attempt to break through to the Black Sea and Russia, thus separating the Ottoman Empire in Asia from the Axis powers in Europe. To assist the landing in Gallipoli, submarines entered the Sea of Marmara to tie down the actions of Turkish shipping, including in the port of Constantinople in the eastern part of the sea. These actions, taken for the first time in 20 years in the history of the combat use of submarines, included a full range of tasks: overcoming a minefield in narrowness, artillery shelling, landing swimmers for sabotage against coastal targets and on railway tracks, torpedo attacks on ships, landing and taking scouts on board and classical tasks of observation and report. Even at this early stage, submariners instinctively understood the importance of maintaining stealth. As a classic example of the methods used to maintain stealth, the fact of setting up buoys "with a broom", imitating periscopes, is given. These fake periscopes were supposed to attract the attention of Turkish destroyers, who, when attacking a "submarine", involuntarily fall into a trap, opening the side of a real submarine, ready for a torpedo attack. Creativity, innovation and cunning in organizing an attack are the cornerstones of submariner training.
autonomy
Since the nature of the operations of the American submarine forces involves a long stay at remote lines, it is clear that the submarine forces must be autonomous, and the crews must proceed from the reserves that are on board. Autonomy really depends on careful preparation, creative repair in conditions of limited opportunities. The care with which the storekeeper fills the lockers is as much a factor in the reliability of the submarine as the skill of a turner with a lathe or a technician with a soldering iron. In addition, proper daily maintenance reduces the problem of wear and tear and allows the submarine force to carry out planned operations without unscheduled external assistance.Submariners know that each entry into the base provides the enemy with a starting point, is a signal for reconnaissance. Each maintenance call takes time away from the task. Every moment with a faulty system reduces survivability and reliability, leading to greater danger to the ship. There must be certain reasons for unplanned changes in routes and tasks, unplanned external assistance. Such reasons arise both in peacetime and in wartime. Avoiding the causes of an unplanned service call means complicating the task of reconnaissance of the enemy. In addition, by following the planned schedule of actions, the submariners allow other forces to stick to their plans. All experienced submariners know how troublesome it is to go out to sea instead of another submarine, which at the last minute, due to technical problems, could not do it. The less time for preparation, the less effective time for basic maintenance, the higher the chances of failure of the task, the loss of time for training. The most important quality of submariners is the ability to act autonomously and independently: to minimize the risk of problems by careful maintenance of equipment and its competent operation, continuous improvement of the ability to eliminate problems that have arisen with minimal deviation from operational plans.
Willingness to take the lead
Submarine warfare, by its nature, is conducted at considerable distances and with limited communication capabilities. In addition, submariners often have the opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the position, place and nature of the forces, which is not always available to the command. It is important that submarine commanders understand that they have the freedom to choose and act based on the information received at remote positions. As a result, the command determines priorities and communicates the "commander's intent," and the rest depends on the initiative and decision of the submarine commander. This freedom of action allows the submarine commander to make quick decisions in a rapidly changing environment in order to best meet the management's intent.Developing the self-confidence of the submarine commander is critical to the overall capability of the US submarine force to achieve the expected result. The initiative is trained and expected during combat training and on long-distance cruises in peacetime, transferred in the crew from senior to junior as experience and maturity are gained. Submariners are well known for pushing any initiative through the chain of command. Initiative needs to be constantly honed.
There is no room for error in the operation of submarines, especially in a combat situation. That is why the submarine fleet has long been using a system of training programs, advanced training on submarines and rewarding the best. In 1924, a few years after the pilots introduced the insignia - wings, the submarine forces introduced their own sign - a dolphin to indicate the qualifications of a specialist in submarines. Part of the training that is mandatory and necessary for all submariners is a thorough study of their ship and all systems so that all crew members can take all necessary measures in any emergency that may arise during a battle, accident or daily activities.
Submariners are expected to take the initiative based on deep technical knowledge. Just as submarine commanders must take initiative on the tactical actions of their ship, so must each crew member take the initiative in the performance of their duties. Initiative is the foundation of combat potential, a necessary element of life on a submarine.
If for laying on new course a command is given to put the rudder to the left, and the junior helmsman sees that he will quickly get on the course by shifting the rudder to the right, he is obliged to report this. This gives the commander the opportunity to correct his order, unless a turn to the left was justified. The submarine commander welcomes this initiative, as it shows that even one of the most junior sailors on the ship has a head and thinks. This sort of teamwork is a boon to the ship and is a sign of a successful underwater service.
Tactical creativity and innovation
Demonstration of tactical novelties has become a habit for submariners. In the history of submarine warfare, real combat operations have always differed from those that were expected before they began. The rules are constantly changing. Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, US submarines were preparing to operate under regulations that required any civilian ship to be warned prior to attack. Six hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, COMSUBPAC pacific ocean) received an order from the naval department to "Start an unlimited air and submarine war against Japan." This required a quick adjustment to the operational use of submarines and how they perform combat missions.As already mentioned, submariners are opposed by much more capable anti-submarine warfare forces, which gives anti-submarine forces self-confidence, and makes submariners doubt their secrecy. Winston Churchill, describing the history of the Second World War, recalls how he was at sea in 1938, where he saw how effective sonar was in finding submarines. He notes that he was surprised by the "clearness and crispness" of the signal, as if he were "one of those beings asking to be destroyed". He lamented later: "No doubt, this time I overestimated their achievements, forgetting for a moment how vast the sea is." It is impossible to know what changes await those who go to sea on military operation, but submariners must clearly understand that tactics, rules and the military situation will be different than they expected, and that they will have to adapt to changes or expose themselves and their ships to dangerous risks.
Tactical innovations should be applied on every ship, in every subdivision, discussed in every wardroom. The idea of the Eklund training ground was born at sea, and then was confirmed and refined by the teachers of the submarine school. The idea of quickly reloading torpedo tubes during combat, rather than after leaving it, was developed and tested by a young torpedo officer on Parche during World War II and was critical to the success of the U-boat attack on a Japanese convoy on 31 July 1944. Red Ramage penetrated the center of the column on the surface at night and, remaining alone on the bridge, fired 19 torpedoes in 48 minutes, becoming the only living holder of the Medal of Honor among the submariners to this day.
"Tactical novelties" are not necessarily limited to combat. In 1972, Barb rushed out of Guam, despite a typhoon warning coming in an hour, to make a 300-mile dash in an attempt to rescue 8 B-52 crew members who had crashed in the ocean shortly after takeoff from Andersen AFB. Heavy seas forced all other vessels to leave the search area, but the Barb crew took the initiative, as a result of which they managed to get 6 pilots aboard, despite 40-foot waves. Leaving only the cockpit hatch open, the watch tied itself to the fence, and six people in a strong hull were ready to draw exhausted and wounded pilots from the surface of the sea. The foreman of the torpedomen, who swam to the first group of lifeboats to pass the end, was awarded a medal Navy and Marine Corps for heroism in the rescue. This kind of creativity on a submarine or other subsea systems will always be important, but divers should practice it regularly so as not to be dependent on circumstances.
The need for tactical innovation will only grow in the future with the introduction of new underwater technologies, especially unmanned systems. The need for coordination between subsea systems is becoming increasingly important. Submariners are the Navy's specialists in "underwater warfare" or underwater warfare. The Company is responsible for the full provision of these activities, providing a complete and coordinated set of funds. As pilots follow certain rules for avoiding collisions with aircraft, and the surface forces have established rules for avoiding collisions with ships, submariners must comply with certain requirements that govern the use of underwater spaces - including the prevention of mutual interference, maneuvering, managing underwater systems in the best possible way.
Unmanned submarine fleets (UUVs) are a new and rapidly growing part of the US submarine force, and the growth needs to be smooth and seamless. For example, the development of UUVs may require the emergence of new personnel specialists, knowledge of the operation of UUVs may become part of the training program for already existing branches of forces. UUVs can be placed on board and used by crews of other combat platforms (submarines, ships, coastal bases). Or UUVs may be an organic part of ship systems. Here are some of the toughest questions that submariners will have to face and tackle in the coming years. One thing is certain: it is certain that in the near future it will be necessary to define and professionally develop staffing teams of personnel to maintain UUVs and related systems. Submariners who currently make up submarine crews should be part of this team.
Assertiveness and anger
In the depths of the seas, most likely, submarine warfare will continue to be about the exchange of attacks and evasion from them. The success of submarine forces in the past has been built on tenacity and the will to keep attacking again and again until the target is hit or the opportunity to attack is irretrievably lost. Mush Morton once said to Dick O'Kane after a long chain of attacks: "Perseverance, Dick. Stay with the bastard until he sinks." Such aggressiveness was essential for the effective conduct of underwater warfare. A significant advantage is gained by one who knows how to use the chaos and disorder that came after the usual calm. Nerves are on edge, and sailors are all like humans, they will make decisions based on emotions, which can also be used for good.for the sake of common purpose strength, audacity and courage are limited because it is generally recognized: the more order and discipline in joint actions, the better. However, such interdependence and joint effectiveness is suitable for surface forces, but does not work in the underwater world. Surface forces and air forces create "concentration" and "power", but this does not apply to submarines. Submarines act to achieve a common goal, in coordination with the rest of the naval forces, and submarines participate in the joint actions of the group, but it is best for them to achieve maximum effect - to act independently. Coordination and planning require time and constant communication, and this is exactly what submarine forces do not have, which sacrifice themselves in order to inflict damage on the enemy. The purpose of the submarine forces is to operate on the front lines in such a way as to create and maintain in the mind of the enemy a sense of disorder, vulnerability, chaos and uncertainty.
What qualities of character a submariner should have is still being discussed, but perseverance and aggressiveness must be present. This does not mean that it is worth taking risks in times of peace that are possible in times of war. But it must be said that the creative application of perseverance, within the appropriate limits, in daily exercises or on sea voyages is acceptable and expected.
When Operation Desert Storm was being prepared, Pittsburgh commander Captain 2nd Rank Chip Griffiths was engaged in inter-pass repairs of his ship and did not plan to participate in battles. As one of the few vertical-launching TLAM submarines in the submarine fleet, Pittsburgh fell out of the picture. Griffiths, with the will and tenacity that characterizes most commanders in the history of submarine forces, gathered his wardroom and repair managers and asked: "What is everyone going to do to bring this ship into the line of fire at the right time?" Infecting the entire crew and repair crews with creative energy, he was able to complete repairs early, load missiles, and complete operational deployment before the start of the operation. This is perseverance. It's a sort of unwillingness to fail, which is typical of most submariners.
The presence of exceptionally talented and well-trained personnel is a necessary, but not the only, condition for the success of submarine forces. Submarine forces must be equipped with the latest technology in order to effectively and fully contribute to national security. The next section discusses the advantages provided by weapons and equipment for successful use in the depths of the oceans.
Part 2. Military advantages of covert action from under the water
Submariners should be grateful to the depths of the water, which makes them invisible, for many military advantages. The use of these advantages inextricably links today's submariners with those of World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. The Navy is deploying submarine power in a way that these advantages can be used to further the larger military and geostrategic goals of the military and the American people. Whether we are talking about submarine forces today, which are predominantly submarines, or forces in the future with a special focus on UUVs and other systems, submarine forces must always be able to take advantage of a set of unique military advantages. All of them are the result of secrecy. These advantages, in accordance with the "Concept of combat activities in the underwater environment" approved by the commander-in-chief, include:- the ability to penetrate into the depths;
- the ability to act undetected;
- the ability to penetrate enemy defenses;
- the ability to attack unexpectedly, independently choosing the time and place of the attack;
- the ability to survive without significant spending on defense;
- the ability to use the uncertainty and ambiguity of the underwater environment.
The ability to penetrate into the depths One of the most sought-after advantages, which is often achievable without submarines and vehicles. Underwater reach may simply mean the ability to install a system in an underwater environment, possibly without the need for any further maintenance and maintenance of its detection or concealment. Such a system may be a sensor installed underwater for the most efficient operation, or it may be search system, designed to collect something, or it is an oil production or oil exploration system, a fishing system, or even a dredge for dredging a shipping channel.
Some tasks that require reach of the seabed are best performed by submarines. For example, after the Challenger space shuttle crash off the coast of Florida, the NR-1 submarine and various remotely controlled vehicles (ROVs) were involved in the search and recovery of its parts. Stealth is not needed here, but the ability to deliver high-resolution sensors to the depth and perform search and recovery operations directly on the bottom next to the search object is important. Another common example of underwater reach is to place a sonar system at a given depth, determined by the physics of acoustic propagation, to ensure high acoustic search efficiency. Similarly, surface ships deploy their GAS to maximum range by adjusting the sonar depth. The submarine uses its ability to dive to bring the onboard and towed sonar to the depths of the best acoustic search.
covert operations
Submarines allow you to perform tasks, the maximum effect of which is observed if they were not detected. These are intelligence gathering and surveillance tasks, which by their very nature are of particular importance if the enemy does not know that information about the presence and disposition of his forces has become known. If intelligence is discovered, then the enemy has many options for action that can reduce the value of the received data. These include changes to plans that have been compromised, reconsideration of modes of action or methods of use of force. Most importantly, if the adversary knows that certain information is available to the enemy, he can use this fact to spread disinformation or deliberate deception. Finally, the adversary can simply limit their activities and minimize losses. Operations can be undone or delayed, actions can be changed, and systems in non-secure modes can be restricted. These steps are costly and not always effective. The enemy loses the ability to selectively use intelligence protection tools when surveillance is carried out by submarine forces.
In addition to reconnaissance and surveillance, there are other operations, the success of which depends on the degree of secrecy. The build-up of submarine forces by moving more submarines into areas of potential conflict should go unnoticed. This allows the command to "deploy forces to the line of attack" covertly, preventing massive leakage of information about the location and nature of the operations being carried out. Another example of tasks where stealth is needed is tasks in support of special operations forces. Such forces, if detected, could be at great risk and their mission's success could be in doubt without support operations.
Penetration through enemy defenses
Movement under water significantly expands the ability of forces to penetrate enemy defenses and take up positions behind enemy lines. This interior position provides access to the most important targets, which are less protected than when they are outside the submarine's defensive perimeter. The position "inside the safe harbor" allows you to increase the potential for destruction. The fact that the penetration is carried out covertly without a breakthrough provides several short-lived advantages:- more ammunition remains on board for use against the enemy immediately after taking a position;
- more objects are not ready to attack, therefore they are more vulnerable;
- more flexibility for the US political leadership, which does not need to take urgent action in advance and can expect greater and faster effect from submarines that have already penetrated enemy defenses.
Grieder later wrote: "... a submarine, as you know, is a deep-sea ship that needs spacious oceans and a large supply of depth under the keel in order to operate. And ports are often dangerous, at best unpredictable, even if they are piloted by experienced pilots equipped with the most up-to-date information about the situation. It was complete madness for Wahoo to dive and enter the harbor of the enemy, even the location of which on the map was unknown to us. " When they were inside, and suddenly a destroyer was spotted, one sailor joked: "That's how they scouted the harbor! Let's get out of here." To which Morton replied, "God, no. We're going to go and blow him up. We'll take him by surprise. He's not waiting here for a submarine attack." As a result, Wahoo sank the Japanese destroyer Harusame and left the harbor. The next day, Wahoo sank all four ships of the convoy bound for Wiwak. Clay Blair, in a book about the history of the war of American submarines in the Pacific - "Quiet Victory" - writes that "this campaign, one of the most famous in the history of the war, became a new example for the entire submarine fleet - a kick in the ass."
In the Atlantic Ocean, in September of that year, the United Kingdom provided another example of covert penetration through defenses to very important targets. Three mini-submarines of the X-Craft type were delivered by submarines to Northern Norway to penetrate the fjord and attack the German battleship Tirpitz in September 1943 at the "holding point". The mini-submarines penetrated minefields and anti-submarine nets and avoided detection by anti-submarine forces of the Kaafjord fjord in Norway long enough to have time to place at least four two-ton charges under the Tirpitz hull, the explosion of which created a hole that resulted in the admission of 1400 tons of water into the hull, putting the battleship out of action for six months. X5 was lost with all her crew, while X6 and X7 were attacked and their crews were captured.
In a similar operation on the night of December 6, 1941, the Japanese prepared five midget submarines, which were towed to Hawaii to take part in the attack on Pearl Harbor. At least one of these submarines managed to penetrate the inner harbor and fire two 2,100-pound torpedoes at the battleships Oklahoma and West Virginia. Oklahoma is upside down. After transmitting the message "task completed" on the night of December 7-8, the midget submarine was sunk by its crew in West Loch Bay and was not discovered until 1944, when the US Navy rescuers cleared the wreckage from the shipping channel, but even then the wreckage was safely disposed of to the mouth of the channel, where they would have been completely lost until they were rediscovered in 2009.
The examples cited emphasize that success depends on the courage of sailors who are able to penetrate enemy defenses in order to gain access to the most important targets. In addition, these examples show other salient features such as surprise and survivability.
suddenness
Surprise - the ability to attack the enemy at his own choice, at his own choice of time and place, which provides a number of tremendous advantages, each of which enhances the effect of the attack. First, the underwater attacker can choose the attack conditions that best suit the circumstances. The attack may be performed immediately or may be delayed for various reasons.During the Falklands Campaign, the Conqueror boat secretly maneuvered not far from the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano all day, waiting for permission from the British headquarters to attack. In contrast, during the same campaign, when a detected target was classified as a submarine, the attack was carried out immediately because the contact with the submarine is so uncertain and fleeting that time cannot be wasted. None of these urgent attacks against the suspected U-boats were successful. The attack can be delayed by the submarine for maneuver to get into the optimal position to inflict maximum damage on the enemy and minimize the chance of a counterattack.
The second advantage of a surprise attack is that attacks can be launched at a time when the target is not fully ready, which provides a greater chance of dealing maximum damage. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was timed to coincide with the U.S. fleet's lowest alert period, increasing the likelihood of more damage to the target with fewer attackers' military casualties.
A third advantage of surprise is that it creates chaos, an effect that can lead to second-order damage such as collisions, reducing the effectiveness of defenses. It is difficult to expect orderly and systematic responses when the threat of a continuation of the attack remains, and thus the effectiveness of the counterattack is reduced. Surprise is one of the best tools of submarine warfare.
Vitality
The submerged position allows submarines to move undetected, maintaining the uncertainty of being in vast areas and significantly complicating the task of the enemy who seeks to detect them. The submerged position creates the effect of "protecting" submarines from attack without the need for any significant degree of defensive weapons. Which allows you to place more offensive weapons on board. In addition, the depth makes it much more difficult to assess the combat damage caused by the enemy. For example, an attack can be made on a suspected submarine and, when no submarine is later found, the attack is considered successful. An undamaged, but still vulnerable to attack, boat can get away, and the fact that its location and condition is unknown will protect it from a subsequent attack.Our SSBNs rely on depth protection and on their survivability, which allows them to provide a "guaranteed response" even after the first enemy strike. Survivability is the combined result of stealth and the use of vast expanses of ocean to make search forces as difficult as possible.
In addition to stealth and constant change of position, allowing the enemy to search the entire ocean area, submarine forces use defense systems, take countermeasures to reduce the likelihood of damage from an enemy attack. Impact protection, repair and restoration work, redundant mechanisms and a robust design make the submarine more tenacious.
The uncertainty of what is happening
The last benefit of depth, while not widely recognized, is in many ways one of the most important benefits. The fact that the ocean is an opaque medium makes it difficult to understand what is happening underwater; this obvious fact has far-reaching implications that distinguish aquatic environment from the air or even from what happens on the surface of the sea. In the air and on the surface with the naked eye, a person is able to detect distant targets, which means that even inexperienced opponents can control these spaces. Not only are targets visible, they can be quickly identified and tracked with sufficient accuracy to make the right decisions. The contrast with the underwater environment is simply depressing.Under water, only those who can skillfully use the most high-tech, specialized and expensive devices can detect the enemy. Even when detected, they often have vague, fuzzy data that does not allow the target to be classified, only giving a vague idea of \u200b\u200bthe direction of its movement or place, which does not allow for immediate action.
Even when it is clear that "something" has happened or is happening, it is not easy to say exactly what, because the cause is hidden in the depths. This complexity and ambiguity has a significant impact on those who depend on the underwater environment. It complicates the work of the fishermen, who must decide where to cast their nets. The depth hides what happened to the Scorpion submarine and Air France Airbus. It allows drug smugglers to sink cargo in the full confidence that they will drown with it and no evidence of their guilt will be found. The uncertainty of the underwater environment led to a significant consumption of anti-submarine munitions used by the British Armed Forces against unidentified underwater targets during the Falklands War.
On March 26, 2010, a midget North Korean submarine torpedoed the South Korean frigate Cheonan in the Yellow Sea, which broke in two and sank, taking 46 sailors into the abyss. North Korea denied the attack. During the salvage work, which lasted several weeks, a ship and the tail section of a torpedo of the type that was used were discovered and raised to the surface. North Korea. A multinational panel of technical experts processed all available information and provided an official report, concluding with certainty that a North Korean torpedo attack was the cause of the sinking of the frigate. Due to the uncertainty of the underwater environment, despite all the technical analysis and weeks of work by dozens of experts, the media in the United States and other countries still do not report an attack.
The uncertainty of what is happening can be used to create the impression that the submarine forces are not where they really are, to present disasters as the result of accidents or natural factors, rather than hostile actions, in order to distract, disrupt or delay the actions of the enemy. Each of these actions tends to disperse or divert the attention of the enemy, reducing the effectiveness of his actions and causing alarm.
Scapa Flow, October 1939
The first months of the war provide us with an example illustrating all the advantages of submarine action applied in a single operation, which is sometimes called the most famous German U-boat attack.In order to reaffirm the belief that Germany could get the better of the Royal Navy and weaken the British blockade, Karl Doenitz and his staff developed a daring plan of attack, involving the penetration of a German submarine into the main port of the British fleet of Scapa Flow and attacking any targets that might be on raid. (During World War I, two German U-boats were lost attempting such an operation.) Careful staff and reconnaissance work revealed potential weak points in the defenses: fifty-foot-wide gaps between the guardhouse and the underwater nets guarding all approaches to the anchorages. The favorable phase of the moon and the tidal cycle created a narrow "window" on the night of 13/14 October.
Günter Prien, a former merchant marine and Doenitz's best commander, was selected for the task and called to headquarters to study the plan over Saturday and Sunday and tell Doenitz if he could do it. When the commander confirmed the possibility of implementation, the plan was called "Operation P". By updating the codes of the cipher machine, in complete secrecy from anyone not involved with the operation, U-47 plunged into Keele on 8 October, bound for the northern tip of Scotland. U-47 crossed the North Sea on the surface at night, resting on the bottom during the day (undetected operations). After an unnoticed crossing, U-47 surfaced on the night of October 13 at 2331 with the aim of entering the Kirk Canal. After one unsuccessful attempt, Prien nevertheless penetrated the gap in the protective barrier of the firewall and entered the Scapa Flow (penetration through the defense) unnoticed.
Prien located the battleship Royal Oak at anchor with the tender Pegasus and attacked each ship with two torpedoes from a distance of 3500 meters. The attack was carried out quite suddenly on an unprotected target (surprise attack). One torpedo failed, two missed, and one exploded in the bow of the Oak Royal. The crew of the battleship and the admiral could not even think that the cause of the explosion was a torpedo attack, and that they were all under threat. No order was given to turn on the GAS or to pressurize the compartments of the ship (ambiguity and uncertainty). Prien took advantage of this uncertainty and, seeing no sign of detection, used the reload time of the torpedo tubes to get into position to make another attack. He fired three torpedoes from the bow torpedo tubes at Oak Royal. All three torpedoes hit the battleship's starboard side, causing it to capsize 13 minutes later, killing more than 800 of the 1,200 crew on board. Undetected due to chaos, U-47 left Scapa Flow at 0215 hours and headed back to Wilhelmshaven, where glory awaited the heroes.
Clay Blair in Hitler's Submarine War wrote that "the feat at Scapa Flow certainly attracted Hitler's attention and firmly planted in his mind and in all German minds the fact that one cheap submarine with a crew of only forty-four people could sink a huge a battleship with a crew of 1,200. From this it was not difficult to deduce what a massacre the huge fleet of submarines could arrange for the lightly armed vessels of the British merchant marine. Thus, the idea that Germany could defeat Britain at sea with the help of submarines received a "green light ". The prolonged "echo" of Scapa Flow was undoubtedly into the hands of the submarine forces.
Depth provides a wide range of military advantages that can be exploited by submarine forces. These advantages can be realized in separate operations, as in the example of Wahoo's penetration of Wiwak Harbor, or they can be combined with the activities of other forces and arms to achieve maximum success, as was the case with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Failure to properly integrate with the actions of other forces can reduce the effectiveness of underwater operations. On October 8, the day Prien left the base, the British fleet left Scapa Flow to intercept the heavy cruiser Gneisenau, which had been spotted in the North Sea, heading for a raid in the Atlantic. Gneisenau did not break through and returned to Kiel, and the fleet of the mother country was for a short time anchored off the coast of Scotland in Loch Ives. The Luftwaffe, unaware of Prien's mission, made a low reconnaissance of Scapa Flow on 12 October two days before the arrival of U-47, and this was seen by the British as a prelude to the bombing. As a result most of The Royal Navy remained in Scotland, and only the flagship Royal Oak returned to Scapa Flow. If this planning error had not occurred, Scapa Flow would most likely have been overrun with ships (at least four battleships and aircraft carriers) and the damage caused by Prien could have been even worse.
Joint strategy
In general, the role of our submarine forces is to use depth to gain advantages over the enemy. These advantages can be used in the common interest of the active forces to achieve any specific operational and strategic goals.Our joint maritime strategy emphasizes six "key conditions" that the US Navy must work together to deliver: forward presence, maritime security, maritime control, force projection, deterrence, and humanitarian aid/disaster relief. While the Joint Maritime Strategy is a relatively new idea, these key messages are well known and are for the most part the same as they were in the late 1970s when the ideas of "outcome-based" operations were first developed. Submarines make a valuable contribution to each of these key provisions naval forces.
Forward Presence
Refers to the continued presence of U.S. naval forces in outlying operational areas, the speed with which they can be deployed in emergencies. Forward presence allows participation in exercises and operations with US allies, which contributes to American interests in the regions. If the US Navy does not ensure the continued presence of significant contingents of our troops on the front lines, then the vast distances that must be covered if necessary will delay the arrival of our troops. This delay can be easily exploited by a potential adversary, so the need for a forward presence becomes an important element in guaranteeing our security. As will be discussed below, submarine forces in particular use forward presence to secure key positions, carry out missions undetected and for the purpose of intimidation.Maritime security
These are the steps needed to ensure the day-to-day security of the ongoing maritime trade of the US and its allies on a day-to-day basis. Security is the result of the collective efforts of navies, intelligence organizations, law enforcement, allies and the government. Protection against terrorism and against use sea vessels used in the terrorism support system are key elements of maritime security, anti-drug operations and other areas of assistance to law enforcement agencies. The submarine force provides a significant contribution to intelligence and surveillance that assists the core activities of other US government maritime security forces, our allies and friends."Marine Control"
The ability of one state to use the sea for its own purposes, while limiting the ability of opponents to do the same. "Sea restriction" is a subspecies of sea control, when the ability of the enemy to use the sea is usually limited, but it is not possible to fully use the sea itself. "Maritime dominance" is a broader term than maritime control and refers to secure and sustained control of the sea in large areas. "Naval supremacy" is maritime control over a specific geographical area of the sea for certain period time. Submarine forces are the main in providing "Sea Limit", but since the submarine forces themselves have limited opportunities, in full, by providing such a limitation, as a rule, it is understood that the General Naval Forces ensure the possibility of further maintaining and developing the positive effect of the "Naval limitation".Force projection
Refers to the use of maritime forces to provide support ashore, including offensive operations(for example, participation in an air-missile strike) or amphibious operations. Submarine forces carry on board about a third of the Navy's strike missiles, but their strike power is limited compared to aviation or the naval expeditionary force, the possibility of application. The real significance of an underwater strike lies in its surprise from positions that are optimal for certain priority tasks. This "little or unannounced" context greatly increases the value of the military force involved and can play a role in achieving the goals of the general forces by providing them with subsequent access to the theater of operations.containment
Deterrence includes more than just nuclear deterrence, which is provided in the Navy exclusively by ballistic missile submarines. Deterrence operates day after day, forcing other states not to take actions contrary to US interests due to a clear threat. The response goes far beyond the use of military force. Submarine forces greatly increase the threat of the use of force by the United States, so the US Navy does not have to be visible to keep the enemy at gunpoint. This creates a deterrent effect, even if there is no open show of force. Below, we note that combat readiness is a key element of effective deterrence.Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR)
Usually conjures up images of helicopters assisting earthquake victims and rescuing sailors in distress. Indeed, this is the most significant and well-known part of the naval forces' efforts in HADR. The U.S. Submarine Force's HADR contribution is much narrower, highly specialized, but sufficient when a submarine rescue or underwater search is needed. The US Submarine Force is doing its share of the image of the United States as a "global force for good" by providing specialized rescue submarines and underwater search capabilities. Other countries do not need to develop their own capabilities in this direction, because they can rely on us in case of need. The international cooperation that we practice by working with other countries to be prepared for potential underwater emergencies also acts as a basis for other areas of cooperation.Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
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The oceans are full of mysteries, and this gives us the opportunity to dream and fantasize. It takes about 70 % our planet, and only 5 % body of water have been studied. This means that many secrets are hidden under the water shell of the Earth, which have not yet been discovered.
website collected 10 amazing objects found underwater. But this is just a drop in the ocean. We cannot even imagine what awaits us in the water depths.
Great Blue Hole, Belize
Per last years as a result of the movement of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, the distance between them has increased significantly. This impressive phenomenon can be seen both on land and diving deep under water. The phenomenon has been captured by several underwater photographers.
marine biologist Alexander Mustard noted that visitors can be very surprised by the crystal clear water and enchanting views. The plate movement speed is about 2.5 cm per year.
Ancient city of Heraklion, Egypt
Once upon a time in Zhejiang Province, there was a mysterious city called Shichen. His mystery was that one day he simply disappeared. As it turned out later, the valley in which the city was located was turned into an artificial reservoir for the construction of a new hydroelectric power station. The government had to relocate 290 thousand people. A dam was built on the territory of the city, as a result of which Shichen ended up at the bottom of the lake.
It's hard to believe, but after more than half a century, the wooden beams and stairs of the city are in good condition, as if time flows in it somehow differently.
Underwater sculpture park
The unique museum was created by an English sculptor Jason Taylor. It is located at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, not far from the coast of Grenada. The first exhibits were sunk to the seabed in 2006.
To date, the museum has more than 65 exhibits, the collection of which is replenished annually. This project benefits not only as a cultural site, but also as an important part of the wildlife ecosystem.
"Black smokers" at the bottom of the ocean
The menu of sailors on a submarine has always been almost Michelin-starred: in their galleys you can find canned food with pork tongues in jelly, duck and turkey meat, ham, red caviar, cod liver, sprats, saury or pink salmon.
The main lunch dishes - meat, stews, vegetables - are made from products in packaging made of lamister material, this kind of aluminum lacquered foil. For breakfast and dinner, there are also special mixes - dry egg "Omelet", for pancakes with powdered milk. Potatoes, vegetables and fruits, fruit and berry compotes for submarines are pasteurized with the biologically active substance "Super Nisolact". It brings the production of canned food closer to the life processes occurring in nature, and eliminates the use of harmful chemical substances.
So take care of the healthy diet of submariners - pressing need, and not that it is the naval authorities that are distinguished by special philanthropy. Lack of natural light and fresh air, closed space leads to digestive disorders - appetite decreases, and then performance. The limited movement also plays a role: if the calorie content of the products is not correctly calculated, the personnel can easily approach Shrek's constitution.
In total, the range of food products for divers includes about 135 items: there are freeze-dried apricots and strawberries, honey and jam - sometimes even pink or walnuts. In autonomous swimming, everyone is entitled to 50 grams of dry red wine, like Cabernet, because it removes radionuclides from the body.
Ration in the hands of sailors is given chocolate and roach. Why roach, if under wine? They say that when they planned how to support the forces of submariners - beer or wine, opinions were divided. Still, they settled on wine, but they forgot to remove the roach from the ration. The official version says that sailors love roach, especially when rolling, as it reduces unfavorable health during seasickness.
Bread deserves special mention - it is also canned. Previously, loaves were alcoholized for long-term storage. The cook pierced it with a knife, soaked it with water and placed it in the oven. Alcohol along with water evaporated, resulting in fresh hot bread. Now bread is preserved with heat - no matter how it sounds, but this is a healthier way to preserve it for a long time than alcohol sterilization.
Finally, underwater nutrition has two more outstanding moments. Firstly, it is by food that sailors determine whether it is morning, afternoon or evening. Secondly, three shifts work in turn per day, so the cooks need to be set and cleared from the tables endlessly - as if they were serving the endless crazy tea party of Alice from Wonderland.
Anyone who has read any kind of science fiction has at one time or another thought about how wonderful it would be to live in strange habitats, such as underwater. Over the past half century, people have tried to make this fantasy come true, and surprisingly, many of them have succeeded. If you're willing to shell out a pretty tidy sum and don't mind living next door to one or two tiger sharks, there are several ways you can actually live in the sea.
10 Sub-Biosphere
Photography: Phil Pauley
One of the most ambitious attempts to create an underwater home is the brainchild of a man named Phil Pauley. The Sub-Biosphere is essentially what you would think of based on its name, and the project to create it is the closest to building an underwater city of any project currently under development. While the Sub-Biosphere is not yet a functioning habitation, the concept art and blueprints are enough to make any of us want to descend into the salty depths and spend an extended period of time underwater.
The Sub-Biosphere is comprised of several floors in capsules, each of which will be able to accommodate up to 100 inhabitants. Poly envisions an underwater city that will be completely self-sufficient and include areas for growing crops and generating its own electricity. Whether or not the Sub-Biosphere will ever be built remains to be seen, but Pauley continues to work tirelessly on the logistics and funding to get construction going, as well as, coincidentally, on an artwork based on the concept of an underwater city.
9. "Conshelf" (Conshelf)
How can anyone ever even mention the idea of life underwater without remembering the one and only Jacques Cousteau? The most famous water expert in history has successfully created underwater housing and research facilities. Unlike something like the Sub-Biosphere, the Conshelf project was not designed for long-term habitation, despite having most of the comforts of a house contained in a giant metal drum. The Conshelf project has now gone through three iterations, and Conshelf III has already been home to six explorers who have lived underwater for nearly a month.
The idea came to life in 1962, when Conshelf I was 10 meters below the surface of the Mediterranean off the coast of Marseille. A small, cramped room, technically called Diogenes, housed a couple of scientists for a week. It was equipped with a library, television and radio, and was used as a research station to study marine life. Shortly after the success of the Conshelf I experiment, the Conshelf II was launched. It was equipped with even more fantastic amenities, such as a garage, an aquarium, and another research facility located deeper into the sea, this time five people lived in the premises for a month. Finally, the most ambitious project was Conshelf III, located at an incredible depth of 100 meters from the surface of the water.
8. Underwater laboratory La Chalupa "La Chalupa Research Lab" / Hotel under water (Jules Undersea Lodge)
Photo: Jules Undersea Lodge
What was originally the La Chalupa Underwater Laboratory, a facility essentially run by Taco Bell, became an underwater hotel after the facility had exhausted its usefulness as a station at which marine life was studied off the coast of Puerto Rico. . The facility was especially popular with celebrities as it was a research station converted into a sort of underwater hotel.
The structure is completely submerged and is located at the bottom of the lagoon. It is controlled by a ground-based control center. Visitors enter the hotel with the help of an underwater port that takes them to the center of the facility. The hotel has two bedrooms and a common living area, which even has air conditioning, because the bottom of the sea is apparently not as cold as it is shown in the films. The lounge is equipped with a TV and DVD player, as well as a telephone. Each of the bedrooms also has giant glass portholes allowing curious divers to watch you while you sleep, so this hotel is definitely not for the shy.
7. Galathee Underwater Lab / SeaOrbiter Project
Photo: Jacques Rougerie
The SeaOrbiter is a concept for a fully mobile, mostly underwater research and exploration facility. It's kind of underwater spaceship, drifting around the world to make it easier to explore the ocean and the animals that live in its depths. The Galatea Underwater Laboratory, discovered by Jacques Rougerie in 1977, was the inspiration for this project. It was an underwater habitat designed specifically to minimize interference with the peace of the sea world. It could be placed at any depth from 9 to 60 meters below the surface of the ocean.
Just like the space stations on which it was based, Sea Orbiter allows for long-term sea travel around the world, which can take approximately 20 people at a time. Project leaders plan to develop underwater vehicles that would allow them to explore depths up to 6,000 meters from the ocean surface. The Sea Orbiter could also potentially be used to help train astronauts. The increased pressure and isolation are similar to the conditions that astronauts will have to face in outer space. The COrbiter project is actively seeking funding, and so far the creators have collected only 45 percent of the required amount.
6. Sealab (SEALAB)
One of the first attempts to allow people to live below the surface of the ocean was the Sealab project. No, Selab is not the cartoon you watch late at night while eating research labs ordered from Taco Bell. Like Conshelf, the Silab project also went through three phases. The first Sealab was launched off the coast of Bermuda in 1964, but was cut off by an approaching storm.
The Sealab II was launched in 1965 and was equipped with amenities that the Sealab I did not have, such as hot running water and a refrigerator. The length of this underwater laboratory reached 17 meters, and it could dive 62 meters under water. Teams of divers lived on board the Sealab in shifts, with each team living on board for at least two weeks at a time. Among those who lived on Sealab was Scott Carpenter, who gained fame as one of the Mercury 7 astronauts. Carpenter made an underwater call to fellow Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper, who was then orbiting Earth in the Gemini space capsule, because astronauts are poseurs.
The Sealab III was launched in 1969 off the coast of California, but the project ended in tragedy when the ship began to leak and an unsuccessful repair attempt resulted in the death of "aquanaut" Berry Cannon.
5. Aquarius
If you happen to be a student at Florida International University, you may be given access to one of the world's last remaining underwater research facilities, aptly named the Aquarius. For periods of up to 10 days at a time, researchers swim in the Aquarius to study marine life off the coast of the Florida Keys. The metal cocoon can withstand water pressure up to 37 meters below the ocean's surface and can accommodate up to six people at a time.
Inside the Aquarius is a fully equipped apartment that includes refrigerators, air conditioning, showers, toilets, a microwave and even internet access. Most recently, last November, a group of Florida International University undergraduate marine researchers spent a week living and researching aboard the Aquarius. University tuition is likely much cheaper than staying in a commercial underwater hotel, making Aquarius a prime target for ocean lovers on a budget.
4. Tektite
In 1969, the United States government funded a project called Tektit, named after meteors that crash into the ocean and fall to the bottom. Project Tektit consisted of four aquanauts who lived in a submerged station from February to April 1969, and its purpose was to prepare astronauts for long stays in space.
The second incarnation of the Tektit project was launched in 1970 and included 11 different missions, allowing 53 aquanauts to spend 2-3 weeks submerged in the underwater world. Tektit itself looked more or less like a pair of giant metal tanks. They housed the crew's quarters and the control room connected to the bridge, plus a common room for research. The apartments provided the comforts of home, with radios and televisions, as well as beds and an almost fully equipped kitchen. Although it no longer functions as a research lab, you can still view the underwater house at the Tektite Museum.
3. Hydrolab (Hydrolab)
For years, hundreds of researchers have used the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's HydroLab as a base for scientific research Atlantic Ocean. The hydrolab, located off the coast of the US Virgin Islands (Virgin Islands), allowed scientists to work for several weeks at a time on the ocean floor, and its board could comfortably accommodate up to four scientists.
The laboratory itself was rather small and cramped, its length was only 5 meters, height 2.5 meters and it could dive to a depth of 40 meters. While it was a less-than-ideal environment for claustrophobic people, it was equipped with running water, electricity, and sleeping quarters, along with large viewing ports to view the surrounding underwater world. After being in operation for more than a decade, the Hydrolab was decommissioned in 1986, but it can still be viewed at the Museum of Natural History.
2. Atlantic (Atlantica)
Dennis Chamberland is a bit of a dreamer, but he is one of the rare kind of dreamers who actually make their dreams come true. This is probably helped by the fact that he is an engineer at NASA, and among his tasks are attempts to make it possible for people to live, both under water and in space. At the center of his plans is an expedition to the Atlantic, which is his very real and very serious attempt to create a real underwater city.
Chamberland has already built an underwater home designed for two people, but his ultimate goal is to create a vast society that will allow people to stay at the bottom of the ocean almost indefinitely. According to his plans, the Atlantic should be something like a housing estate area in addition to being a research and development center. When asked about life in the community he proposed, he describes incredible scenarios, as if taken from the Jetsons cartoon series, in which people jump into their submarines to go to the movies.
1. Houseboat "H2OME"
Photo: US Submarine Structures
While most underwater homes are out of reach for those who are not marine scientists or are willing to wait until the next decade to raise enough funds, there is another option. For the low price of just $10 million, you can own your very own luxury underwater home, or rather the H2OME houseboat. The same people who built one of the world's most famous underwater hotels, the Poseidon, are now offering custom-made underwater homes.
A company called U.S. Underwater Structures appears to be trying to monopolize the underwater property market. Their website lists underwater casinos and restaurants, in addition to fully finished houses, and a range of underwater features. They boast that their houses maintain the same pressure as the surface, meaning you never get wet on your way to the stairs or the elevator. The houses consist of two floors, with a couple of bedrooms, lounges, and absolutely everything you could ever want in your home, which is perfect for the aspiring villains of the world who have come out of the Bond series screens.