Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 This is a topic I've been watching for a while, but, Apparently the PLAN is actually serious about making a supersonic submarine that can go from Shanghai to San Francisco in under 2 hours. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2734072/Shaghai-San-Francisco-100-minutes-China-reveals-plans-supersonic-submarine-using-underwater-bubble-help-swim-faster.html For those of you not aware, the Soviets have used supercavitating tech for high speed torpedoes in the past, but never for an entire Submarine (implying that it would want to carry something that's not a massive warhead) or, nearly this fast. They're claiming that you can hit a theoretical maximum speed of around 5,800km/h using said supercavitating methods and enough power, far, far faster then even the best Soviet torpedoes using this concept, which is breaking the sound barrier multiple times over. (In air mind you, the speed of sound in water is 5,800 km/h hence the top speed, but for the sake of not being confusing ill be referring to mach numbers in air at sea level which more people are familiar with.) Just a few observations. 1. There's no fucking way I'd ever ride this if they come to exist in the future, submarines are terrifying enough as it is. 2. While this does have obvious military applications, I genuinely think it could have commercial use for those who wouldn't wet themselves over such an idea (like me), maybe an alternative to planes for cross pacific travel if they ever get it working and scaled up for passenger use in the future, though I'm not sure that would be the most comfortable ride. 3. While I can't claim to be an expert on a supersonic submarine as I've..... well, never seen one before, one thing I imagine would really hinder it in a military scenario is the fact that it would have a massive acoustic signature, hydrophones and sonar are already advanced enough to identify ships and submarines by type from thousands of miles away, let alone one moving that goddamn fast. 4. While they've overcome alot of hurdles, this isn't expected to be something fully operational any time in the near future, so if you have massive balls, I hate to say you may have to wait some years. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 What kind of environmental damage would a supercavitating sub large enough to be commercially viable do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 What kind of environmental damage would a supercavitating sub large enough to be commercially viable do? That I.... Honestly have no idea on. need someone more specialized in marine biology for that one. I can't imagine any creature close enough to be caught in the underwater sonic boom would have a good time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 The shockwave of something several hundreded tons traveling at Mach 2 underwater. That can't be good for anything living... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxn Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 That I.... Honestly have no idea on. need someone more specialized in marine biology for that one. I can't imagine any creature close enough to be caught in the underwater sonic boom would have a good time though. And thus the Seafucker 9000 was born. Jeeps_Guns_Tanks, Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect, Xlucine and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 "Captain, we hit a whale!" ".....Did we?" *Continues on with passengers not realizing they just ran a whale completely through* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 The shockwave of something several hundreded tons traveling at Mach 2 underwater. That can't be good for anything living... Well thats the ideal speed, if it hit the theoretical speed listed, it would actually be traveling just around Mach 5 (by the standards of in air at level, speed of sound is different in water), not 2. =o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoooSeR Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 This is some fantasy project. In reality it will be closer to 200 km/h. Also, that article managed to misspell Shkval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 This is some fantasy project. In reality it will be closer to 200 km/h. Also, that article managed to misspell Shkval. It's far from fantasy as they;ve been actually researching this for years, and used scientific assistance from outside the PLAN to do so. I just don't think it will be something we'll see in the next 10-20 years is all, but considering my thoughts on submarines and being terrifying.... I'm somehow ok with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoooSeR Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 And that is what i meant - this project is fantasy, in near future it will not be made. I think that even in 20 years what they will got out of this program will be something moving at much, much slower speeds than 5800 km/h. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Just for the record, 5,800 km/h is the theoretical top speed, not the absolute demanded speed. yeah it probably wont hit the absolute maximum calculated speed, but it could still make it go sever thousand km/h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belesarius Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I think this might be 'just because you can, doesn't mean you should' kinda deals. IE the consequences of doing so might outweigh the benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I think if they did reach top speeds, one (or I guess two) of the problems would be, keep in mind, I'm not one of the scientists or engineers working for this project so I don't know what they have planned, but. 1. how the fuck would you stop in time? and how would you do it without making your passengers projectile vomiting upon doing so? 2. what if you actually did hit like a whale or something? it seems like such a thing would be really hard to control or avoid such incidents, and hitting something that large that fast would lead to....well, bad things for the vessel and it's passengers to say the least. *shrug* either way, I find it interesting, maybe 20+ years from now if they do get it working, it can be an alternative to 12+ hour flights over the Ocean...... for the ballsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xthetenth Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Or we could just build XB-70 airliner derivatives like tool using hominids. Belesarius, SergeantMatt and LostCosmonaut 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 Or we could just build XB-70 airliner derivatives like tool using hominids. Or you couldn't because there's a fuckload of regulations on supersonic civil aircraft for starters. But yes, I'll be sure to remember the scientists and engineers on this are simply mere primates and savages incapable of thinking of something as out of the box as an aircraft, fucking brilliant comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xthetenth Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 If we're gonna play that game, fine. Or you couldn't because there's a fuckload of regulations on supersonic civil aircraft for starters. Yes, and there totally won't be regulations on near supersonic submarines because But yes, I'll be sure to remember the scientists and engineers on this are simply mere primates and savages incapable of thinking of something as out of the box as an aircraft, fucking brilliant comment. If we wanted travel of that speed that badly, we'd already have it. Need + tool = solution. If there's a tool that could be a solution, and there is no use, then there wasn't a great enough need, now was there? SergeantMatt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 If we're gonna play that game, fine. "I'm going to make a really dickish, threadshitting post, should I wonder why people are pissed off at me? no, I better act like I didn't do shit wrong." Yes, and there totally won't be regulations on near supersonic submarines because The fact a submarine wouldn't travel directly over populated areas for starters? have you ever actually LOOKED at how low housing prices are if they're near an airport or how many noise complaints happen already? I'm sure adding in sonic booms would absolutely thrill them, and not piss them off completely like with the Concorde. If we wanted travel of that speed that badly, we'd already have it. Need + tool = solution. If there's a tool that could be a solution, and there is no use, then there wasn't a great enough need, now was there? That's the dumbest fucking logic I've heard in a while. Do you know how much "needless" tools and other shit millions of people use everyday exist? do you want me to list them? This thread is about a researched idea for a possible future means of travel for various types, from warheads (maybe) to cargo to possibly passengers, I never once said this was a needed tech. fuck, clearly we don't need aircraft, traveling by ship works just fine and it can haul more cargo then an aircraft can, aircraft are clearly needless tools and we should have never bothered to look into them by your logic. This thread was about a research project I found interesting, you decided to be a complete dick and threadshit and now you're acting like YOU'RE the one so wronged? by all means, keep posting like an asshole when you started it in the first place, if you want to throw down, the gauntlet is off motherfucker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturgeon Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 Hey, both y'all. Remember that who is right is not as important as not starting drama, OK?By all means, hash this topic out, but I am sincerely asking you both to please do it civilly and without drama. I have every faith that you will do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xthetenth Posted August 1, 2015 Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 This thread was about a research project I found interesting, you decided to be a complete dick and threadshit and now you're acting like YOU'RE the one so wronged? by all means, keep posting like an asshole when you started it in the first place, if you want to throw down, the gauntlet is off motherfucker. I didn't mean that as nearly the insult you took it as, and I'm sorry I got angry when you interpreted it as an insult that was a perfectly valid reading of what I said. That's on me for not thinking through what I wrote when I wrote it and again when called on it. It is pretty awesome. I don't compare things to the B-70 when I mean to insult them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khand-e Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 I didn't mean that as nearly the insult you took it as, and I'm sorry I got angry when you interpreted it as an insult that was a perfectly valid reading of what I said. That's on me for not thinking through what I wrote when I wrote it and again when called on it. It is pretty awesome. I don't compare things to the B-70 when I mean to insult them. I'm sorry too, I don't know, I'm just on edge and getting pissed off more easily then usual lately, I really took it the wrong way when I shouldn't have and realized it was probably less series in tone then I took it as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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