Explain cocaine subs to me

[Aglifter]

Do we no longer have a sonar net around the US? Is the US military just not willing to expose that network for DEA use?

[arctictom]

Ummm its a two fold answer, first is the towed submersable that is cut loose when the game is afoot, and it has a timed release buoy for recovery. And rumor has it that some drug dealers are using surplus RU subs with prearanged buy points.

[tfbncc]

The so called sonar net (SOSUS) was never intended to pick up small contacts in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico. They work by picking up low frequency sound trapped in the deep ocean layers. The Carib and GoM don't have the water depth to transmit these noises, so, the Navy never installed any arrays looking in that direction. All the arrays are pointed towards the Atlantic. So, to catch a small cocaine sub would require the use of P-3 or P-8 assetts. With the looming defense department cutbacks, it would be almost impossible to get operational funding while we are still paying for a two front war overseas. Even if they did get extra funding, trying to find a sub running on electric motors is almost impossible without prior intelligence giving the crews a likely starting point to start their search.

[Jericho941]

If I'm not mistaken, SOSUS is on the wrong side of Florida for sonar nets to matter in the first place.

[skb12172]

So, of course, the cynical/paranoid side of me wonders how easy it would be to slip a small nuke into one of our major harbors, using these subs...

[tfbncc]

As easy as you think it is.

[Highspeed]

Needless to say, they have a very high loss rate.

I was approached once to act as a design consultant for such a vessel. I think it was because I had the right combination of amorality and technical knowledge ( how does building choppers qualify you as a sub designer ? - I'm actually a bit of a nerd when it comes to submarines but I don't go around telling people )

This was intended to sail from Amsterdam to the UK.

The design process stalled due to the inability of the people concerned ( a very famous outlaw motorcycle club ) to understand that it would cost £££'s if it wasn't going to kill the bloke piloting it and dump their 'cargo' at the bottom of the English channel.

[Rich]

Also, if you buy the right politician(s) you can pre-arrange "holes" in any detection system.

[Denis]

I thought this thread would be about sandwiches...

I was approached once to act as a design consultant for such a vessel. ... This was intended to sail from Amsterdam to the UK.

Crossing the busiest sea lane in the world in a home-made submarine? Eek!

[Dub_James]

I thought this thread would be about sandwiches...

Me too. Weird sandwiches, but sandwiches nonetheless.