The very concept of an “underwater aircraft carrier” is defined. It is a submarine with aircraft on board. This underwater vehicle began to appear at the beginning of the twentieth century in Germany and was used for transportation and subsequent launch of hydroplanes from it. This technology was most developed during the Second World War by Japan.
The initial idea of submarine aircraft carriers in Germany
Back in 1915, the Friedrichshafen hydroplane was launched from the deck of the German U-12 submarine. In 1917, in the same country, a Brandenburg hydroplane was placed and tested on board a diesel boat.
Before the Second World War in Germany, the project of an underwater aircraft carrier of the III and XI series was created, for which the Arado-231 aircraft was developed and created . From the III series (ships - the heirs of the submarines of the First World War) they quickly refused. The XI series had the best maneuverability when sailing on the surface, finances were allocated to it just before the war, but the war made its own corrections, it was also abandoned.
High speed was based on the principles of Walther's German boats. This invention is already 3/4 century, but still not all states can bring it to life.
From the History of Japanese Aircraft Carrier Submarines
Many countries with access to the sea, between the world wars thought about how to create such submarines that could simultaneously be aircraft carriers. Japan managed to develop such a concept called "Sen Toki". The first with a bomber stationed was the Seyran submarine. The main idea of this aircraft carrier was the effect of surprise. The idea of these submarine units dates back to the time of the outbreak of war in the Pacific. It consisted in the fact that it was necessary to build something grandiose, surpassing the rest in scale, something that could serve both as a means of transportation and a means of launching aircraft, ensuring their unexpected appearance for opponents. After the attack, the aircraft was supposed to return to its original position, the crew was evacuated, the aircraft carrier was submerged under water.
In 1942, with the help of a Japanese submarine carrier, an attack was made on the US state of Oregon, which was able to drop two incendiary bombs. They should have caused global fires in the forests, but something went wrong and the intended effect was not achieved. Moreover, this type of attack had a great psychological effect, since such a method was not known.
In 1945, Japan planned using the data of aircraft carriers to carry out a bacteriological war against the United States. There were both opponents and supporters of this idea. As a result, common sense prevailed when General Umezu vetoed the plan of operations, explaining that bacteriological warfare would harm not only Americans, but all of humanity.
Submarine carriers for various reasons, including because of the adventurous inclinations of the military leadership of Japan, did not enter into real hostilities. After the surrender of Japan, they were delivered to the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, and in 1946 they were put out to sea and shot by torpedoes so that the Russians would not get any secrets that required access to these aircraft carriers.
Submarine aircraft carriers in Japan were able to take up to 3 torpedo aircraft and bombers on board. During World War II, 56 aircraft-carrying submarines were built, 52 of them in Japan. By the end of World War II, there were 39 such devices, and all of them were Japanese.
Brief description of some aircraft carriers in Japan
Japanese submarine aircraft carriers were mainly represented by the I-400 submarine and other similar counterparts. These were the largest submarines until the 70s of the last century. On the deck of these boats were giant hangars, which housed bombers. On the boats there was a snorkel - a device that provides engines with air for scuba diving, detectors of the working radar of the enemy, its own radar and giant fuel tanks, with which you could go around the Earth a half times.
Three torpedo bomber M6A1 Sheyran, located in the hangar and launched by the upper deck catapult, acted as the main gun .
The aircraft were equipped with additional fuel tanks, with which it was possible to hit the target up to 1,500 miles (with their natural technical death at the end). They had floats, although in the hangar they were without them and with their wings folded.
In 2005, an expedition from the United States found a flooded submarine I-401 near the island of Oahu. She was examined, and from it it was decided to make an underwater ship. However, at the 90% completion stage, construction was stopped.
Nuclear submarines "Shark"
The nuclear submarine carrier "Shark" was developed in the USSR. They were the largest submarines in the world. The terms of reference were issued in 1972 as opposed to the US Ohio submarines, which began to be built almost simultaneously. The "shark" was to be equipped with R-39 missiles, which had a longer flight range compared to the American counterpart, more blocks and cast mass, but was longer and heavier than the American, so it was necessary to develop a new generation of missile carriers.
The name "Shark" came from the first boat of this series - TK-208, which had an image of a shark below the waterline in the bow.
A nuclear submarine carrier is characterized by a small draft of the ship, a large stock of buoyancy, which allows it to be used as an icebreaker.
The main nuclear power plant was developed on a block basis and includes 2 water-water reactors and two steam turbine plants.
R-39 missiles were equipped only with Shark boats, their range was 8300 km with multiple warheads. The submarine placed MANPADS "Igla-1".
In total, 6 ships of this series were built, three of which were disposed of.
American Nuclear Submarine Ohio
Ohio submarines include 18 third-generation US submarines with multiple warheads. Initially equipped with Trident-1 missiles, which were later replaced by Trident-2. The bulk of the missile carriers are concentrated in the Pacific Ocean.
These boats were created as a response to the impossibility of delivering an unpunished preventive nuclear strike by the United States against the USSR as a “realistic deterrence”. Single hull ship with four compartments. The work is quiet.
According to the START-2 agreement, the first four ships of this type were converted into Tomahawk cruise missile carriers.
Comparative characteristic of "Ohio" and "Sharks"
In terms of the number of missiles, the Ohio is superior to the Shark, but the American boat is designed to be on duty in the southern latitudes, while the Russian submarine aircraft carrier can be located in the Arctic.
Ohio provides an opportunity for consistent improvement, which makes it possible to use one type of ballistic missile.
The submarine displacement of the Shark is 50,000 tons, the Ohio has 18,700 tons, the underwater speed is more than 30 and 25 knots respectively.
On board the “Shark” 20 missiles, “Ohio” - 24 missiles. In “Shark” - 2 torpedo tubes, in “Ohio” - 4. The firing range of missiles at “Ohio” is higher - up to 11000 km (at “Shark” - up to 10000). The depth of immersion at "Ohio" - up to 300 m, at the "Shark" - up to 380-500 m.
Autonomous navigation on the Ohio is possible for 90 days, and on the Shark 120.
Condition today
Of the 6 Russian submarine aircraft carriers built in the Soviet Union, 3 boats were disposed of, one was modernized, two ships are in reserve.
All Sharks were part of the 18th submarine division. She was cut. In 2011, the Ministry of Defense was going to cut the Sharks into metal, having previously written them off, however, in 2014 D. Rogozin said that the shelf life of the boats would be increased to 35 years instead of the original 25, armament will change every 7 years in these ships and electronics.
Missiles in the Akula submarine were not fully utilized and in 2012 there were reports that the Arkhangelsk and Sevastopol boats of this series could be put into operation, but because of the high cost of modernization, it was decided to abandon this idea.
The first ship of this series, the TK-208, will continue to be in service until 2020.
Borey and Borey-M
Russia is currently building a modern Navy using project 955 Borey. In 2016, 8 submarines of this project were laid down. The advanced modification is called "Borey-M" (project 955A). On board are 16 - 20 ICBM Bulava-30 and several cruise missiles. The potential range is 8,000 km.
With the help of the Boreya sonar system, enemy ships can be detected at a distance of one and a half times greater than similar systems of the most advanced US Virginia submarines allow today.
The potential depth of the Borea dive is 480 m. Food for an autonomous existence is enough for 90 days. Regarding water purification systems, renewal of the air system, and energy supply, the missile carrier can be autonomous for many years.
Project 949 UA
The last described submarines can be called aircraft carriers only conditionally, since they carry missiles, not planes. However, in the domestic defense industry there was a project 949UA, according to which the three-hull aircraft carrier Dnepropetrovsk was conceived. But due to geopolitical events, it was not built. Displacement of about 47,000 tons was planned. A quick-drying runway was provided here. In 1992, E. Gaidar, the project was closed.
Reviews
According to many users, the rejection of the classic aircraft carriers occurred not only because of financial problems, but also because of their senselessness from a military point of view. Missile carriers are evaluated differently. Most users and experts consider them necessary for the country's defense.
Finally
Carriers began to develop at the beginning of the twentieth century in Germany and continued their development in Japan. However, for a number of reasons, with all the grandeur of the ideas, they did not have a significant impact on the military development of those countries where they were common. Therefore, they were replaced by missile carriers, one of the leaders in the construction of which is our state.