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136 Rules of the Nautical Road for Officers of the Deck
By Captain
E. J. Newbould, U. S. Navy
140 Kymla-C\&ss Missile Frigates
By Lieutenant (j.g.)
Richard M. Basoco, U. S. Navy and Lieutenant (j.g.)
Richard H. Webber, U. S. Navy
142 Don’t Forget the Junior Officer
By Lieutenant Commander Don Walsii, U. S. Navy
144 The Flying Submarine
By Eugene Handler
148 Notebook
Edited by Captain Sheldon H. Kinney, U. S. Navy
RULES OF THE NAUTICAL ROAD FOR OFFICERS OF THE DECK
White over red, pilot ahead; Red over white, fishing at night
Granted that this mnemonic is no substitute for an understanding of the Rules of the Nautical Road, it does represent an honest effort to achieve a simplified method of learning the Rules. Farwell, * pre-eminent and indispensable, has nonetheless dominated the Navy’s approach to the rules for too long. Farwell, perpetuated by the so-called Simplified Rules of the Nautical Road, f is written for the admiralty lawyer, the master mariner, and the commanding officer.
Reliance on the premise that the Rules of the Road must be learned in toto, and applied only in the light of knowledge of court interpretations, has been self-defeating insofar as officers of the deck are concerned. Officers of the deck approach the whistle diffidently, if at all, and are bemused by a welter of lights as they strain to recall whether, for example, the three white lights ahead represent a tug with a tow of more or less than 600 feet.
The clutter of shapes, lights, and whistles outlined in the Rules—and the subtle differences between those required by International and Inland Rules—are even now at the stage where they are beyond the retentiveness of the average intellect. New changes to the Rules are already in the offing, and this before the most recent ones have been universally absorbed. All of the lights, whistles, and shapes in the precise form used by ships working on a submarine cable, seaplanes, vessels of 20 tons or 40 tons, vessels fishing, etc., need not be learned by officers of the deck if they are to
* Raymond F. Farwell, The Rules of the Nautical Road (Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute, 1954).
t O. W. Will, III, Simplified Rules of the Nautical Road (Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute, 1962).
SU.nPle method of learning fundamentals j^P^t well have avoided what sounds in the e *ng like an incredible maneuver.
^fter exercises at sea, two U. S. Navy ships ^cre aPproaching Guantanamo in normal, Car Caribbean, daylight weather. Ship A t(^erto°k B and rammed her in the port quar- r°r. Neither ship sounded her whistle before 0 ision was inevitable. A board of investiga- 10r> found Ship A wholly at fault. But what ^ °ut the officer of the deck in Ship B? Here as a classic opportunity for the use of the Oblast
consists of a practical selection of ex- s from the Rules which the OOD must
n°w by,
’ rote.
G
achieve a minimum standard of competence.
*Vhat is required is a thorough comprehension of the basic and usual steering rules, the a lUtY to identify the more important lights and sound signals, and sufficient forehanded- oess to refer to the Rules for those odd baskets, C larn°nds, and balls when they may properly expect to be encountered.
t he time is now, before new rules add to oj.e confusion, to adopt the simple expedient requiring our officers of the deck to mem- ?nze a few simple rules and insure that they ,ave the confidence to use them in emergency s*tuations which can and do arise before the CaPtain can arrive on the bridge. Too many examples are available, but one glaring one niay be cited here to demonstrate how such a
. —International signal by the privi-
vessel to alert Ship A that her actions i Cre> t0 say the least, not understood. If noth- br^ e'Se> suc^ a signal surely would have brid*^* koth commanding officers to the co i®6 anc^ perhaps would have avoided a y and inexcusable collision. The Navy is not S<'C ^y our merchant marine brothers of th UsinS the whistle qften enough. While .. ,\'yc may be room for improvement in their tic *frence to the Rules, I believe that this par- a^ar charge is justified.
Sllc^ ls fatuous to put out any more directives lbis tfS ^ere shall be no more collisions in offi leet.” The answer lies in training each er °f the deck in the essentials of the Rules com C ,^oacb This can be done by having him trn • 1 to memory the appended table—a
eme]SImplification t^le ^ules °f Road f°r
13gP ^ymcnt by the OOD. This table on pages
ferPti
k: °mmanding officers must continue to absorb Farwell and the latest court decisions. That is their job and will someday perhaps become the job of the officer of the deck. But for now, the OOD must be required to memorize the multiplication tables, as it were, before he can approach his algebra. It may also be observed that reference to the heart of the Rules—the steering and sailing rules—is also omitted. An officer of the deck who does not already know these fundamentals should have his relief on deck.
The introduction of radar has made life easier for the seaman in a variety of ways including the application of the Rules of the Road. Radar grants a time interval to the officer of the deck during which he can check that strange conglomeration of lights off the starboard bow. Radar also helps the OOD, by the nature of the return echo and by plotting, to identify small ships fishing, sailing vessels, vessels in tow, seaplanes, and ships at anchor. While this does not complete the list of what radar can do for the officer of the deck, it does serve to illustrate why it is not imperative for him to take courses in memory improvement in order to know the Rules of the Road well enough to use them with confidence.
Furthermore, we must accept the reality that pitifully few of our officers of the deck will be or will have been at sea for any appreciable length of time. There really is not sufficient time for them to absorb Farwell’s nicety of detail—complete with footnotes. Indeed, the Farwell forest hides the trees and discourages the simple sailor. It is easily demonstrated that requiring the learning of capsule Rules of the Nautical Road introduces the officer of the deck to this subject in a manner too long neglected and induces him voluntarily to approach the “forest” with confidence and interest.
In all other subjects in the Navy we begin with the rudiments and advance-to the complexities. For some unfathomable reason, this has not been so in teaching the Rules of the Road. The procedure outlined herein is a method of insuring that officers of the deck will develop the confidence that comes with knowledge.
Farwell quite properly states: “The Rules will not be better obeyed until they are better understood.” The Rules will not be understood at all until they are learned.
CAPSULE RULES OF THE NAUTICAL ROAD
Proposed by Captain E. J. Newbould, U. S. Navy
| PART I. LIGHTS | & SHAPES |
|
TYPE VESSEL | INTERNATIONAL WATERS | INLAND WATERS | |
| NIGHT | DAY |
|
Power vessel underway | Two white range lights (one white light forward on smaller ships) Side lights Stern light | Nothing special | Essentially the same |
Any vessel at anchor | Two white lights (or one white light forward on smaller ships): one forward, one aft | One black ball on larger ships | Essentially the same |
Power vessel not under command | Two vertical red lights Side lights (only if making way) Stern light | Two vertical black balls | No special provisions but be alert fo? one or more red lights in forward part of vessels which should & avoided. No day shapes, but be alert for specialized shapes for dredges- etc. |
Any vessel aground | Normal anchor lights plus two red vertical lights | Three vertical black balls | No special provision for ships aground; normal anchor lights and shapes are required. |
Power vessel towing or pushing | Two or three or four vertical white lights Side lights Stern light or steering light | Nothing special | Essentially the same |
Vessel being towed or pushed and sailing vessels | Side lights Stern light (for sailing vessels and last ship in tow) | Nothing special | Essentially the same |
Sailing pilot vessels on station, underway, or at anchor | (a) One all around white light (b) One intermittent flare-up light (c) Upon approaching ships, side lights At anchor: Normal anchor lights plus all around and flare-up light | Nothing special | Essentially the same |
Power-driven pilot vessel on station, underway, or at anchor | U nderway: (a) One all around white light above all around red light (b) One flare-up light (c) Side lights At anchor: Normal anchor lights plus all around white over red plus flare-up | Nothing special | Essentially the same |
Fishing vessels while fishing | Three Possibilities Underway: (a) One all around light plus (light or flare-up) toward net when approached (b) White light triangle with or w/o side lights | Underway: Basket | NIGHT DAY Underway or at Underway: Ba^' Anchor: Red ket or At an’ over White chor: Basket pluS only ball |
plus flare-up
(c) Tri-colored lantern with white below plus flare-up
At anchor: Normal anchor lights—usually one. At anchor: (a) Basket plus all around light toward net when ap- plus ball or (b) Basket proached plus ball plus cone
TVpE VESSEL
PART II. FOG SIGNALS
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
INLAND WATERS
SIGNAL
^ower vessel
Un<fcrway Z\th °ne pro,onged blast 'vay on Uh
power ves^i ^
,Jnderwa„ 1 wo Prolonged blasts
u,_ Wtty no "aV on
INTERVAL SIGNAL
Not more than two minutes One prolonged blast between blasts
INTERVAL
Not more than one minute between blasts
Not more than two minutes One prolonged blast between blast groups
Not more than one minute
Sailj
•inder
;ln8 vessel
way
Any
vessel
anchor
Any
ground
vessel
Vesseis ' not
tow
^ng
tom
under
mand, <
One, two or three prolonged blasts depending on tack
(a) Rapid ringing of bell and gong if over 350 feet long
PLUS
(b) One short, one prolonged, and one short blast
Rapid ringing of bell and gong (if required) PLUS three strokes on bell after each signal
One prolonged followed by two short blasts
Vessels
towed
'ishin« vess<.is
One prolonged followed by three short blasts
A blast'followed by rapid ringing of bell
Not more than one minute between blasts
(a) Not more than one minute
(b) When approached too closely
Not more than one minute
Not more than one minute
Not more than one minute Not more than one minute
One, two or three prolonged blasts depending on tack
Rapid ringing of bell
Rapid ringing of bell
Towing—One prolonged followed by two short
One prolonged followed by two short
Same as
Not more than one minute Not more than one minute
Not more than one minute
Not more than one minute Not more than one minute
any ship underway or at anchor
Four short blasts—danger signal
May be used to express doubt of intention of another vessel in fog.
PART III. MEANING OF SOUND SIGNALS
TERN A TIONA L WATERS
f^ote: To be used only when ships are in sight of one another and never in fog
°rt blast I arT, altering my course to starboard.
1 blasts I am altering my course to port.
Thfee short blasts | My engines are backing. |
'Ve Oblasts | (Only by privileged vessel) I doubt that burdened vessel is taking proper action to avoid collision. |
| None |
INLAND WATERS
Note: To be used only when ships are in sight of one another and never in fog EXCEPT for the danger signal
(a) In head and head meeting, means “I intend to pass port to port.’ Neither vessel has right of way, and other vessel must answer proposal by a single blast in order to proceed safely.
(b) In crossing situation, when given by privileged vessel means, ‘ I intend to hold my course and speed.” Must be answered in order to proceed safely.
(c) In overtaking situation means, “I request to pass you on your starboard hand.” May be answered by one blast or four. Must be answered to proceed safely, if at all.
(a) In head and head meeting means. “I intend to pass starboard to starboard.” Neither vessel has right of way, and other vessel must answer proposal by two blasts to proceed safely.
(b) In overtaking situation means, “I intend to pass you on your port hand.” May be answered by two blasts or four. Must be answered to proceed safely, if at all.
My engines are backing.
Four or more in inland—Danger Signal. May be used by either
privileged or burdened vessels. It means, “I am in doubt as to
your course or intention." May be used in fog.
When clearing a pier
KYNDA-CLASS MISSILE FRIGATES
If both Soviet and Western strategists are currently having to reassess their evaluation of Soviet sea strength, one of the principal reasons is the construction of the Kynda-class guided-missile frigates. They are, as one European source puts it, “formidable ships.” Perhaps the most startling aspect of the Kynda class—two of which were launched in 1961 with others joining them since—is the fact that they carry launchers capable of firing nuclear-tipped missiles at surface targets including ships. The implications inherent in such a capability are great, but this is only a part of the story. Because this new class of frigate represents a synthesis of the most recent Soviet naval achievements, a close examination of it is as necessary as it is useful.
Built at the Zhandov Shipyard in Leningrad, units of the Kynda class are comparable in size to the U. S. guided missile frigates of the Leahy and Coontz classes, or with the British County-class ships. The Soviet ships are 490 feet in length with a beam of 52 feet, and displace some 6,000 tons when fully loaded. Their machinery appears to be a conventional steam-turbine power plant capable of developing about 100,000 horsepower. The Kynda's maximum speed is reported to be 35 knots. A German source, however, has indicated that the frigates may also have gas-turbine propulsion machinery much like that installed in the British County class. If so, the exceptionally lightweight and compact nature of the plant would help to account for the ability of the ships to carry their heavy array of armament.
The main armament of each of the Kynda- class frigates is eight ballistic missile tubes. Resembling large nests of torpedo tubes, each launcher contains four tubes measuring 32 feet in length and six feet in diameter. These weapons are similar in appearance to those of the W-class guided-missile submarines. The Kynda's launchers are situated forward of the bridge and astern of the after stack. They can be trained in a large arc and can be elevated from the horizontal up to 30 degrees. Because of their design, observers believe that the launchers can be reloaded from magazines built into the ship’s superstructure.
In practice, the effective range of the missiles fired by these launchers is currently limited to the range of the radar guidance system. However, there is some indication that target information can be provided to the ship from reconnaissance aircraft. This would increase considerably the effectiveness of the missiles, which are presumably equipped with nuclear warheads.
To meet the threat of high-performance aircraft, the Kyndas have been equipped with a highly sophisticated surface-to-air missile system. A twin launcher is mounted on a loW platform some 26 feet long and 20 feet wide on the forecastle. The platform is thought to be the top of the missile magazine, but it also serves as a breakwater against heavy seas that might otherwise damage the launcher. In view of the peculiar location of the launcher, it seems likely that the missiles are stowed vertically as in U. S. ships armed with the Tartar missile. Indeed, the capabilities of the Soviet anti-aircraft missile installation on the Kynda frigates closely resemble those of the Tartar system.
The Soviets also demonstrate that they are now fully aware of the need for guided missile ships to carry conventional weapons for protection against attack by low-flying aircraft or by fast torpedo boats while operating if confined waters. Two closed gun mounts, each containing two guns which French naval analysts report as being' 76-mm., have been installed on the quarterdeck. This type of mount has not previously been observed of Soviet warships and has probably been de-
c&ned especially for the Kynda class. The j anne^ cut into the front of the gun houses Ve,quite similar to that in the German-de- the°PCd 4'1'incl1 anti-aircraft guns on board e recently decommissioned Guichen and a ° eaurena-ult of the French Navy. It permits great range in elevation of the twin barrels, de„rriate<:^ to *-,e from —10 degrees to +85 grees. The guns are fully automatic, the if- Pr°iifrration of complex weapons in s +s of the Kynda class has resulted in a
vast increase of electronic equipment over previous Soviet ships, thus following a trend greatly in evidence in Western warships since the mid-1950s. Two pyramidal masts, the main identification feature of the Kyndas, similar to those mounting the air search radars in the British guided-missile frigates, carry an amount of radar equipment never before seen on a Soviet warship. Each mast is surmounted by a search radar of the type first known to have been installed in Krupny-class destroyers.
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Located at about the halfway point on both the forward and after masts are large groups of electronic equipment, including radars designed for supplying the target data necessary for a launch solution for the surface-to- surface missiles. Above the bridge is the guidance radar for surface-to-air missiles which has already been recognized on the cruiser Dzerhinsky and the ATf/fo-class destroyers. A fire control radar is located behind the after stack. This installation is particularly interesting in view of the great emphasis the Soviets have previously placed upon optical fire control equipment.
The Kynda frigates also possess an impressive antisubmarine capability, although it is doubtful that the weapon systems installed at present are as technically sophisticated as those on board the more modern ships of the NATO Navies. Two ASW rocket launchers are positioned forward of the anti-aircraft missile installation on the forecastle. Comparable to the British Limbo system, the projectiles are apparently fired in a circular pattern at a range of 1,500 to 2,000 yards. In addition, two triple-tube torpedo launchers are situated between the stacks on the main deck. These are thought to be capable of firing high-speed antisubmarine torpedoes.
A helicopter landing area is located on the quarterdeck of the Kyndas. Because of the low freeboard aft and the lack of any protection against heavy weather, a helicopter is not carried on board during normal operations.
The ultimate strategic significance of these new ships remains to be determined. However, there can be no question that they will cause a significant revision of international estimates of the Soviet Navy.
By Lieutenant Commander Don Walsh, U. S. Navy,
Executive Officer,
USS Bugara (SS-331)
DON’T FORGET THE JUNIOR OFFICER
The Navy’s need to increase its first-term re-enlistment rate and to better inform its career enlisted personnel has resulted in a sharply increased emphasis on career counseling during the past few years. The present program is a fairly vast structure which includes special schools to train counselors, traveling teams of specialists, and a considerable volume of printed material on the subject. No one can doubt that our enlisted counseling program is a major effort and is showing a good return on the investment.
For the junior officer the situation is different. Only a small fraction of the Navy’s career counseling effort is directed at him, and that which is has not increased in magnitude commensurate with the increased emphasis on the enlisted program. Yet it will cost the Navy nearly 500 million dollars to replace its fiscal year 1963 officer losses who left the service for reasons other than retirement. There is definitely a case for more emphasis on career counseling of the young officer during his “first enlistment” period. The young officer must be shown the manifold opportunities that are available to him in today’s Navy. He must become acquainted with the over-all scope of Navy activities to understand what future he can have in this “big picture.” Finally, he must be convinced that the dignity and opportunity of naval service outweigh that which he could find in some other career- Traditionally, the commanding officer has held responsibility for the early professional development and motivation of the young officer. This is as it should be, and we should no1 wait for a new wave of programs to be handed down from higher authority to tell us how t° proceed. Nothing should provide a substitute which eases this prime responsibility of the
ommandiiig officer. But how well is this •pHseling being done today?
to th ° °f.en tlle new junior officer is trained his ' S P°'nt w^ere be can effectively handle dlvilmrncdiate assignment as an assistant to a rece*10n of^cer or department head, and he COmh'eS further functi°nal training in the cond'3'1 Stat’on that he will man during battle jobs Ul°ns' hie learns what the various “good” “strjiar<; board and which jobs he can an(j1 e . r” commensurate with his training ^her Sen!orby- More often than not this is tran C a-S fining and curiosity end—he is heP?ed jns'de his ship’s hull and this is where Prober10?8 view °f the entire Navy, offic 3’ ^ dlc farthest thing from this young not e r S mmd is a career pattern because he is SUre tPat he is going to remain in the His 0frey0nd recluired period of service. “drea1CCr data cards become meaningless Put d *n sdeets” as he does not know enough to who a°VVn real*stic choices. The fellow officers arid ffi6 .<dosest t0 him are his contemporaries, ThUsar counsel does little to assist him. gr°umost °f their cards will represent the
officer m?°™P0.site °Pinion- And our junior Par;s p s ln his blanks with “Naval Attache, comk rance” or “commanding officer, small B1Datant,” etc.
good r t'.me fhi8 officer learns where the and b 1St*c J°bs are for his experience level he is QaC ground it is usually too late. Either into gn . ore duty and has been lucky to get \aVy "jesting field or he has left the bring th fi n0t t0 'mP^ l^at shore duty will *t oftCnC arst steP on a career path, but rather to Sep “ best chance the new officer has
to LiifiiiLc iiic new onicer nss
than o Navy outside his own ship. More ^Uld^ °fficer has discovered a job that he t° \vj - ave asked for while serving in a Tu C he had been detailed.
billet
The , c .ad been detailed.
Pcrsonnc|'ta'1 desks in the Bureau of Naval guidan ° d° t^e*r best in providing career they haC’ dut whh the tremendous burden Ping ou^ rl *S 0bvious that the careful map- this iev . a man’s future cannot be done at beavily n°r should it be. The detailers rely JUni0r 0m* tde °fhcer data cards and for those choices th^^ Wh° do not Put down realistic have not u °n^y assignments are those which Whiie hCen as^ed f°r by other officers. i°r office1 C commanding officer and the senes of the command still have the primary responsibility for junior officer counseling, there is a need for more professional assistance and advice from above. With this combination of increased local attention to the problem and high level assistance from Naval Operations and BuPers there could be a considerable reduction in the loss of the Navy’s future leadership.
As an example of one commanding officer’s efforts in this area there is the program started on board the Pacific Fleet submarine Bvgara (SS-331). The Bugara’s “P. G. Program” (P. G. for Professional Growth) operates on an opportunity basis using available talent and facilities. The ideas involved are not at all novel and have been used in one form or another by many commands. However, a review of them might be of value to other commands.
The three key points to this program are:
1. Professional visits—During in-port periods and a recent yard availability the Btigara wardroom would try to make at least one weekly visit to a defense-oriented activity. These visits ranged from a research laboratory tour to tours of the Navy’s latest ships. In addition, visits were made to Air Force and space program facilities. Without exception, the organizations that hosted the Bvgara officers were very interested and very co-operative. Any large port visited by Navy ships, including home ports, have adjacent installations which can be visited with little effort. The rewards in broadening each officer’s professional horizons are well worth the investment of a day’s time during in-port periods.
2.Guest speakers—The on-board facet of the P. G.” program involved inviting senior military and civilian guests to the wardroom for a frank session of “brain picking” over lunch or dinner. No matter where the Navy ship goes there is always a wealth of talent available in senior officers who have had interesting assignments and in civilians who have developed some specialty in the defense field. Again, the Bugara wardroom forum has never lacked for challenging discussions with these guests who, for the most part, have been enthusiastic about these meetings.
Larger commands would probably have to resort to a formal speech followed by a question and answer period, but in either case these gatherings would open a window on what is happening throughout our Defense es-
tablishment and especially the Navy.
3. An on-board speakers bureau—The Bu- gara wardroom developed a “Bugara Speakers Bureau” which is designed to provide community orientation lectures on various aspects of our submarine program as seen by the young officer. While not entirely a career counseling program, useful fringe benefits are derived from this program by providing the officers with opportunities to develop poise and confidence in front of large groups. But important to career counseling, the junior officer speaker learns more about his profession when he has to speak in public and answer questions about it; he learns by teaching.
The foregoing ideas do not represent the ultimate effort in junior officer education toward a Navy career, but they do represent a concrete approach to the problem; an approach that can be used by any ship or station with a minimum of frills and effort. It has been tried, and it does work.
By Eugene H. Handler,
Aircraft Hydrodynamics Engineer,
Airframe Design Division,
Bureau of Naval Weapons
THE FLYING SUBMARINE
During World War II, midget submarines were used extensively and often quite successfully by the British, Italian, German, and Japanese navies. These craft ranged from miniaturized versions of conventional submarines to modified torpedoes fitted with seats and controls for a two-man crew.
Because their primary mission was the destruction of ships in harbors, most of these craft had a relatively slow operating speed. Their other major limitation was a lack of range, and it was usually necessary to tow or carry them most of the distance to their objective and then retrieve them after their mission was accomplished.
Often, because of these limitations and the difficulty of recovery in enemy-controlled waters, the midget submarines were abandoned after accomplishment of their mission and the crews were either lost or captured. Thus, a report on the success (or failure) of the mission was not relayed back to the command in time to capitalize on the submarines’ operation. This situation occurred on 19 December 1941, when three Italian “human torpedoes” seriously damaged the British battleships Queen Elizabeth and Valiant in Alexandria harbor. Both battleships were incapacitated for many months, but it was possible to keep them on even keels, and enemy intelligence, primarily from air reconnaissance, did not immediately learn of their complete incapacity-
The most needed improvements for the midget submarine appear to be increases in cruise speed and radius so that the submarine is able to return from missions without immediate assistance from other craft. The very low speeds required during attack were usually adequate. In fact, low speed and high maneuverability coupled with the ability to operate with the utmost of stealth are the prerequisites of a successful midget.
The usefulness of a weapon depends upon the type of warfare needed to combat the enemy. In the event of war, the Soviet Fleet is intended to destroy lines of communication and supply to our allies and to attack our territory with submarine-launched missiles- Our Navy’s primary tasks are to protect out lines of communication and supply, to protect the country from enemy attack, to provide carrier-based striking forces for use against attacks on the enemy homeland, and to destroy enemy shipping. There is, however, a tremendous amount of shipping in the Soviet-dominated Baltic Sea, the essentially land-locked Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the truly inland Caspian Sea. These waters are safe from the depredations of conventional surface ships and submarines. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that a warship can only rarely penetrate the Dardanelles, Bosporus, or Kattegat if held by an enemy, and there is no reason to believe that the situation would be changed in a future conflict- If the Soviets believe the extremely dense shipping in the above bodies of water to be safe from underwater attack, then they will have no ASW surveillance or equipment U1 these areas.
Since it is probable that no conventional
-------------------------------------------------- * f * V* J bllV LV/ If
si°n tQC°U^ carry out its own diversion mis- \v°uifj Protect the submarine. Such a weapon e*PenH kVC °ne ser'ous disadvantage: being be faCed ■ ^le undersea craft’s crew would ■r , t^le demoralizing propositions of er or attempting to go through aroused
ersea craft would be able to enter inland jsrs SUch as those previously mentioned, it Pessary to develop a new concept of 4au°nS delivery. It has been suggested rriar. arSe seaplanes could carry midget sub- t0 . ‘!les to their destination and later return terr- e diem on board for return to friendly taUory- However, the inherent disadvan- PlariV"3^6 t^1’s metd°d impractical. A sea- Wq. , CaPable of carrying a small submarine 0r Probably weigh a half million pounds tons re’ Prohibitively expensive, and be a my)sPl.Cuous and desirable target for the ene- cess .air'defense systems. The possibility of suc- t0 l retl"ieving the submarine would appear hopelessly small.
attra<Ur'towcd midget submarine has many aerodtlVC ^eatures f°r such a role: detachable aliyhtfnamiC sur^aces could be dropped after ’harin^ ^eav*nS a conventional small sub- be nQe to carry out an operation; there would Planp ,nCC,Cl 'n_flight power; and the tow surr, enemy lines to reach friendly soil. If the wings were retained, the consideration could be given to a second flight by the tow plane in an effort to pick up the submarine; but again, the chance of success would appear to be slight.
Another alternative, a true flying submarine, offers more promise than either of the above methods. It could fly from a favorable location to its destination at minimum altitude to avoid detection by radar. At the completion of its underwater mission it could travel as a submersible to a location best suited for takeoff, become airborne and return to base.
There are many alternate approaches to the design of a flying submarine, as has been made evident by the numerous proposals of recent years by reputable engineers. The basic mission and the requirement for compatibility of aerodynamic and hydrodynamic characteristics require that the performance of practical vehicles be rigorously limited to minimum aircraft and submarine capabilities. Size, speed in air and water, submergence depth, and payload must all be realistically established prior to serious consideration of any preliminary design. Each capability taken separately is extremely modest. It is the combination of these capabilities into a single craft which provides a remarkable vehicle.
The preceding discussion of proposed useful missions envisions an operating depth of about 25 to 75 feet, submerged speed of five to ten knots for four to ten hours, airspeed of 150 to 225 knots for two to three hours, and a payload of 500 to 1,500 pounds. It is believed these characteristics can be attained within a vehicle weighing only 12,000 to 15,000 pounds. The Bureau of Naval Weapons has recently awarded a contract to the Convair and Electric Boat Divisions of General Dy-
namics for analytical and design studies of the essential components and operational aspects of such a vehicle.
When an operating vehicle has been developed capable of achieving these moderate goals it will then be time to consider a more versatile successor.
There are obviously basic design problems involved in any concept of a flying submarine no matter how modest its capabilities. The basic problem is suggested by the very term “flying submarine.” The vehicle’s density must be comparable with that of conventional aircraft of roughly equivalent performance, yet must be susceptible of increase to that required for operation in its alternate medium, water, in order to submerge, cruise, and hover beneath the surface with minimum power. The cockpit, engines, instrumentation, fuel, batteries or electrical power-generating fuel cells, electric motor, etc., must all be watertight. All other spaces would be floodable to minimize the inherent buoyancy, and consequently need not withstand the static pressures encountered during the vehicle’s submerged operation.
The aircraft engine requires only moderate modification for effective waterproofing while retaining a self-starting capability after completion of the submerged phase of the mission. Both intakes and exhausts would be placed above the static water line. The intakes would also be located out of the spray pattern of the planing hull or hydro-skis, as is the case with any conventional seaplane. Electric torpedo powerplants would furnish extensive background datum for the alternate propulsion system. The battery-charging equipment would be far less elaborate than in conventional submarines, if batteries were chosen in preference to fuel cells. With the latter, no charging equipment would be necessary.
There remain numerous problems inherent in the various systems and components required in the flying submarine. Most, if not all, appear to be capable of solution through the application of existing techniques and engineering practices. These problems can generally be divided into six classifications: buoyancy, stability and control in both media, vehicle habitability and crew survival, structural considerations, availability of equipment, and
the parameters of design and operation.
The first of these areas, buoyancy, with its directly related yet opposed requirement for high density, covers numerous items such as ballast tanks and their flooding and purging systems, and fore-and-aft fuel transfer to maintain longitudinal stability in flight and in the sea. The second, stability and control, requires investigation of a single system to operate in both media; the best aerodynamic/ hydrodynamic configuration—i.e., a comparison of the merits of a conventional arrangement, delta wing with and without tail) canard, cruciform, etc.; take-off and alighting technique—conventional versus vertical; and placement of surfaces for satisfactory maneuvering and diving from the surfaced condition. Habitability and survival problems require primarily the combination of systems already in existence in submarines, high altitude aircraft, and man-carrying satellites, with emphasis upon canopy design, provision of air supply and purification during submerged operations, and emergency escape for both submerged and in-flight conditions- Structural considerations require the determination of dynamic loads in flight and submerged conditions as well as the static loads imposed by deep submergence. Materials must be selected to avoid damage resulting from corrosion and galvanic action- The equipment associated with the aeronautical, electrical, naval and associated industries must be surveyed to establish the avail' ability of items required in the prototype submarine as well as to list those components requiring development for this unique craft- The development of design and operational parameters requires the derivation of interrelationships between equipment weight; aU cruising speed and range; water cruisin? speed, range and maximum depth, and vehicle weight.
The development of a practical flying sub' marine prototype will be both complex and laborious, but the potential returns are sub' stantial and valuable. Consequently the concept of such a vehicle merits careful engineering examination rather than the overly optr mistic accolade of a few imaginative enthus1' asts and the simultaneous cold-shoulder de' nial of the hard-headed realist.
★
Notebook
u. S. Navy
Three graduates could not meet the physiol requirements for commissioning as officers jmd two had not been assigned to any service y graduation.
Adm. David L. McDonald, Chief of Naval Operations, administered the oath of office to a' graduates commissioned as Navy ensigns.
52 Vinson Warns Navy Graduates on Preparedness (The New York Times, 4 June 1964): The Naval Academy sent 914 officers into the armed forces today [3 June] with a "'anting from the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee that the United States “must stand ready to win any kind of "'ar that may be forced upon us.”
Representative Carl Vinson, Democrat of Georgia, speaking at graduation exercises in the academy field house, said man’s nuclear Powers of destruction had made it necessary that “all of us work for peace.”
But he said the peace of the world required that America maintain a powerful national defense, a defense that will assure our survival tf nuclear war should be forced upon us.” Mr. Vinson said the Navy’s greatest preset challenge “is to neutralize the submarine threat to itself, to our military-industrial Population centers and to our maritime commerce.”
He said that “all the Navy must convert to nuclear power as quickly as this becomes militarily advantageous” and that “a program t° modernize the entire fleet must be promptly tmdertaken by Congress.”
A total of 925 graduates were awarded bachelor of science degrees.
Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze handed diplomas to 187 honor graduates, the highest total in the history of the Academy. First across the stage was Walter Wilson Kesler of hxetcr, N. H., whose 96.71 average was also an Academy record.
Six of the graduates were from foreign countries and will return to their native lands, two were from the Philippines, two from Ecuador, one from Costa Rica and one from Ghile.
Gen. Wallace M. Greene, Jr., commandant of the United States Marine Corps, administered the oath to 73 new Marine second lieutenants.
Three graduates will go into the Air Force and one into the Army as second lieutenants, but they were not commissioned at the commencement exercises.
s Advanced Navy Reconnaissance (Albert Sehlstedt, Jr. in Baltimore Sun, 3 July 1964): A very fast, carrier-based airplane with a new electronic reconnaissance system has been assigned to the Pacific Fleet by the Navy.
The aircraft and its sophisticated intelligence-gathering devices are understood to represent an extremely significant advance in the Navy’s aerial reconnaissance capabilities.
Navy planes equipped with more conventional surveillance systems have been conducting observation flights over Laos in recent weeks.
The Defense Department said today [2 July] that the first detachment of six of these reconnaissance planes, designated RA-5Cs, have been deployed aboard the aircraft carrier Ranger. The Ranger, one of the big, For- restal-class carriers, is now at Pearl Harbor.
Each RA-5C aircraft is equipped with what the Pentagon calls a “new integrated operational intelligence system (IOIS).”
THE
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MAMARONECK NEW YORK
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ofthe Vvhicfl t0 the
IOIC
system; namely the “speed with
. Only a generalized description of the IOIS contained in today’s announcement by the . c' ense Department, which seldom discusses lts *nteHigence techniques in any detail.
However, reference is made to the use of Panoramic cameras, side-looking radar and Passive electronic countermeasures equipment lch are to be used to “provide a wide range 0 collection capabilities.”
. ''k Panoramic camera is one which takes Pictures from horizon to horizon in a single
1 ide-looking radar is a remarkable instru- Uent that takes electronic “pictures” from a re or less horizontal rather than vertical gle without distorting distances. Thus two that would appear to be a mile apart he human eye would also appear to be the th • c^stancc apart in the radar picture. us type of radar also allows a reconnais- 0-e plane to fly by, rather than directly r’ the area under inspection, thereby Clng some distance between the plane and Possible anti-aircraft fire.
•A x ▼
v • , 'Navy reconnaissance plane, presumably oout this new equipment, was shot down H Laos May 21.
Ic term electronic countermeasures is jnncraHy used to refer to methods for distort- 00r Slacking out an enemy’s own radar or str Cr <^evace used to track, identify and de- °y an attacking plane.
2 r.Ut ^ast RA-5C airplanes (in the Mach tQange) and tjlc airborne electronics add up scr’h ^ part of what the Pentagon has de- Th^ aS !comPlete system.”
1C CornPlete system also includes “an inte- is ae operational intelligence center” which tbe .r°om aboard a ship or ashore where all tJon'Ht^igence data related to a certain situa- Cornare gathered and made available to the ti0nlnanc*er in charge of a particular opera-
Th'
gene >1S Center *s aL° abie to handle intelli- Plane Co^ected by other reconnaissance tj0s ai)d can store and later use informa- tpii. received from other agencies in the in- te%ence field.
rePorday S ^ Juiy] Department of Defense rt also mentioned an “exclusive feature” newly gathered data can be returned intelligence center, processed and
presented for the commander’s utilization.”
Shrinking the elapsed time between an aerial reconnaissance mission and the accurate evaluation of the data obtained on that mission is said to be one very important aspect of this kind of reconnaissance.
Further, the Pentagon noted that “This reconnaissance system is matched to an aircraft whose performance enables it to conduct long-range carrier or land-based missions involving high altitude, supersonic or low altitude, high speed penetrations” of objective areas.
The RA-5G, called the Vigilante and manufactured for the Navy by North American Aviation, Inc., has a range of more than 2,000 miles, compared to about 1,200 miles for the RF-8A, the Navy reconnaissance plane which has been operating over Laos.
Because of its speed, maneuverability and range, the RA-5C Vigilantes can be flown on single aircraft missions without fighter escort.
The Vigilante, powered by two General Electric J-79 jet engines, was first produced for the Navy as a heavy attack bomber and joined the fleet in February of 1962. It can carry a variety of ordnance on combat missions, including nuclear weapons for use against targets on land and at sea.
s Lockheed Completes A-2 Production
(Lockheed Missiles & Space Company Release, 25 June 1964): The last of the production Polaris A2 missiles has rolled out of the plant at Lockheed Missiles & Space Com-
it
H L
the t e<k *s a'so act've *n other areas of statjec‘lr|ology. One of these — ground ?ns~can be available when needed. t0 j *s now under contract to NASA sPac*r -r exten<f man’s knowledge of Sateif. wit^ Advanced Technological 65q ,‘te,s, being built for NASA. One, a “grav't space bib” will further test the Such‘y gradient” stabilizing principle. " iiKvacou^ act bke the moon the earth bresenhng one face toward Satellite
techn i .are Just one °f the advanced leaf], '1 °g'es in which Hughes plays a eoverigrrole- "bbis work—devoted to dis- thern 5 na*ures secrets and making ing cServe *n man’s betterment—is help- eaie a new world with electronics.
party, prime contractor for the Navy’s submarine launched Fleet Ballistic Missile system.
This final delivery of the 1,500-mile A2 was made as Lockheed moved into full production of the third generation 2,500-mile A3 which is to become operational later this year. At present, the Navy plans to equip 28 Polaris submarines with the longer range A3 and 13 with the second generation A2, for a total of 41 ships.
Completion of the A2 production came within 2 weeks of the return of the first Polaris submarine, USS George Washington, from more than three and a half years service using the 1,200-mile Polaris Al. George Washington, along with four more of the earlier Polaris submarines, will be modified to enable them to handle the A3 when they undergo normal yard overhaul. The Al missiles retired at that time are scheduled for a useful second life in a number of programs including their use as a booster in the development of more sophisticated guidance systems for the U. S. Air Force.
s COIN Evaluation Nearly Finished (Aviation Week & Space Technology, 29 June 1964): Recommendation of the Navy Bureau of Weapons counterinsurgency (COIN) evaluation team is expected to be submitted within two weeks to a special COIN steering committee headed by Assistant Secretary of the Navy James H. Wakelin, Jr. Present plans call for the purchase of 507 aircraft.
The Bureau’s operational evaluation of the nine proposals submitted last March has been completed, but the technical and design evaluations are continuing. From the steering committee, the evaluation team’s recommendation will be forwarded through the Secretary of the Navy’s office to Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara.
McNamara is expected to select a contractor for development of the light, multipurpose aircraft by late September or early October.
This would put the program on schedule according to the original request for proposals, which said the contract award was anticipated in the first quarter of P'iscal 1965. A $6-million line item is included in the Fiscal 1965 Defense Dept, budget for Phase 1 of the COIN development program.
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Ultimate goal of the program is to develop a relatively simple aircraft with a primary attack and a limited utility capability. It will have to be capable of performing short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations from rough landing fields and a variety of combat missions, ranging from armed reconnaissance to helicopter escort.
If the program progresses according to schedule, the 507 aircraft will be bought in the following four lots:
Lot 1—Four prototype aircraft instrumented for test flight and accompanied by structural and fatigue test articles, supporting services and the manuals required by Navy’s new Integrated Maintenance Management concept. Lot 1 also includes an option to purchase three more prototypes for additional testing. All aircraft will be bought on a firm fixed price basis.
Lot 2—Within two years of contract award, 16 more test aircraft are to be delivered to Navy for use in proving the design- Navy officials point out that if money is available the program schedule can be compressed.
Lot 3—-This would be a major production run purchase of 198 aircraft. The time schedule for delivery of the aircraft is flexible and work on the production aircraft could start soon after delivery of the prototypes if it is decided to accelerate the program.
Lot 4—Final production run envisioned under the original program would be 286 aircraft, raising the total to 507, of which 484 would be production items.
Navy, which was assigned responsibility the program by the Defense Dept, research and engineering office (DDRE), says it would need about 100 aircraft to satisfy Marine Corps requirements. The Marine light-armed reconnaissance aircraft (LARA) requirement was one of several which DDRE combined into the COIN concept. Other concepts in' eluded were a counter-insurgency attack ait' craft and a light utility aircraft suited for the U. S. Military Assistance Program.
Army is a potential user of the COIN air' craft, although at present Army has no aerial ground support mission. Defense Dept, di' rected Army to review the proposals, how" ever, and a report stating Army’s require ments was submitted recently to DDRE.
\T °Sf use °f the COIN as a follow-on to Crs Grumman Mohawk observation air- a t was included in the consideration.
Notes
^3 United States: The following ships have '|n<'l\P'aCCd ln commissi°n—Sylvania (AFS-2) on ?a ^Uly 1964; James Madison (SSBN-627) 0n 7., July 1964; Ulysses S. Grant (SSBN-631) 17 ^ 1964•
77 C lo^ovving ships have been launched— 1964^ G' Thompson (AGOR-9) on 18 July A, ’ Thomas Washington (AGOR-IO) on 1 nugust 1964.
the V scheduled for construction at
1)0 , evvPort News Shipbuilding and Dry
Gompany, has been named John F. '■ennedy
Th •
5) ae. guided missile destroyer Biddle (DDG- t0 ,ssigned as the Multilateral Force test ship ti0n ?m°nstrate the' feasibility of multi-na- ftjcf. rnar|ning, has been renamed Claude V.
honor of the Vice Chief of Naval tiow-Ktlons Wh° died on 6 JulY 1964. The for n Ulld*ng frigate DLG-34 will be named Nicholas Biddle, a hero of the )ntlnental Navy
53 ( ., . .
Op0reat Britain: The attack submarine the l]^ Was launched on 5 June 1964. She is class “L °f 13 conventionally-powered Oberon- J°ats” being built for the Royal Navy.
General
■heit] ^0rl<J Ship Code to Take Effect (The iigp- | Times, 26 June 1964): A new and safetyV<'- iuternational code for maritime annoy111 lnto effect next May 26, it was ThenCed 7esterday by the Coast Guard. Liberj SJrvice reported that last May 26 lnterna ■ eP°shed her acceptance of the 1960 Life at3tl0nal Convention for the Safety of titnc c 63 Wldl the Inter-governmental Mari- °nsultative Organization in London.
This raised the number of acceptances to 15, the minimum for the code to be put into effect. The United States deposited its acceptance on Aug. 2, 1962.
Under the terms of the convention seven of the 15 subscribing nations must be countries with fleets of at least a million gross tons. Liberia is one of the “large” shipping nations.
The convention was drawn up at an international meeting in London in 1960 after the Andrea Dona sinking of 1956 had demonstrated the need for tightening ship safety standards. At the meeting delegates reviewed and revised the existing convention and collision regulations, which date from 1948.
The new regulations provide stricter standards for subdivisions, stability and watertightness, fire prevention and extinction. Also revised were requirements for life-saving gear, radio communications, the carriage of certain bulk cargoes, the safety of navigation, the transportation of dangerous goods and the safety of nuclear-powered vessels.
The convention sanctions the use of inflatable and rigid life rafts for passenger and cargo vessels.
A requirement has been added to the International Rules of the Road authorizing a vessel that detects another by radar before sighting her or hearing a fog signal to take early action to avoid coming dangerously close.
53 Ship Construction for the Soviets (N.
Korshunova in Pravda, 26 June 1964): In his speech at Goteborg [Sweden], N. S. Khrushchev pointed to the important ship construction program on Soviet yards. In addition, he noted that large orders were also being executed in both socialistic (East bloc) and capitalistic countries for a total of 152 vessels. Sixty of these units will be launched in foreign yards this summer. Further details on these orders were obtained from the Ministry of Merchant Shipping of the U.S.S.R.
★ NYLON STUFFING TUBES
(Terminal Type)
★ NEOPRENE AND SILICONE PACKINGS
★ MOLDED RECEPTACLES AND PLUGS
★ RISER TERMINAL BOARDS
Many of the dry cargo, tanker, and passen-
more than 100 vessels down to
111 ■ are Srna]|larieS ^rom research
Th Passenger ferries.
ieads
Th 9n ” -------
0,000-ton aircraft carrier Bonaventure
r
j?:r vessels are being built in Poland, East ermany, Hungary, Jugoslavia, Finland, j^candinavian countries, Italy, and Japan. A rge number of lumber carriers are being constructed at Gdansk. This year Poland will eiver 12 such units, as well as 6 dry cargo ^ssels (e.g., Mozdok, Minsk, Mozhaisk). The atias Tezen yards in East Germany are com- ^etmg the huge mixed passenger liner Ivan while a series of passenger vessels is ■j,,°ut to be terminated at the same shipyard. live AlSeria, last of this series, will be decere<^ during the next few weeks. Seven dry frr^° vessels will be accepted this summer the*11 Rostock> whde Weineniinde will deliver e dry cargo units Viaz’ma, Velikie Luki,
wtka.
Ria^16 Ra^an Ansaldo works are completing a t0,nt tanker, Giordano Bruno, the third of 6 ne6 received from this firm before the end of y ,.year- Another of this series, the Giuseppe ^ *> will soon be launched, the l(-'a^er draught tankers for operations in j,jn . aspian are being built in Bulgaria. The drv 1S ' ^artsila works are constructing the „0 »ar®° vessels Krasnokamsk, Klin, Kras-
Vard ^ ^rasn°d°n> while another Finnish Mo irWl^ Pr°duce a third icebreaker of the 5 Va class, to be named the Kiev.
^°Reign
F°mP°sition of the Fleet (The Crows-
dian N arC.h'April 1964): The Royal Cana"
Win k aVy’s commissioned ships (two more from C a<ddcd by the end of the year) range c°rts 3n aircraft carrier through destroyer es- ’ 0cean escorts, a submarine, and several mari°rt sd'Ps- As well, two Royal Navy sub- der serve it1 the Atlantic Command un- Staall 6, °perational control of the RGN. Four den„ S *PS are on loan to other government ThercS
Boriau 1 C antisubmarine team. The
i^g-aicT^ *laS an angled deck, mirror land- t\vin_ and steam catapult. Her aircraft are Plan(>l'n'"lnCd CS2F-2 Tracker antisubmarine latter 3n<4 ^04S-3 ASW helicopters. The Sea p3 r<> replaced by the all-weather
lng CHSS-2. There are 21 destroyer
And is this what most engineers mean when they say APPLIED
MICROELECTRONICS?
It is called the R45 Multi-Mode Radar.
The versatile R45 family of multi-mode radars takes full advantage of recent advances in microelectronics systems integration and computer programmed circuits analysis. It is another major achievement in “built-in” low total-life-cost by North American Aviation/Autonetics.
The R45 radar family was designed to fulfill a need for reliable, lightweight, easily maintained and versatile airborne systems at low cost. These building block systems weigh less than 100 pounds and have more than a 1000-hour inherent MTBF rate in helicopter, transport and light attack applications. Basic K„ band frequency and 60 kw power can be varied to meet customer operational requirements.
Microelectronic R45 radar circuits are designed and verified by computer analysis, thus affording an unusually high degree of systems reliability, design integrity and simplicity. Standard circuitry and modular construction, employed throughout, add to systems adaptability. They are used, for example, in the R47 radar—a 30-pound low-altitude automatic terrain following sensor. By selecting the necessary functional module blocks, specific operational modes may be added or subtracted.
This is but one more example of how the engineers and scientists at Autonetics are forging ahead in the field of applied microelectronics and total systems integration—another reason Autonetics is setting standards for the entire electronics industry.
North American Aviation Autonetics
Strength of the Navy on January 1, 1964, ^as 21,260 officers and men, wrens and cadets.
new ceiling of 20,700 has been authorized and will be reached this summer by normal Ufirition. Ships are manned to 89 per cent o war complement.
Changes in the fleet units attached to destroyer escort squadrons on each coast will . e place during the year as helicopter-carry- jj ® i-*DEs are incorporated in the Atlantic
escorts in the fleet, 18 of which have been 3uilt in Canada from 1955 onward. Two others will enter service later this year; the ' ipigon, built at Sorel, Quebec, and the Annapolis, from Halifax.
1 he first of three Oberon-class submarines for te RCN, the Ojibwa, was launched in Brit- am °n February 29. These submarines are jCheduled to enter service in 1965, 1967 and . HMCS Provider, their first fleet replen- lshrnent ship, was accepted last fall.
The RCN has two first-line air squadrons, ooo armed with Trackers, the other with ASW ehcopters, both squadrons with carrier opiating capability. There are four other squadrons engaged in training, evaluation and Utility roles.
France Now Has A-Force (Waverley p°°t in 7 he Washington Post, 28 June 1964): rance’s atomic striking force is now in exist- and to prove it the French armies s 'uistry yesterday [26 June] admitted a . cten group of Frenchjournalists for a look nn the ultra-secret Mont-de-Marsan cen-
[py. f , t
°r military aviation experimentation. l °Vvever, the first complete squadron of A- carrying Mirage IV planes will not be Perational until autumn, when they will be to *a;^e on a 24-hour-a-day basis, prepared °ff in two minutes.
thr 16 a^arm wiii be given by the Palmier G nee~dimensional radar, of which the first is p . operating at Mont-de-Marsan. The ^ ,llCr G findings will be analyzed instan- eously by the Strida electronic robot, fo • ” a^so provide automatic guidance \va ln.tercePtor planes. The French claim this "'orld'1^ system is the most modern in the
Uet* st*b be some time, however, before a ork of the radar-robot teams, like the
prototype at Mont-de-Marsan, can be established throughout France. So, for the present, France’s warning system is incorporated with that of her allies. The ultimate objective is an independent national system.
The program for further development of France’s nuclear force of dissuasion is also a long-range affair. By mid-1966, there will be 36 Mirage IV planes divided among an unspecified number of bases, each capable of dispatching a first plane on two-minute notice.
At this period, the planes will begin to be relieved by missiles, though these will not be relied on solely to deliver nuclear bombs.
New planes are also under way, including the vertical take-off Mirage III-V.
s Aircraft as Icebreakers (Flight International, 25 June 1964): Ice on Arctic rivers has been successfully combated by the use of aircraft, Soviet sources reported recently. The estuary of the River Dvian, on which the port of Archangel lies, and also the rivers Amur, Yenisei and Ob in Siberia, were opened to traffic earlier in the season than would otherwise occur.
Aircraft dropped trails of ash, dividing the ice in a regular grid pattern and within 18 or 20 days the spring sun cut through the ice along the ash lines “like a knife going through butter,” said Pass. Apart from lengthening the navigation season the method is said to avoid the risk of floods and to be only one- thirtieth as costly as the use of icebreakers.
When ice blocks form, threatening floods, aircraft drop salt instead of ash to melt the ice. Similar techniques have been applied to free pastureland from snow early in the season.
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s Merchant-Ship Reactor Offered (Baltimore Sun, 11 June 1964): Babcock and Wilcox Company put on the market today [10 June] the first merchant ship nuclear reactor with a firm price tag and a guarantee that covers performance and fuel costs.
The price was not disclosed.
The announcement was made as the first atom-powered merchant ship, the NS Savannah, moved toward European ports on its maiden voyage.
Known as the C.N.S.G.—consolidated nuclear steam generator—the reactor is a direct outgrowth of experience acquired by Babcock and Wilcox in supplying the entire nuclear- power system for the Savannah.
It was said to incorporate new features which make the atom economically competitive with the cheapest conventional marine fuels in a number of applications.
Its designers believe it paves the way for “an entirely new class of high speed, long- range cargo vessels.”
Future Subs of Glass (Undersea Technology, May 1964): Submariners of the future might look through hulls made entirely of glass, according to Mr. H. A. Perry of the Naval Ordnance Laboratory.
Mr. Perry, who claims it is his job to put the Navy under the water rather than on top of it, has been researching the possibility of using glass to replace metals for submarine hulls.
Working with figures, glassman Perry determined the theoretical performance of alldepth spherical hulls made of glass as opposed to those made of Hy 80 steel, Titanium 64 or 821, and Aluminum 7090. In theory, while the bending load characteristics of the metals decreased with depth, that of glass increased to a maximum at a depth of more than 15,000 feet. At that point it started to decrease, reaching zero at a pressure equal to the nonexistent depth of 48,000 feet below sea level-
His theory was put to test a few weeks ago when he and several other NOL scientists experimented with 95 glass spheres in the deep waters of the Puerto Rico Trench.
Using the Navy research vessel Gilliss (AGOR-4), the Perry crew lowered each
sPhere separately to predetermined depths an explosive charge mounted at a speci- ec distance from the sphere. The spheres were lowered to depths of 3,000, 7,000, 14,000, 21,000 feet. Hydrostats detonated the arge when the specified depth was reached, the explosion had no effect on the glass Phere, the charge was placed closer to it. At each depth several spheres were used, varying n y the distance between the sphere and the ~xplosive. Thus, for each depth a critical stance between sphere and explosive was '‘termined, and through additional calcula- °ns> actual bending load characteristics ere determined.
The tests proved Perry’s theoretical calcula- ins’ but wherein a theoretical maximum was ^‘ach«l at 15,000 feet, in reality the char- 21 nnst'c continued to increase to depths of > 10 feet. Deeper tests to determine where a xirnum would be reached were not made th CC ^Tdrostats activated by pressures greater not*1 eclutvalent of 21,000-foot depths were ca ava‘btble. This proved to be one of those IirryS W^ere testing of the specimen was p '.teb only by the performance of the test in>Pment.
erry explained that, unlike other materials, ass becomes stronger as the pressure upon it --- greater. He pointed out that this •Par' a ^e^n^te advantage to the sub- saf *^er’ s*nce deeper it would go the it Would become.
°n t^rin^ May’ more tests wdl be conducted littl f SP^eres> but this, time they will have Or , 'atches in them, or external structures, data 3St*C coatinSs t0 determine additional ti0nUnder various conditions and configura-
ter ^cjentists Detect Undersea Waves (Wal- 1964)1 ^*Van 'n 27;r New York Times, 29 June ' Peculiar undersea waves that some- ,rcacb a height of 100 feet have been ob- LaiC by oceanographers of the Hudson oratories, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y. ri<je^ hearts of neutral buoyancy floats, set to ^°Und4 Vaiaous depths, the waves have been beir, to occur at least as far down as one mile
the surface.
each Clr Teia°d—the time between passage of or mCrest varies from 10 minutes to an hour 0rc. It seems to increase with depth and
the same may be true, as well, of the wave height.
Observation of the waves was announced yesterday by Alan Berman, director of the laboratories, through Columbia University, which operates the research center for the Navy’s Office of Naval Research. The center concentrates on basic research related, in particular, to antisubmarine warfare.
The existence of the waves had been deduced in the past on the basis of temperature measurements. Their observation was made possible by a new type of float developed by Theodore Pochapsky.
During the 1950s Dr. John C. Swallow of Britain’s National Institute of Oceanography invented a buoy that could be set to float at a predetermined depth. This was possible because the density of water increases slightly toward the bottom.
These “Swallow floats” emitted an occasional pinging sound so that their underwater drift could be followed. They made possible the discovery of several great undersea currents, but there was no way to observe brief changes in the depth of a float.
The new devices, on the other hand, announce changes in depth by varying the intervals between pings. This coding system is much like that used to radio data from the less sophisticated earth satellites.
The buoys can be commanded, by the sound signal, to drop ballast and rise to the surface, where they emit radio signals until picked up.
What causes the waves is a mystery. According to Mr. Pochapsky, they are “noisy.” That is, their period and height are irregular. They have been observed in various parts of the Caribbean and Atlantic, and they tend to become more marked near the edge of the continental shelf.
This edge, which may lie 100 miles or more offshore, is the structural margin of the continent, where the depth of water drops from a few hundred feet to one or two miles. The researchers are curious whether these waves “break” as they reach the edge of the shelf. The increased wave activity there is thought to be unrelated to such breaking.
The waves are not observed at depths of less than about 250 feet, Mr. Pochapsky said. He thinks that this may be because the energy required to produce a surface wave is far greater than that required for a deep wave.
At a depth of a half mile the floats—13- inch aluminum spheres—tend to move up and down 30 or 40 feet. This, Mr. Pochapsky said, implies wave heights of as much as 100 feet.
The response of the floats to waves becomes less at greater depths. While the devices can operate more than three miles below the surface, they do not respond to waves much below one mile.
s Nuclear Ship’s Power Doubled, Vance Reveals (New York Herald Tribune, 14 June 1964): Scientists have developed an atomic power plant that will give surface ships twice the life and power of today’s atomic-powered fleet, Cyrus R. Vance, Deputy Secretary of Defense, announced yesterday. He spoke at Pensacola, Fla., on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Naval Air Station.
“We can note with pride,” he said, “that in the past several months, those working on the development for reactor cores have produced a design which will be twice as powerful and run more than twice as long without refueling as the units of the Enterprise.” The nuclear- powered carrier Enterprise has greater maneuverability than destroyers, Mr. Vance noted. He also pointed out that the Navy has submarines that can move under water faster than most merchant ships can travel on the surface.
The Navy has been seeking to increase its nuclear-powered surface ships due to the advances in design. Mr. Vance made no mention of this, but he told the audience pointedly that “the very success” of the present atomic- powered submarines points up the fact that a potential enemy could produce a similar system. “Antisubmarine warfare will never again be the comparatively simple matter that it was during my days in destroyers,” he said-
0 Sandy Hook Research Vessel (Undersea Technology, June 1964): The Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory of the Bureau of Sport- Fisheries and Wildlife will take delivery of the offshore research vessel Dolphin in July. A former Army tug, the Dolphin is being converted at Charleston, S. C. She will work under the direction of Dr. L. A. Walford on the distribution of migratory fish and the characteristics of their environment over the continental shelf between Hatteras and Cape Cod-
CREI
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While military electronics maintenance requirements are increasing 5 to 6 per cent a year, a military spokesman recently pointed out that the Armed Forces are getting only half the skilled technicians they need.
CREI can help improve the technical qualifications of your electronics personnel by providing them with technical knowledge beyond the scope of military courses. The military man enrolled in a CREI Program studies solid state physics, differential calculus, pulse techniques, probability and statistics, computers and instrumentation. Or, if his interest is in the nuclear field, reactor physics, heat and thermodynamics, reactor instrumentation and health-physics.
CREI men now serve the Armed Forces wherever advanced technical knowledge is required. And, because CREI men study on their own time and pay their own tuition, the cost to the Armed Forces is nothing.
Many officers not only encourage
CREI students but they also suggest getting information on CREI courses to other qualified men. And they welcome the CREI Field Service Representative who visits their command.
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