Submarine Inaccuracies

As a former submariner, I am frequently dismayed when the infrequent reports regarding submarines make it into the mainstream media, because they often are salted with inaccuracies.

Case in point, the following headline as written by CNN.com.

Sub collides with sonar array towed by U.S. Navy ship

Reading the story, we learn the following.

In what a U.S. military official calls an “inadvertent encounter,” a Chinese submarine hit an underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer USS John McCain on Thursday.

The array was damaged, but the sub and the ship did not collide, the official said. A sonar array is a radar towed behind a ship that listens and locates underwater sounds.

The headline specifically states that the sub “collided,” but the article specifically states “the sub and ship did not collide.”

What actually happened, is the Chinese submarine became entangled in the USS John McCain’s tactical towed array; which is simply naval lingo for a extremely long cabled passive listening device towed behind either a U.S. warship, or submarine; because the Chinese were operating their sub quite close to the USS John McCain (within one (1) mile most likely).

Here’s the real question this story begs.  Were the sonar operators on the USS John McCain aware that the Chinese submarine was operating in such close proximity prior to the Chinese becoming entangled in the towed array?

UPDATE:  A submariner’s blog, out of Idaho, The Stupid Shall Be Punished, also noted this story in a post here.  This blog will be a new daily stopping point for myself.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/13 at 10:05 AM

  1. These kinds of articles are always fascinating, as you mention, more for the questions they raise rather than those answered.
    Some issues:
    1) McCain crew knew the sub was there.
    - If they knew, they then must have known the sub was incredibly close to the towed sonar array (TSA), yet did not maneuver accordingly.
    - Therefore, the TSA was possibly deliberately sacrificed as a statement we knew the sub was there, the report then leaked to the press as a method of announcing our knowledge of the sub surveillance to the world and Chinese. *This seems improbable. The TSA could indeed have become entangled in the subs props, causing possible loss of the sub, a serious issue.
    - Or, they did not realize how close the sub was, evidence of the advanced nature of Chinese sub technology.*Most probable.
    2) McCain crew did not know the sub was there.
    - Can the Chinese subs defeat U.S. detection? Yes - See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492804/The-uninvited-guest-Chinese-sub-pops-middle-U-S-Navy-exercise-leaving-military-chiefs-red-faced.html
    - However, it seems unlikely the sub could have been that close to the TSA and yet remain completely undetected. It was probably more a case of not knowing the proximity to the TSA.
    3) Why was this report released?
    - Perhaps as a method of communicating to the Chinese that the incident was not the result of an intentional act on the part of our navy, defusing any potential tensions.
    - Yet, leaking of this report communicates to the world that the technology the Chinese subs are using can significantly mitigate if not defeat U.S. naval detection capabilities.
    4) Conclusion
    - The McCain crew knew the sub was there, yet did not realize how close it was; otherwise evasive maneuvers would have been taken to preserve the TSA, and prevent potential sinking of the sub.
    - It was decided by the U.S. navy to leak this report as a method of communicating to the Chinese that the incident was not the result of an intentional act on the part of our navy, defusing any potential tensions.
    - However, it weakens the U.S. navy, as it again communicates to the world that the technology the Chinese subs are using can successfully mitigate if not defeat U.S. naval detection. Revealing this knowledge is being considered an acceptable sacrifice compared to increased tensions between the U.S. and China.
    What do you think?
    Best Regards,
    Charles Peck

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  06/13  at  01:11 PM

  2. Too bad our lads weren’t towing a bloody mine, they might have sunk that Chinese sub.  Were the Chinese scouting the Philippines for an expansion?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  06/13  at  01:48 PM

  3. Charles, my initial reaction is that the USS McCain was totally unaware that the Chinese sub was even in the area.  Even so, both of the scenarios you articulated have merit.  Without further information on the incident, I cannot venture to state exactly what occurred or why.

    The Chinese have a relatively small sub fleet, consisting mostly of diesel boats, which can be extremely quiet when not snorkeling to recharge the batteries.  Their nukes, which number, as far as we know, about 8 boats, would have some type of sound silencing program which was part of the construction process, and I would wager the Chinese navy utilized some American pilfered sound silencing practices also for their subs.

    With that said, the U.S. Navy, I should think, would have at least a partial library of sound signatures for the Chinese boats.  If they do not, they better get to work.  I would think that after this incident the U.S. Navy will get a bit more serious in regards to their sonar procedures, and with identification (sound signatures) of the Chinese subs.

    Posted by John Venlet  on  06/13  at  05:24 PM

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