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| Science & Technology |
| Sidewinders for Anti-Aircraft Defense From Subs |
| 2006-02-10 |
| February 10, 2006: The U.S. has successfully tested an AIM9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile finding and hitting a target after being launched straight up from the ground. The 9X version of the Sidewinder has a much more sensitive heat seeker, as well as a wider arc the seeker can sense, making it capable of operating like this. The purpose of the test is to supply American submarines with an ability to take down aircraft, particularly helicopters, that are hunting them. U.S. nuclear attack subs have sensors that can detect a helicopter up there, but lack a weapon to respond with. Anti-submarine helicopters carry sensors (usually sonobuoys) that can get a more precise fix on a sub, and torpedoes, with which to destroy the sub below. The sub cannot outrun the helicopter. Actually, attempting to do that would just make more noise for the sonobuoys to pick up. Diving deeper won't work against the more modern torpedoes carried by helicopters. Thus the need for a weapon that can bring down the helicopter, before the sub takes a fatal torpedo hit. The anti-aircraft weapon would probably be in the form of a capsule released from a torpedo tube that, as it reached the surface, would release the Sidewinder missile. |
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| #16 I do remember seeing something about a missile container mounted on an extendable mast similiar to a periscope (or maybe even on the scope) that would hold the missile/s. That was the Soviet crew having a little fun. Turned out to be a tin can. I guess if you need to fire Tomahawks or Harpoons from a particular spot that's being observed by a helocopter it would make sense to shoot, sense the cruise missiles would give away your position regardless. For every day tho... I take my chance with the whirlybird looking. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-02-10 19:25 |
| #15 Too big and should be spent resources in a new HUMVV not in things that happen very rarely Littoral ops are going to make subs more vulnerable. More potential opponents are putting assets into ASW. Wouldn't want to be the one who has to explain why options weren't looked at while there was still time. And guess what - you can't replace a sub and its crew with a HUMVV. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-02-10 19:18 |
| #14 Too big and should be spent resources in a new HUMVV not in things that happen very rarely |
| Posted by: Grens Cherong3043 2006-02-10 18:08 |
| #13 too big |
| Posted by: Grens Cherong3043 2006-02-10 18:07 |
| #12 JFM: I was wondering that too. It would have to be something simalar to the mine that the US subs have. The mine is launched through the torpedo tubes and goes to a preprogramed area and then deploys. The sidewinder could be in a pod that moves a couple of miles away before launching since ASW by the helocopter takes hours anyway. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2006-02-10 17:11 |
| #11 Ok, so teh submarine kills the helicopter. Wahat happens next: the buoy launched by the helicopter has detected its position and will be radioing it to other helicopters in the zone. End result is one cheap helicopter and three men dead versus an expensive submarine and a hundred men dead. Providing anti-aircraft defence to submarines is a trick who was tried by the Germans in WWII and it didn't work. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-02-10 16:00 |
| #10 I do remember seeing something about a missile container mounted on an extendable mast similiar to a periscope (or maybe even on the scope) that would hold the missile/s. |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2006-02-10 15:49 |
| #9 And everything else in a 10 mile radius. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-02-10 14:33 |
| #8 Yeah, for the submarine too, overpressure would crush the hull. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2006-02-10 14:02 |
| #7 Launch a surplus Polaris and detonate it as it breaks the surface. A guaranteed kill. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-02-10 13:48 |
| #6 There was a proposal in the early 80s to mount sidewinders in a container on the outside of the sub. The container would be released and float to the surface to fire. |
| Posted by: Formerly Dan 2006-02-10 13:37 |
| #5 I seem to recall that they were working on something like this in the 1980's called the SLAM (submarine launched anti-aircraft missile). Anyone else remember that? |
| Posted by: Tibor 2006-02-10 12:50 |
| #4 Hmm... can something like this be used as sort of floating anti-aircraft missles for defense (without a sub....). Kind of like an mine for helos... Start planting these around the gulf stright.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-02-10 11:50 |
| #3 Maybe he could be an anemone - catching things that are hovering nearby? |
| Posted by: Grinese Whomoling1222 2006-02-10 11:38 |
| #2 No. |
| Posted by: Will Rogers 2006-02-10 11:23 |
| #1 Would the skipper become an ace if he brings down 5? |
| Posted by: IG-88 2006-02-10 10:46 |