Underwater speed record

In 1965 the USS Albacore reported a speed of 33 knots (38 mph) [cite book
last = Tyler
first = Patrick
authorlink = Patrick_Tyler
coauthors =
title = Running Critical
publisher = Harper&Row
date = 1986
location = New York
pages = 70
url =
doi =
id =
isbn =

] but this was not an official record [ A sightseer's guide to engineering - [http://www.engineeringsights.org/SightDetail.asp?Sightid=565&id=NH&view=s&name=New+Hampshire&page=1&
] ] . In 1968 there was an incident when a Russian November class submarine tracked an American carrier group travelling at 31 knots (36 mph) [cite book
last = Tyler
first = Patrick
authorlink = Patrick_Tyler
coauthors =
title = Running Critical
publisher = Harper&Row
date = 1986
location = New York
pages = 23-26, 34-46
url =
doi =
id =
isbn =

] . This led the United States Navy to develop the Los Angeles class submarines, whose reported speed is 30-32 knots.

There are established reports and manufacturer's claims that would indicate two (or perhaps more) Russian submarines are capable of speeds exceeding those set by US Navy vessels. The Akula class submarine (Russian word for Shark) class vessel is reportedly capable of travelling submerged at 35 knots (40 mph) and its predecessor, the Alfa class submarine, could attain short speed bursts of 40-45 knots while submerged [cite book
last = Tyler
first = Patrick
authorlink = Patrick_Tyler
coauthors =
title = Running Critical
publisher = Harper&Row
date = 1986
location = New York
pages = 152-153
url =
doi =
id =
isbn =

] [ Citation
last = Nilsen
first = Thomas
author-link =
last2 = Kudrik
first2 = Igor
last3 = Nikitin
first3 = Alexandr
work = Bellona Report
title = Project 705, 705 K (Lira) - Alfa Class
date = 1997-09-28
year = 1997
url = http://spb.org.ru/bellona/ehome/russia/nfl/705.htm
accessdate = ] . However, due to the rather secretive nature of these vessels, confirmations of these numbers is highly suspect and unlikely.

The British Spearfish torpedo designed to counter high speed Russian submarines, such as the Alfa class submarine, is reputed to have a speed in excess of 70 knots (80 mph). The Russian rocket-powered supercavitating torpedo VA-111 Shkval is reportedly capable of speed in excess of 200 knots (230 mph)Fact|date=April 2008. German press reports of an underwater anti-torpedo missile named Barracuda that allegedly reaches 800 km/h ["Highspeed in der Tiefe" http://www.morgenwelt.de/609.1.html Morganwelt: Superkavitation June 23, 2005 Translation needed from German] . The U.S. Navy has contracted with the General Dyanmics Electric Boat Division to support development of the Underwater Express, an undersea transport capable of controllable speeds up to 100 knots through supercavitation. [ [http://www.gdeb.com/news/2006archives.html General Dyanmics Electric Boat Press Releases - 2006] ]

ee also

* List of vehicle speed records

External links