The Navy Vol_22_Part2 1960 - Navy League of Australia

NEW TYPE SONARSignificant Advance in Submarine DetectionA new type of Sonar, known asis being manufactured in CanadaHE new system will enableT warships to lower sonargear through the ocean's thermallayers, thereby overcomingthe ability of submarinesto escape detection in or belowthese temperature strata.Variable depth sonar is theresult of more than 1(1 years'research anil development byDefence Research Hoard scientistsof the Naval ResearchEstablishment at Halifax. NovaScotia.The need for a layer-probingsonar first became apparentwhen German submarines, bothby accident and design, madetactical use of thermal layersduring the Second World War.The upper levels of oceansusually contain layers of. varyingtemperature which form ahorizontally uniform patternmany miles in extent. Theselayers may refract or completelyresist penetration bvsonar transmissions from hullmountedsets.The problem was of particularconcern to the RoyalCanadian Navv because of thepresence of such layers off thecoasts of Canada.Defence Research Hoardscientists and anti-submarinespecialists of the Royal CanadianNavy, Working on theproject together, discoveredthat the problem could be substantiallyovercome by placingtransducers in or below thelayers of varying temperatures.Applied research and developmentfollowed, and theresult was an equipment consistingessentially of a trans-V.D.S. (variable depth sonar)for the Royal Canadian Navy.ducer enclosed in a streamlinedbody which can be towed atvarying depths. The towingcable houses a core of electricalconductors. These transmitsignals to tin* towing ship'ssonar displays and alsn earnelectrical power from the shipto tin- transducer.The concept which led to thedevelopment of variable depthsonar was initiated almostsimultaneously in Canada andthe United States. Close liaisonwas maintained with theRoyal Navy and the I'nitedStates Navy, who also soughtimproved detection methodsalong similar lines. Informationwas shared throughout bythe associated countries, withCanada concentrating 011 specifiedpossible methods as theother countries explored differentbut allied techniques.II. M.C.S. "NEW LIS-K E A R D ". originally an"Algerine" class ocean minesweepersubsequently reclassifiedas a coastal escort,and now again re-rated asa survey ship for bathythermeographicduties, was thefirst ship to be used for experimentaltrials. Repeated testingand modification resulted inimprovement in the performanceof the equipment, and amore sophisticated version ofvariable depth sonar, built byCanadian firms, was installedin II.M.C.S. "CRUSADER," aformer British destroyer nowrated as a destroyer escort.Intensive evaluation producedeffective results and the equipmentwas accepted for servicein the Royal Canadian Navy.MELBOURNESTEAMSHIPCO. LTD.Head Office.It KING ST., MELBOURNEBrana.es or Agenciesat all portsManaging A,genu forHOBSONS BAY DOCK ANDENGINEERING CO. PTY.LTD.Wort* Williamstown, VictoriaHODGE ENGINEERING CO.PTY. LTD.Works: Susses St., SydneyandCOCKBURN ENGINEERINGPTY. LTD.Works: Hincs Rd., FremantleShip Repairers, etc.PORT LINELIMITEDRegular sailings for:UNITED KINGDOMand CONTINENTTAKING WOOL,REFRIGERATEDandGENERAL CARGOALSO LIMITEDNUMBER SALOONPASSENGERS.For further particulars, apply:PORT LINE LTD.50 Young Street, Sydney(Inc. in England)OrAgents:GIBBS BRIGHT & CO.37 Pitt Street, SydneyAlio atBRISBANE, MELBOURNE,ADELAIDE, PERTH,FREMANTLE, NEWCASTLEand HOBARTTHE NAVSUB. VERSUS SUB.(Continued from page 15)form of warfare, has been asuccession of temporary advanceson each side of thebattle. Now. however, thenuclear submarine has temporarilyoutstripped all conventionalforms of surface and airA/S methods, leaving only allothersubmarine (preferablynuclear) as its logical opponent.What advantages does asubmarine hold over its surfaceand air colleagues? By itschoice of depth it can penetratethe density layers whichare the under-water equivalentof the smoke screen or rainstorm to shelter a hunted submarine.It can chase its quarryunder the polar icefloes. Itsinvisibility, even in these days,gives it a good chance of operatingin enemy held waters,and particularly in the approachesto submarine bases—the most fruitful huntingground of all. Such areas, withtheir inevitable enemy air sujieriority,are unsuitable, to saythe least, for patrol by frigategroups or slow A/S aircraft.As well as having the abilityto remain unseen, the submarinecan stay 011 patrol forweeks or even mouths, maintainingcomplete silence, andmaking the best use of intelligencereports covering a largearea. Finally, rough weathereffectively "quenches" theasdics of surface ships and reducestheir speed superiorityover a conventional submarine.The chances of detection andchase against a '20-knot nuclearvessel are still decidedly slender,even using a combinationof air and surface forces. Anothernuclear submarine, equippedwith homing torpedoes andmodern asdics, has both thespeed and the detection equipmentto deal with its transittingopponent.July. I960RussianThe l.S.S.R. is quietly butsurely distributing her newmedium-sized seagoing patrolsubmarines of the "W" classall over the world, either basedin fellow travellers' countriesor actually incorporated in.leased or loaned to foreignnavies with communist sympathies.No fewer than HO "W" classsubmarines of the Soviet Navyhave been deployed ill this way.A whole squadron of eightunits are now based in Albania.Eight of the nine fonnerRussian seagoing types of submarinesnow incorporated intothe Egyptian Navy are reportedto be of the "W" class.It is not generally knownthat two Russian submarines ofthe "W" class have been allocatedto the new IndonesianNavy.Of the 24 ex-Russian submarinesnow incorporated intothe Chinese Communist NavySubmarinestwelve are new vessels of the"W" class. These are alloperational, and another nineare under construction. Also."W" type submarines are beingor are schedulued to bebuilt at Shanghai and Wuchangdockyards at the rate ofabout six to eight each year.The modern Russian "W"class submarines in Indonesiaand China alone more than offsetthe two meagre British submarinesquadrons based 011Singapore and Sydney, andrival the number of Americansubmarines based on Pearl Harbour,and in emergency or allout war would require hundredsof anti - submarinefrigates in the China and JavaSeas to counter them.There are also 35 ex-Russiansubmarines of other classes nowin the navies of Bulgaria.China, East Germany. NorthKorea, Poland. RoumaniaSyria.WE ARE SUPPLIERS OF SEA FRESH LOCAL FISHandDirect Importers of United Kingdom and ContinentalQUICK-FROZEN FISHWholesale Suppliers to Hotels and RestaurantsWE SPECIALISE IN SHIPS PROVIDORINGBULK COLD STORE AND WHOLESALE DEPT.:Corner of Gibbons ond Marian Streets, Redfern—MX 5688A. A. MURRELLS FISH SUPPLYHead Office:195 George Street, Sydney-*U 5945. After Hours-TV 5470.and