Diesel-Electtric Submarines

choi

(1) Submarines: Singapore Orders Super Type 218SG Boats. Strategy Page, Dec 17, 2013
www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20131217.aspx
("The Singapore Navy announced that it has ordered two Type 218SG submarines from a German firm. These will arrive by the end of the decade and few details were given out but the Type 218SG appears to be a variant of the Type 216 that the manufacturer proposed in 2012")

My comment:
(a) There is no need to read the rest, because little information is released to the public, by Singapore or the manufacturer. Simply because the designation is 218 rather than 216, a couple of commentators call this a new class 218 (Wikipedia among them, but the Wiki page for 218 says little, probably because it has nothing to say.
(b) Manufacturer's press release:

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Receives Major Submarine Order From Singapore. ThyssenKrupp , Dec 2, 2013. www.thyssenkrupp.com/en/presse/a ... 989544737_761385703

choi

(2) Submarines: Trying To Measure The Value Of SSNs, Strategy Page, Dec 16, 2013.
www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsub/articles/20131216.aspx

Quote:

"In fact most diesel-electric boats are only really effective for coastal defense and are much less useful if you send them long distances to do anything.

"One reason China wants to keep American naval forces out of their economic zone (370 kilometers from the coast, an area which does not bar foreign warships) is so that Chinese diesel electric subs can train without being stalked by American subs, surface ships, and aircraft looking for realistic practice tracking Chinese boats. At the same time the U.S. Navy has lost the full use of its most effective underwater anti-submarine training area (a well mapped and instrumented area off southern California) because environmentalist activists have convinced judges that the use of active sonar in this training area is harmful to some species of aquatic animals. So going after potential targets off their coasts is more important than ever.

"There are 39 nations operating a total of 400 diesel electric subs. Only three of these nations (China, Iran, North Korea) are likely to use their subs against the U.S. or its allies. China has fifty of these boats, Iran has three (plus 25 much smaller mini-subs) and North Korea has 20 (plus 50 much smaller mini-subs). So the U.S. has to worry about 150 diesel electric subs, half of them mini-subs. But about half of all these boats are elderly, obsolete, and noisy. That leaves about 70 subs that are a clear threat (though the older stuff can be a threat if you get sloppy). That’s a lot of subs, and they make the East Asian coast and the Persian Gulf dangerous places for American warships.

Note:
(a) Gotland-class submarine
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotland-class_submarine
(the first submarines in the world to feature a Stirling engine air-independent propulsion (AIP) system [The AIP was built by the same Swedish shipyard that built the sub], which extends their underwater endurance from a few days to weeks; Completed 3 [all commissioned in 1996; all active]; Succeeded by A26 [two boats under construction])
(b)
(i) Gotland
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotland
(is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea; The population is 57,221, of which about 22,200 live in Visby, the main town; The island is the home of the Gutes (the tribal name of the Gotlandic people); Gutasaga [a Gotland saga, recorded in the thirteenth century, one copy of which survives] "also tells that a third of the population had to emigrate and settle in southern Europe, a tradition associated with the migration of the Goths, whose name has the same origin as Gutes, the native name of the people of the island")
(ii) To see the relative position of the island, it is better to view the first map in
Baltic Sea
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea
(iii) Goth
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth
(section 1 Etymology)

Quote: "In the late fourth century [376 AD], the Huns came from the east and invaded the region controlled by the Goths. Although the Huns successfully subdued many of the Goths, who joined their ranks, a group of Goths led by Fritigern fled across the Danube. They then revolted against the Roman Empire, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Adrianople.

(iv) Battle of Adrianople
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Adrianople
(Aug 9, 378; Gothic rebel led by Fritigern; took place near Adrianople ([re-founded by and named after Roman Emperor Hadrian [76-138; reign 117-138]; modern Edirne in European Turkey)

Hadrian the emperor "is also known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain." Wikipedia  But he has nothing to do with the name Adriatic Sea.