Submarine & Other Matters

The misadventures of AUKUS robot AlboGov never cease. I publish on subs, other naval, nuclear weapons & broad political issues. Aussie sub changes are glacial: talk rather than actual new subs. The 1st Collins LOTE may secretly concern the US Combat System & be ready 2029. Trump may decide to cancel the AUKUS Virginia offer due to USN advice it needs all operational SSNs right through to the 2040s. My colleagues Shawn C and Gessler are excellent writers. Pete.

November 17, 2018

Argentine Submarine ARA San Juan Found in Fragments - Photo

Wreckage of ARA San Juan 800m down on seafloor. As it imploded/exploded into small fragments this would obstruct recovery efforts of submarine and crew remains. Fragments were predicted last year. (Photo courtesy search vessel Seabed Constructor and Argentine Navy via New York Times).

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In the last 3 hours is has been reported in the international media that Argentine submarine ARA San Juan, lost for a year, has been found, in deep water.

Australia’s government owned ABC News, on November 17, 2018 reports:

Argentina's navy says searchers deep in the Atlantic have found the missing submarine ARA San Juan, which disappeared with 44 crewmen aboard almost a year ago to the date.

The vessel was detected 800 metres deep in waters off the Valdes Peninsula in Argentine Patagonia, the navy statement said.

The navy said a "positive identification" had been made by a remote-operated submersible from the American ship Ocean Infinity, which was hired for the latest search for the missing vessel.

It had earlier tweeted that it was investigating a "point of interest" where a 60-metre-long object had been detected.

The discovery was announced just two days after families of the missing sailors held a commemoration one year after the sub disappeared on November 15, 2017.

On [November 15, 2018], on the anniversary of the disappearance, [Argentine] President Mauricio Macri said the families of the submariners should not feel alone and delivered an "absolute and non-negotiable commitment" to find "the truth".

Mr Macri promised a full investigation after the submarine was lost. [Argentine] Federal police raided naval bases and other buildings last January [2018] as part of the probe, soon after the Government dismissed the head of the navy.

The San Juan was returning to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata when contact was lost.

The navy has previously said the captain reported on November 15 that water entered the snorkel and caused one of the sub's batteries to short-circuit. The captain later communicated that it had been contained.

Some hours later, an explosion was detected near the time and place where the San Juan was last heard from.

The navy said the blast could have been caused by a "concentration of hydrogen" triggered by the battery problem reported by the captain.

Argentina gave up hope of finding survivors after an intense search aided by 18 countries, but the navy has continued searching for the vessel.

[San Juan a] German-built diesel-electric TR-1700 class submarine was commissioned in the mid-1980s and was most recently refitted between 2008 and 2014.

During the $US12 million ($16 million) retrofitting, [San Juan] was cut in half and had its engines and batteries replaced.

Experts said refits could be difficult because they involve integrating systems produced by different manufacturers, and even the tiniest mistake during the cutting phase can put the safety of the ship and crew at risk."

COMMENT

Clear, published, photographic evidence, on the seafloor, of ARA San Juan's shape, serial numbers (and maybe inscribed name) are needed for proof.

Pete