The new sub envelops a submerged vessel inside an air bubble to avoid problems caused by water drag
Daily Mail: US Navy is developing 'supersonic submarines' that could cut through the ocean at the speed of sound using a bubble
* Vessel travels inside a 'bubble' to reduce drag
* This allows it to reach supersonic speeds
* Technique could also be used to develop superfast swimsuits
As swimmers know, moving cleanly through the water can be a problem due o the huge amounts of drag created - and for submarines, this is even more of a problem.
However, US Navy funded researchers say they have a simple solution - a bubble.
Researchers at Penn State Applied Research Laboratory are developing a new system using a technique called supercavitation.
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WNU Editor: I suspect we are still far away from developing such a sub .... but the tech looks promising.
The Soviet's Shiskival torpedo proved the concept, but:
ReplyDeleteIt was unguided, as you can't "see" through the bubble, into the water beyond with any existing sensor systems,
It was "noisy" as hell,
And because of that, even with it's high speed, it relied on a nuclear war head, because all you need is "close enough".