Time and again, naval exercises have revealed that supercarriers in the U.S. Navy are weak points to be exploited by diesel-electric submarines, and a series of war games have seen older, quiet submarines inflict sinking casualty on some of the most advanced–and expensive–vessels in the U.S. fleet.
As recently as 2005, a Swedish Gotland-class submarine, valued at $100 million, successfully evaded the defenses of the $6 billion Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Ronald Reagan during joint naval exercises.
The Gotland successfully avoided being detected by the CSG’s passive sonar systems and landed multiple virtual torpedo strikes, which would hypothetically sink the carrier.
This incident raised serious questions about the future role and security of supercarriers in modern naval warfare.
This was not an isolated incident. In 2001, a German Type 206 diesel-electric submarine, U24, penetrated the defenses of the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) while participating in the JTFEX 01-2 naval exercises in the Caribbean Sea.
The U24, a shallow-water operational submarine built in the 1960s, released green flares and photographed the U.S. flattop, essentially “sinking” it.
As a submariner on the U24 observed: “The U-24 could have rammed the aircraft carrier, the boat was that close.”
Similarly, in 2000 an Australian Collins-class submarine penetrated the carrier strike group’s defenses and took close-in photos of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) during the RIMPAC naval exercise off Hawaii.
The HMAS Waller did not have to contend with detection by surface ships or Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarines throughout the exercise.
The RAN boat performed extremely well, even “sinking” two U.S. amphibious assault ships during the Operation Tandem Thrust wargames in 2001.
These events demonstrate the attack power possessed by diesel-electric submarines, which is underestimated.
Despite the age and supposedly archaic technology of these subs, they were able to maneuver around advanced sonar systems and strike powerful carriers.
The U.S. Navy has granted that diesel submarines, such as the Collins-class, are one of the major threats facing modern navies.
The RAN operates six Collins-class submarines, which are lengthened versions of Swedish shipbuilder Kockums’ Västergötland-class.
These submarines were built between 1990 and 2003 in South Australia by the ASC and have shown themselves in any multinational exercise to be effective.