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Originally Posted by Icelander
Pinging like mad might be fairly successful as an area denial weapon, but might not be feasible during diving operations.
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Probably not. Human divers have air spaces within them, which probably make them more vulnerable to sonar attacks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
It's primarily while engaged in investigation, research or diving operations (generally aimed at gathering data on the Invisible Residents) that the submarines need to defend the waters around them, instead of steaming away faster than swimmers can follow.
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If you're doing that kind of operation, it's worth having lights and windows, and operating by vision if the water is clear enough. That implies some kind of secondary vehicle to be carried by the sub, with windows, lights and guns. It stays tethered to the sub so that the sub can steam away towing it, and is strong enough to serve as a refuge for the divers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
As for aiming direct fire weapons, however, there are remotely controlled turrets for surface vehicles that seem like they could be adapted. They'd likely only be used during diving operations or similar situations where the submarine is acting as a mothership for smaller research craft underwater, so they could be extended from openings that were not needed during such operations.
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Ok, when we've calmed the submariners down a bit . . . such existing turrets are
extremely unlikely to be pressure-resistant to the sub's test depth. Some of their principles may be re-usable, but they're going to have to be a custom design, because nothing like this has been done for decades. It will be vastly preferable to not have them pressure-tight, and design them to operate flooded, strictly outside the pressure hull. That removes the possibility of damage when a gun round misfires or explodes breaching the pressure hull.
Submariners have very definite views about the integrity of the pressure hull, and
really don't like having extra openings in it. They'll go to great lengths and costs to avoid that; their reasons are the history of sunken submarines, which usually kill everyone involved. The openings that exist are very simple, as small as possible and have very strong closures.
Turrets like this should go in the free-flooding spaces at bow and stern, or in the fin.