October 22, the British nuclear submarine suddenly the latest alert the Isle of Skye in the north-west coast of Scotland ran aground. No. The really smart people stranded surprise, this time less than two months away from their service, and stranded sea is well known around the shallows, so the reason behind the accident is complicated and confusing. But the truth, no matter how, this accident shows once again the further decline of the British navy.

The tail of the most sensitive exposed pump jet propulsion system

October 22, 2010 7 am local time, live in the Isle of Skye in northwest Scotland, the inhabitants of the coast was surprised to find, in less than a kilometer away from where they are, actually there is a submarine stuck in the offshore sediment. The time of the incident is at a low ebb, the United Kingdom Maritime and Coast Guard tug of emergency can not be sent to deal with the accident out of the submarine. A spokesman for the British Ministry of Defense had confirmed to the press, the British “smart” nuclear submarine in their own doorstep – the Scottish sea trial runs aground. Britain spent £ 1.2 billion to build the “world’s best covert performance,” the nuclear submarine, in service after less than two months to resort to this unique showing as in the public eye, the most sensitive part of the rear pump jet ─ ─ propulsion system is also exposed due to grounding, it embarrassed the British naval authorities.

Royal Navy spokesman said this was not a nuclear safety incident, no injuries, no signs of causing damage to the environment, submarines no water, no boat loaded weapons. Since no danger of a large number of people also come to visit around, and even opened a travel company group travel lanes, with a boat carrying guests to the waters of the incident, a closer look at “smart” number. Tide until about 18 o’clock the evening after the “smart” number was only rescue tug, towed to deep waters. In deep water, divers will check the “Smart Road” hit the ground the boat is part of rudder was damaged. It is expected to take several days to return the naval base in Scotland.

HMS Astute, boat No. S119 is a British new generation of “smart” first-class attack submarine boat. Basic performance data: displacement (underwater / surface) 7200 tons / 6500 tons, captain 97 meters, 10.7 meters wide and the boat a draft of 10 meters; active force for the Block 1 produced by Rolls-Royce PWR +2 PWR2 type GEC steam turbine, reserve power for the 2 sets produced 600 kW MTU diesel engines + propulsion motor, single axle, pump jet propulsion; underwater maximum speed over 29. Standard preparation of 98 people (including 12 officers). Weapons and equipment, including six 533mm bow torpedo tubes can launch the “tiger fish” and “Swordfish” wire-guided anti-ship anti-submarine torpedoes, “Harpoon” anti-ship missiles and “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, a total of Beitan 38. March 1997, the British Ministry of Defense and GEC-Marconi has signed contracts to two billion pounds ordered three “smart” class attack submarine. The first system of the boat, “smart” in between January 31, 2001 started June 8, 2007 launched, August 27, 2010 officially enter service. Is still in sea trials, is expected to begin next year to combat missions.

Sonar detection capacity of 3,000 nautical miles

“Alert” level is the British Navy to replace “fast” class and “Trafalgar” nuclear submarine was developed, using a large number of the latest and most advanced submarine technology, the British Ministry of Defense called the “Swiss Army knife underwater,” such as : all kinds of active and passive noise reduction measures to make the submarine navigation noise “than a small whale”; 25 years do not change the long-life reactor fuel; detection capability of 3,000 nautical miles super sonar; range of 2000 kilometers of the “Tomahawk “Block IV cruise missile submarine; operations in shallow waters and underwater reconnaissance. In addition, the “alert” level than the “Trafalgar” class displacement increased by 40%, while staffing has decreased by a quarter, indicating that a relatively large level of automation increased. “Astute” class submarine design ideas far from the sea during the Cold War emphasis on operations, ability to turn both anti-submarine ship and offshore deep-sea combat capability, focusing on the development of land attack capabilities, ISR capabilities and special operations.

British designers have been depleted of submarine

British Ministry of Defense repeatedly emphasized that “alert” level of advanced features, of course, not only for her courage or demonstrations to other countries, but also to prove that the expensive submarine is value for money. But in fact, in the “alert” sign before the start, the United Kingdom has almost a decade without a nuclear attack submarines ever built (the last one, “Trafalgar” class service in 1991.) After 1991, although the avant-garde still slow class ballistic missile submarine construction, but the whole industry has been gradually shrinking the British nuclear submarine, design and research of basic pause, engage in nuclear submarine design, research and construction experts, engineers, an increased loss of skilled workers. So to the late 90′s “smart” class launched, the British have a lot of technical assistance through the United States. General Dynamics Electric Boat Division sent a specialized ship designers and engineers from the team to Britain to help carry out the preliminary design of the alert level. However, due to lack of technical capacity and management failures, delays in the construction schedule, and construction cost overruns again, the British government had to directly intervene in the construction process many times.

The final construction cost of the first three boats to reach 3.6 billion pounds, the first boat of the construction progress than originally planned 43 months delay, but advanced powerful “smart” was also finally served for. Results serving less than two months to a such a low-level incidents, the Royal Navy can be described as lost face. And the day before the accident is the most important Royal Navy ─ ─ Trafalgar Day anniversary. 205 years ago October 21, Admiral Nelson led the Royal Navy over the law, the West combined fleet, from laying more than a century of British maritime supremacy and global hegemony.

Scale back the night the Navy 500 years ago

British Navy is the bad news recently been awesome. October 19, British Prime Minister Cameron released new version of “strategic defense and security assessment report,” announced the next 4 years, 8% of the national defense budget cuts. One naval disarmament thousand people (there were three million people a); reduced by half the number of existing ships, destroyers and frigates from 24 to 19 ships, Royal Navy 500 years ago, the night back to the period of Henry VIII’s navy size; Royal Navy is currently the only fixed-wing aircraft capable of carrying the “Ark Royal” aircraft carrier will be immediately retired (originally planned to retire in 2014), “Harrier” type aircraft will be grounded; future strategic nuclear submarine missile launchers from the original number of 12 reduced to 8 (per ship “avant garde” level is 16). “Shrink”, the British naval fleet size and the Italian Navy equivalent, and only half of the French Navy. Depressed by a British admiral, said: “This significant reduction in the government, a serious national security crisis might lead us to die.” In particular, ironically, the accident a rescue tug to take the British Government to reduce military spending because of the early retirement next year.

British people always say, the enemy of Labour Department of Defense, now the Conservative government came to power as the Defense Department “under hand”, it is quite upset. Fiscal year 2009, the British government’s fiscal deficit reached a record high after World War II 145.4 billion pounds, while the 2010 fiscal year is expected to hit a new high to reach 175 billion pounds, accounting for about 13% of GDP, the level of the Greek government with the very brink of bankruptcy. At the same time, the British national debt has exceeded 60% of GDP. If we do not control spending, reduce the deficit, the United Kingdom will be possible to further Greece’s lead. Relative to other public sector spending cuts of 20% strength, the British Government Department of Defense is already enough to be gracious.

British Navy did not play desperate measure

This is precisely why this “smart” was an accident came to light, it was suspected that the British Navy as “desperate measure” to warn the British Government to reduce defense spending will result in serious consequences. I have not accepted this view. In fact, this is not the first time the British nuclear submarine accident similar, only the last decade has had six serious incidents since the exposure:

November 19, 2000, “Trafalgar” class SSN “Triumph” No. 2.6 sea miles in the west coast of Scotland outside the area and the submarine collision, causing the accident due to “bad navigation”;

November 29, 2000, “avant garde” class SSBN “Victorious” in the Clyde naval base ran aground off course, cause of the accident was “manipulation mistakes.”

November 6, 2002, “Trafalgar” class SSN “Trafalgar” No exercise in the waters around the Isle of Skye when the rocks, leading to starboard crack spot hit the submarine was forced to run aground, three crew were injured. Cause of the incident is on charts draftsman Mongolia scanning of paper covered with a translucent, so the original clear blurred illegible charts. Results inexperienced trainee submarine commander misread the position where the submarine, depth, seabed and ocean current velocity profiles and other parameters, made the wrong judgments.

May 13, 2003, “Trafalgar” class SSN “Tireless” iceberg collision number and cause of the accident was “the crew to focus on tactical training and failed to notice the iceberg.”

May 25, 2008, the “fast” class SSN “Superb” No. submarine hit rocks in the Red Sea, resulting in 9 people were injured, sonar equipment was damaged, submerged submarine can not continue. Cause of the accident is the navigator failed to find marked on the underwater rock charts.

February 16, 2009, “avant garde” class SSBN “Vanguard” No. No. SSBN France Triumph collided in the Atlantic, cause of the accident is unknown.

The lack of training in the British Navy submarine

If it is not intended to conceal the British navy, the vast majority of these incidents are by the very low-level caused by human error. As a Scottish anti-nuclear activists said the accident on the previous survey, these high-tech submarine’s crew was the lack of common sense and basic seamanship. British nuclear submarine in waters near the Isle of Skye repeat the mistakes of eight years ago, can not help but suspect that the British Navy there is a serious institutional problem. But fortunately, the accident only rudder submarine ran aground in the sand, the nearest and 200 yards of rock, the hull may not be severely damaged. Of course, all divers must wait until after that examination.

Britain has called the world’s most accurate Admiralty charts, but also what it is to their own territorial waters in the UK, the British ocean in front of their home mastery of hydrological conditions should be very familiar with the obvious. “Smart” was equipped with electronic charts should be able to give the submarine’s location in real time tidal height and flow dynamics, “smart” was also suitable for special operations in the shallow waters of the sonar device. In accordance with local residents saying, “smart” was stranded in shallow waters is well known, is the channel buoys show the dangerous waters, and even boats will not venture into. 7,200 tons of the giant ship stranded here, it is an incredible thing.

One month before the accident, “smart” submarine commander Andy Coles told BBC reporter said: “We have a new platform-type management system to control the submarine, with the traditional way by hand manipulation is completely different.” It appears that the submarine control software design defects or unskilled crew control of the system are caused by the possible reasons for strandings. And if the boat crew did not make any low-level error, the boat has all the normal hardware and software (such as the rudder or chart card no errors), the submarine was not suitable for venturing into such navigable waters adventure Is there any other The secret?

Department of Defense is difficult to convince people to explain

British Ministry of Defense said the incident occurred, “smart” was being taking advantage of the high tide shore transport staff exercises. The results are catching up with the tide, leading to stranding. Andy Coles is said to be the submarine commander decided not to use the submarine to its own power from the shallows, as this will cause damage to the submarine hull, in particular damage to the outer shell of the expensive anechoic tile laying. Here the word “shore transport personnel drill” will not be concerned with the special operations it? As we all know, there was a famous British naval squadron special boat, which is the British special reconnaissance element Marines, numbering about 400 people. Their usual task is to check from the UK to Iceland underwater submarine detection system and the working conditions of the North Sea oil to defend against terrorist attacks. War mainly from the water or air into and carry out reconnaissance, sabotage, seize key points of the task, particularly responsible for intelligence gathering and pre-amphibious beach reconnaissance. SBS was originally equipped with the “Spartans” was special submarine was decommissioned in February 2006, will switch to “smart” class nuclear submarines to carry divers delivery system – Mk VIII mini submarine, the future will be better combat performance facelift The new “combat submersible boat in shallow water.”

However, in the accident, we have not seen a trace of small submersibles. And submarines from the coast also is too close, even special operations dive using underwater breathing apparatus seems to be no need to cross the submarine adventure open to a few hundred meters from the coast. We are still patiently waiting for the British Government explain.

It now appears that analysis of the accident, the British Navy with its most expensive equipment to play desperate measure is unlikely, and Department of Defense, the explanation given – “special forces exercise,” one that is difficult to convince people, the most possible reason is that the training of British naval personnel on a problem. This is also the British Navy in recent years, strandings and collisions occur several times cause of the accident.

No matter what the final findings, the accident is once again reflects the further decline of the British navy. Indeed, the British Navy has already ranks first among the world one hundred years without the strength, nor the 85 million people in 1945, a large scale. British Navy after World War II as a shrinking from global hegemony “regional fleet,” but remain considerable strength. 1982 Falklands War, the British Navy was also owns the 65 destroyers and frigates. After the Cold War, the United Kingdom to further reduce the overall strength. While trying to rebuild, “Global Fleet” to deal with regional conflicts triggered by local wars, but the actual purpose has evolved with the United States through a global strategy to achieve the UK’s national interests. After the Cold War the United States in every local war, the British are the most steadfast followers. Lack of independent British naval strategy and funding for the U.S. Navy already is a little helper, which will continue to extend in the future.

Tags: British Navy, HMS Astute