"US funded military research goes to Chinese institutions"

The USA's abc4 NEWS reports November 16, 2022:

"U.S. funded military research goes to Chinese institutions"

"More than 150 Chinese-born scientists who did U.S. taxpayer-funded military research at the fabled Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico are now back home working in China, in some cases, helping develop weapons.

“Since returning to China, Los Alamos alumni have helped the [People’s Republic of China] advance key military and dual-use technologies in areas such as hypersonics, deep-earth penetrating warheads, unmanned autonomous vehicles, jet engines, and submarine noise reduction,” according to a [Strider] report titled “The Los Alamos Club” from Strider Technologies first reported [in a video] by NBC News.

One such scientist focused on in the report was Zhao Yusheng, a researcher at Los Alamos for 18 years, who collected about $20 million in taxpayer-funded research grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

With “Q clearance,” [covering nuclear weapons and related] at Los Alamos, Zhao was allowed access to top secret restricted data and national security information and led the lab’s team researching high-pressure materials — nuclear warheads, according to the report.

After leaving Los Alamos in 2010, Zhao lead the University of Nevada, Las Vegas High-Pressure Science and Engineering Center, also with a Q Clearance, collecting another approximately $2.9 million in DOE funding for research into new battery materials, the report found.

Zhao was recruited to work for Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China in 2016. He had been scouted by another former Los Alamos alumnus, Dr. Chen Shiyi, “a world-renowned expert in fluid dynamics and turbulence who spent the 1990s at the lab,” he Strider report said.

Chen returned to China and served as president of the [Shenzhen, China] university, recruiting scientists with links to Los Alamos, luring them back [to China] with between $155,000 and $755,000 in research subsidies and grants.

Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping and other top CCP leaders have supported China’s talent programs, the Strider report noted.

“This is the first time we have a comprehensive open-sourced reporting that identifies the people, the places, the services and the organizations in China that are benefitting from the talent who once worked here in our national labs,” Bill Evanina, former director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, told NBC News. “No one can say this is not a threat to our national security,” saying the U.S. is giving “our enemies” the ability to use weapons against us."

SEE WHOLE ABC4 NEWS ARTICLE

India Delaying Its Missile Test(s): 2 PLAN Spy Ships

India appears to have reconsidered its early November 2022 intention (see SubMatts) to “stop” Chinese PLAN spy ship Yuan Wang 6 from surveilling the Indian K or Agni series missile test(s).

India instead plans the less confrontational response of delaying the test(s) until later this month (November 23/24, 2022). BTW, this same source, perhaps incorrectly, talks of “K-12” SLBMs. K-12 SLBMs don’t exist according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Missile_family. K-15 appears more correct.

As well as avoiding confrontation India's date change of heart may, in part be due to:

-  an additional PLAN spy ship Yuan Wang 5 entering the Indian Ocean, showing more determined Chinese resolve.

-  There are several other ways China can optically and electronically “watch” the tests, particularly using a combination of satellites and Chinese landmass ground stations.

-  India's original idea of keeping the PLAN spy ships out of India 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was/is not legally valid, as China would not be encroaching for economic reasons.

-  and, in any case India's EEZ will not restrict Yuan Wang 5 and 6 from sitting just south of the southwestern extremity of the missile range "no fly zone" were the 2 ships can still "capture" missile flight data. Or the satellite(s) downlinks may reach the ships much further south into the central Indian Ocean. See map below courtesy Damien Symon Twitter via Swarajya November 12, 2022.  

Location of the two Chinese spy ships in the Indian Ocean. (Damien Symon/Twitter)

Japanese Submarine LIB distributions & other calculations.

Inspired by Anonymous's hard work are very simplified diagrams of Japanese subs -

with the estimated number of Lithium-ion Battery (LIB) modules in yellow. 

All this highlights the advantages of Japanese all LIB Taigei subs over the 50 tonne lighter

all LIB Soryu Mk IIs (namely JS Oryu and JS Toryu). The LIB distribution

diagrams are: 

			Fin/Sail--------
			Command Rm
Propuls-n	Diesel	Databases-----	Command Rm	Torpedo Rm	Bow Sonar
Motor	Engines	Crew sleeping	& eating areas	Torpedo Rm	Bow Sonar
Fuel/watr	Fuel/Water	80 LIBs a…..	Stores-----	Stores-----	Fuel/Water
Fuel/watr	Fuel/Water	80 LIBs b…..	240 LIBs c…..	240 LIBs d..	Fuel/Water

 Figure 1. - Schematic structure of Oryu/Toryu (Soryu Mark IIs) - noting:

-  5 Bulkheads: Propulsion Motor/Diesel/LIBs(ab)/LIBs(c)/LIBs(d)/Torpedo Room (Rm)

-  Number LIBs = 640 = 80 (a) + 80 (b) + 240 (c) + 240 (d)

-  Higher center of gravity due to 80 LIBs in higher LIBs "a" section

-  LIBs in "a" section increases vertical stray magnetic field problems. Stray fields can be more easily electro-magnetically detected by ASW enemies. Strays fields can also upset delicate electronic equipment in the submarine.

-  Regarding "Fuel/Water" once the Diesel Fuel is consumed the fuel tank is filled with seawater to maintain constant weight distribution (important for buoyancy and trim).

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			Fin/Sail-----------
			Command Rm
Propuls-n	Diesel	Databases-----	Command Rm	Torpedo Rm	Bow Sonar
Motor	Engines	Crew sleeping	& eating areas	Torpedo Rm	Bow Sonar
Fuel/watr	Fuel/Water	FreshWater	Stores-----	Stores-----	Fuel/Water
Fuel/watr	Fuel/Water	LIBs A, LIBs B	LIBs C, LIBs D	LIBsE, LIBsF	Fuel/Water

Figure 2. - Schematic structure of Taigeis - much improved from Toryu/Oryu (Soryu Mark IIs) noting:

-  Greater number of LIBs for longer full submergence / more discrete = 720 LIB modules = 120 x 6 in each of (A, B, C, D, E & F) sections
-  Less vertical stray magnetic fields
-  Lower center of gravity, better for calculating and maintaining buoyancy and trim.
-  Less potential leakage of dangerous gases caused by fire from battery sections to upper sections. 

-  Easier to deploy downward traveling fire suppressant gases as all batteries are contained in bottom deck of a Taigei.

-  Fewer Bulkheads: maybe as low as 4 ie. Propulsion Motor/Diesel / LIBs (ABC) /LIBs (DEF) / Torpedo rooms.

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Anonymous on November 8, 2022 provided extra calculations, which are reproduced below:

Energy of total Japanese submarine LIBs (codenamed “SLHs”) is estimated to be 62-74MWh and 70-83MWh for Oryu/Toryu (ie. The Soryu Mk IIs) and the Taigeis, respectively. This suggests maximum fully submerged endurance of 9-11 days and 10-12 days respectively [3].

Calculations:

[1] https://www.gs-yuasa.com/gyt/jp/products/space/ [Japanese doc . Just right-click mouse to Translate to English.]

High performance lithium-ion battery for spacecraft (eg. satellites and “space probes”): energy density 168Wh/kg, 130(Width) x 50(Depth) x 271(Height) all in mm
Energy density of this battery is ca.20% higher than [2] suggesting energy density of [2] is 140Wh/kg.

[2] https://www.gs-yuasa.com/gyt/jp/products/lithium_l.php [Japanese doc . Just right-click mouse to Translate to English.]
Large lithium-ion battery for space: energy density 140Wh/kg

[3] Estimated energy of submarine (Oryu/Toryu, Taigeis) with SLH (weight 770kg) based on [1] and [2]

If 10% of SLH is used for "frame" [does this mean for internal battery function, eg. keeping battery warm enough to be efficient?] and so on, then energy of SLH is 0.097-0.116MWh
(770kg x 140Wh/kg x 0.000001 MW/W or 770kg x 168Wh/kg x 0.000001 MW/W)

Energy: 62-74MWh [Oryu/Toryu, 640SLHs], 70-83MWh [Taigeis, 720SLHs]
(0.097MWh x 640 or 0.116MWh x 720 for Oryu/Toryu)

If daily energy consumption at surveillance speed [<4knots] is 6MWh [4] and depth of discharge is 90% for SLH, then maximum endurance is 9-11days [for Oryu/Toryu] and 10-12days [ for the Taigeis].
(62MWh / 6MWh x 0.9 or 74MMWh//6MWh x 0.9)

[4] Considering the significant electrical needs of submarine sonar systems and other non-propulsion electrical “hotel load”, then requirement may be 200kW. Energy requirements for propulsion at surveillance speed may be 50kW. Then daily energy consumption is 6MWh (=(200kW+50kW) x 24hours).

++++++++++++++++++++++++

For more launch date and other details of all these Japanese submarines see Submarine Matters Oyashio-Soryu-Taigei Table here.

US RFA: Taiwan’s sub plans no match for China: Sensors, Smart Mines Needed

Radio Free Asia (RFA), which “operates under a [US] Congressional mandate”,  reports, November 1, 2022:

“Taiwan’s domestic submarine plans are no match for China’s analysts say”

“[Taiwan's] navy plans to build as many as 8 [indigenous submarines] while [mainland China (PRC)] may add more than 20 in coming years.”

Taiwan’s navy says it is on course to launch its first domestically built submarine by May 2024, amid skepticism about the effectiveness of [Taiwan's] indigenous submarine program.

… Taiwan started building its Indigenous Defensive Submarine fleet in November 2020 at a new submarine factory in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

Skepticism over indigenous submarines

… Some analysts have however raised questions about the effectiveness of the indigenous submarine program.

Liao Hongxiang, a former lecturer at the Taiwan War College, told local media that the contracted company, CSBS, has “no past performance” in building submarines.

“Since Taiwan has absolutely no experience in the design and manufacture of submarine subsystems, the unit price of each diesel-electric submarine is more than twice that of other countries' [Pete Comment: eg. Japan's] similar submarines,” Liao said.

There is a large gap between the submarine forces of Taiwan and China and, according to the analyst, even with eight new submarines, the Taiwanese Navy still cannot compete with the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s fleet.

China is believed to have around 70 submarines, including a dozen that are nuclear-powered. The number of Chinese nuclear submarines is likely to increase to 21 by 2030, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence [in 2022] .

Instead of acquiring new subs, Liao suggested that the Navy could deploy surveillance systems to early detect enemy submarines in Taiwan’s waters and use smart naval mines and long-range anti-submarine rockets to neutralize them.

Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine colonel who spent a year studying Taiwan’s defense system, also suggested sea mines, “especially the 'smart' kinds.”"

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Pete Comment

Other sources indicate the PRC itself has deployed a ring of seafloor surveillance systems around Taiwan. These are cued to detect Taiwanese and US submarines and warships.

These PRC surveillance systems are networked to alert PRC submarines and other PRC ASW platforms to quickly destroy "enemy" submarines.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SEE WHOLE US RFA ARTICLE HERE

Australia Looking to SAAB for LOTE Help

Australia's Chief of Navy, Vice Adm. Hammond, more or less, told the Senate this.

Turkey 2022: Blocked Russian Cruiser & Destroyer 9 Months

In a win for the democratic world, Middle East Eye, Nov 7, 2022, reports:

"...Two Russian Navy ships have finally left the Mediterranean after sitting idle for 9 months due to Turkey’s ban on the transfer of warships to the Black Sea amid the Ukraine war, one regional source with information told Middle East Eye. 

The Ukraine-based Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies reported on [Nov 6, 2022] that the [14,500 tonne, Russian missile cruiser Varyag] the flagship of the Russian Pacific Fleet, and [8,000 tonne Udaloy-class destroyer, Admiral Tributs] left the Mediterranean Sea on 21 October through the Suez Canal.

Both ships had originally arrived in the Mediterranean Sea on 2 February [2022] a couple of weeks short of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

...In March [2022] at least four Russian ships - two destroyers, a frigate, and an intelligence vessel - were turned away after [Turkey] denied them access..."

MUCH MORE OF THE MIDDLE EAST EYE ARTICLE HERE