Venezuela To Acquire Nine New Submarines

Venezuela To Acquire Nine New Submarines

Source Link: www.newsmax.com

Venezuela is spending $3 billion to build nine submarines, a fleet of undersea craft that would be the largest in the region -- and ready to be used against the U.S. in event of a conflict between the two countries.

The submarines will be the "diesel-electric variety," according to a communique issued by Vice Adm. Armband Laguna, quoted this month by Brazil's leading newspaper, O Estado de Sao Paulo.

They will weigh-in at approximately 1,750 metric tons apiece.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Submarines are generally regarded as offensive weapons, not defensive. So, exactly why would chavez and venezuela need nine submarines like this? Keep in mind that they could also be used to run some of venzuela's major exports (drugs) to the U.S. and other countries.

I sense another crisis starting. Chavez isn't trying to get nukes (yet), but now he wants subs ...

That's funny, I was just thinking to myself Venezuela should spend 3 billion on some new subs. Seriously though, how good is the Venezuelan Navy, and will they even be able to make use of these subs anyways? A machine is only as good as the guy operator of the system, right?

It seems pretty clear what they want them for:

Venezuela says it is beefing up its military capabilities -- including plans to develop an enlarged submarine fleet -- in preparation for what it called any "asymmetrical conflict" with the U.S.

Chavez is ex-military, and this is the way he thinks. It's also interesting that Russia is the most active bidder for his business.

Originally posted by Low Orbit
That's funny, I was just thinking to myself Venezuela should spend 3 billion on some new subs. Seriously though, how good is the Venezuelan Navy, and will they even be able to make use of these subs anyways? A machine is only as good as the guy operator of the system, right?

Oh, I suppose they'll just get some russians or chinese to run them while their own people get trained. Not like this hasn't happened before with russian pilots in noth korea and viet nam, for example.

First it was the russians with the cuban missle crisis, now will it be the same except a venezuelan sub crisis?

I think this is most likely all just for propaganda use within Venezuela. But I would be looking at what he's doing closely if I lived on one of the nearby islands. I think I read somewhere here a while back that he had his eye on Aruba etc. While these subs would probably pose little if any danger to the U.S. Navy, if he had these subs it'd make it much more difficult for a smaller country such as the Netherlands to retake them as the UK had to do with the Falklands.

I can see the exchange now...

"Why hello, Mr. Virginia Class American Attack Sub, What's wrong? What are you doing? HEY HEY!!!" "Good by cruel world"

Just to think that little despot would imagine he could match our technology is laughable..

Semper

I think we all need to take a couple steps back so we can start to take a look at the "grand new strategy" of the world's bad guys (hint: it isn't the U.S.).

Doesn't it appear that - realizing they can never directly take on the U.S. - that some people have gotten together and decided to try and take the U.S. down by starting "a thousand little crisis" all over the world in the hopes that America won't be able to deal with all of them at once?

Can we invade this guy's country yet? Im tired of his mouth already. Seriously, does venezeula think it stands a chance in hell against us? I give Iran MUCH higher odds of being able to defend itself than venezula, yet chavez continues to run his mouth.

Originally posted by centurion1211
I think we all need to take a couple steps back so we can start to take a look at the "grand new strategy" of the world's bad guys (hint: it isn't the U.S.).

Doesn't it appear that - realizing they can never directly take on the U.S. - that some people have gotten together and decided to try and take the U.S. down by starting "a thousand little crisis" all over the world in the hopes that America won't be able to deal with all of them at once?

That's a very likely strategy. And when you say "we all need to take a couple steps back", that shouldn't be just the US. Our so-called "allies" need to start shouldering some of the burden.

Wow, so I guess I get the pleasure (yeah right) of being the first
liberal/leftist/not anti-chavez/venezuela, to put in my comments.


I particulalry don't see the big deal here, I mean how many other
countries have submarine fleets.
Add to that consider how much more advanced the U.S. fleet is.

To be honest, if I was the leader of Venezuela I would build some
submarines myself, if for nothing more than to have them.


I particularly do not see Chavez/Venezuela as a threat, China yes,
but not Venezuela.


I think the thing everyone seems to overlook, either on accident
or on purpose, is that Chavez is not anti-America, he is anti-Bush/
right-wing.

Chavez has been aligning himself with any country who does not like the U.S.

It isn't surprising that he wants to by military equipment from countries that don't have the "best" relations to the U.S

What is surprising is that he is building his countries military might when there is NO threat to his country. There is no problem his country has with any of his neighboring countries, but HE feels the need to expand his military.

He has been, whether it is his countries choice or not, been trying to be a "big shot" among countries that don't necessarily like the U.S.

Who knows, he might be trying to build an alliance of countries to challenge the U.S. It sure isn't because his country should be in fear of a neighboring country invading his country.

I'm sure the CIA and the NSA are watching what's going on very closely.

Originally posted by Keyhole
What is surprising is that he is building his countries military might when there is NO threat to his country. There is no problem his country has with any of his neighboring countries, but HE feels the need to expand his military.

He has been, whether it is his countries choice or not, been trying to be a "big shot" among countries that don't necessarily like the U.S.

Who knows, he might be trying to build an alliance of countries to challenge the U.S. It sure isn't because his country should be in fear of a neighboring country invading his country.

I'm sure the CIA and the NSA are watching what's going on very closely.

Perhaps he has designs on his neighboring countries. Those who oppose his desires may be the real target of his military buildup.

It wouldn't surprise me if he envisions himself as the supreme dictator of a "united" South America.

Originally posted by centurion1211
Submarines are generally regarded as offensive weapons, not defensive.

Depends WHAT kind of submarines;

Ballistic Missiles Nuclear Submarines (such as world nuclear superpowers have, and USNavy has most of them) are regarded as offensive first strike weapons and right now I think about a dozen of these boomers are swimming the oceans of this planet silently waiting to attack with several nuclear warheads.

Now THAT is considered OFFENSIVE.

Not some petty diesel-electric subs with 1,750 metric tons.

So why do they need these subs?

From the original article:

Venezuela, the Times wrote, could use a fleet of submarines to protect its interests in its exclusive economic zone, which in Caracas' view includes a large portion of the Caribbean Sea.

Protecting an area that large would require far more subs than the two over-30-years-old German U-Boats that the Venezuelan military now employs.

Or do you think they are going to storm Florida with nine diesel-electric subs with 1,750 metric tons each?

What paranoia!

I must laugh - an AIP diesel boat is so much more quiter - heck even a non AIP boat is quieter than a nuke boat - and teh difference is laughable


so much so the usn leased a swedish aip boat - and never actually found it on any exercise - even though it sank the carrier everytime with torps.

Originally posted by centurion1211
why would chavez and venezuela need nine submarines like this?

To spy on sunbathers on Florida beaches. Betchya beach patrol will soon see subs at parascope depth during Spring Break.

Seriously .. he wants weapons so when he visits his good friends in Iran and Cuba he can say ... 'look, I'm building a force to fight the Americans. Let's get together and wipe them out! bwahahahahahahaaa (evil laugh).

THAT is why he's doing it. For his own ego and his own position in the world. IMHO

Originally posted by FlyersFan


THAT is why he's doing it. For his own ego and his own position in the world. IMHO

And that's different to the US building the world's largest carrier fleet and NAMING them after President's (such as the USS George HW Bush? how?

That must be an ego boost. Most middle aged men have Ferrari's to "boost their ego" or act as an appendage compensator, but President's get Aircraft Carrier's... Alot to compensate for then?

Anyhoo, jesting aside... 9 boats? So what? If you Yanks are so superior, why the fuss? Even so, Venezuela has made no aggressive move's towards the US, in fact, it's entirely the other way around. Can't say I am surprised by the Venezuelan build up of arm's, considering US interference in their country.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I think this is most likely all just for propaganda use within Venezuela. But I would be looking at what he's doing closely if I lived on one of the nearby islands. I think I read somewhere here a while back that he had his eye on Aruba etc. While these subs would probably pose little if any danger to the U.S. Navy, if he had these subs it'd make it much more difficult for a smaller country such as the Netherlands to retake them as the UK had to do with the Falklands.

I doubt that will happen. He's good buddies with our prime minister apparently. He would take that road if he were to do that. Also we have a well trained marine force here, and the Netherlands can quickly send reinforcements. I'm not worried a bit.

Originally posted by iori_komei

I particularly do not see Chavez/Venezuela as a threat, China yes,
but not Venezuela.

For the record.. Living on Aruba, I don't consider Chavez/Venezuela as a threat either. I consider him a product of foreign capitalism in South America and decades long economic terrorism. Those kinds of phenomena cause people like Chavez to be like that.

I see no big deal here. How long does it take to build a Diesel Electric Sub?

My estimate would be 1 to 2 years if not longer per sub.

How long does it take to bid out the contract? Again my guess would be one to two years. That would mean it will take approx. three years to build the first one and have it ready for service.

By the time they take delivery Chavez may be out of office