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Did an open hatch sink a Chinese nuclear submarine in port?

Did an open hatch sink a Chinese nuclear submarine in port?

What you need to know: China’s newest Zhou-class nuclear submarine reportedly sank near a Wuhan shipyard during construction, likely due to operator error.

Chinese submarine

– Satellite images showed large cranes trying to save the day in June, indicating a major setback for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Similar accidents have occurred elsewhere: the Indian INS Arihant was damaged by floods in 2017, and the British HMS Thetis sank in 1939 due to design and operational problems.

-These incidents highlight the complexities and risks associated with new classes of submarines. Lessons learned from these tragedies have previously led to design improvements, highlighting the need for careful testing in future builds.

In late May or early June, China’s newest – and perhaps most capable – nuclear submarines sank near a shipyard under construction in Wuhan, and officials in Beijing tried to cover it up. Wall Street Journal first reported in September. Zhou-class submarine was part of a massive expansion of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and instead could have been a major setback.

According to the transcript, the nuclear-powered submarine is believed to be the lead submarine of the Zhou class, which featured a “distinctive X-shaped stern that was designed to make the vessel more maneuverable.” “The submarine was built at the facilities of the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation on the Yangtze River and was completed before the start of sea trials.

“It is not surprising that the PLA Navy tried to hide the fact that its new first-in-class nuclear attack submarine sank at its berth,” a senior US defense official said. as previously reported Stavros Atlamazoglu for The National Interest.

The incident may not have even been noticed, but satellite photos taken in June showed “large floating cranes” that “arrived in early June to lift the submarine from the river bottom.” WSJ explained.

Details come into focus

Following reports that the PLAN submarine sank, few details emerged – and it was suggested that it was not a mechanical failure, but most likely the result of human error.

Chinese submarine

According to a report from Washington TimesUS Defense officials suggested the accident was due to “operator error” – possibly “resulting from the vessel being left open and flooded.”

The official said, “They screwed up,” which would be a significant understatement to say the least, but is actually not that uncommon when it comes to submarines that have recently been launched and have yet to undergo sea trials.

Past submarine accidents

The Indian Navy’s INS submarine was recently completed in 2017 at a cost of $2.9 billion. Arihant remained inoperative for almost a year after hatching remained openallowing seawater to flood engine compartments and damage critical systems.

Not only did the engine compartments fill with seawater, but the pipes running through the submarine were also significantly damaged. Given how corrosive seawater can be to various pipes, including those carrying pressurized coolant water to and from the ship’s eighty-three-megawatt nuclear reactor, all of them had to be cut out and replaced. New Delhi also tried unsuccessfully to hide the incident from the public.

In June 1939 the Royal Navy GMS Thetis (H25) sank before official transfer to the Royal Navy during diving trials in Liverpool Bay. This incident occurred after the inner hatch of the torpedo tube was opened and the outer hatch to the sea was also opened, causing the submarine to be scuttled. Apparently some enamel paint had blocked the flow of water to the number 5 tube valve even though the outer door (nose cap) was open. It remains unclear why the bow was open, but it was most likely a malfunction.

There was also confusion among the crew due to the fact that the “Closed” position for tube 5 on the dial was a mirror image of the number 6. This was simply an illogical design that proved to be a recipe for disaster. Lieutenant Frederick Woods, the boat’s torpedo officer, opened the hatch to make sure the pipe was empty, and as he did so, water rushed inside. The crew reportedly did not panic at first, as the T-Class was designed with six compartments.

Submarine

However, closing the watertight doors separating the torpedo compartment from the storage compartment proved more difficult than expected. A Royal Navy submarine at the time did not have a quick-locking wheel door, but instead each door had eighteen butterfly bolts along the edge that had to be locked in case of an emergency. This was another design flaw that prevented the doors from closing.

To make matters worse, the torpedo storage bay had been set up for a special dinner for visiting dignitaries and was filled with excess furniture and loose equipment, making it difficult for the crew to escape. Only four sailors managed to reach the emergency hatch, and the boat became a grave for the 99 people remaining on board.

The tragic sinking eventually led to a redesign of all torpedo tubes on British and Australian submarines. The boat was raised and renamed HMS. lightning strike, and saw service during World War II. Unfortunately, in 1943 the boat was hit by several depth charges from the Italian Navy. Lightning strike sank in 4,430 feet (1,350 meters) with the loss of all arms.

Experience and knowledge of the author: Peter Suchu

Peter Suchiu is a writer from Michigan. He has contributed in more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites, which have published more than 3,200 articles over a twenty-year career as a journalist. He writes regularly about military technology, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics and international affairs. Peter is also Co-author for Forbes and Registration of works. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can write to the author by email: (email protected).

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