At the exhibition held in Arkhangelsk, USC, part of Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation, unveiled an extremely unusual submarine with wings like those of an airplane.
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| Russia is planning to build a new submarine with giant wings, twice the size of a commercial Airbus A380, to explore the depths of the Arctic. This vessel will be the largest civilian oil tanker ever built and will be powered by a nuclear reactor. |
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| The vessel is scheduled to be built in 2020. It is designed for reconnaissance purposes, using a very low-frequency sonar system to penetrate the seabed. One expert has compared the new Russian submarine to the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft. However, compared to the Airbus A380, the Russian submarine is twice the size. |
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| Specifically, the submarine will have two sonar systems resembling wings that can be retracted into the hull. This design will allow the Russian Arctic Research Submarine to capture images of its surroundings in all directions. |
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| The Daily Mail quoted HI Sutton, an analyst at Covert Shores, as saying that the wings are unlikely to be used for lift like an aircraft. This is because it would reduce the submarine's efficiency as the wings would have to constantly use their balance control system to maintain the correct depth. |
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| Furthermore, the use of such wings also generates noise that makes sonar less effective. "There will be many places in the Arctic that this ship cannot reach because its wings are too wide to avoid protruding ice columns. Therefore, these wings can extend hundreds of meters downwards, even to the seabed," Sutton said. |
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| Additionally, the civilian survey submarine will be unarmed but equipped with underwater torpedo launchers, allowing researchers to conduct deeper studies and access the most difficult-to-reach areas. |
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| According to the design, the submarine is 135.5 meters long, 14.4 meters wide, and weighs 13,820 tons. Its wingspan is 100 meters, and it can reach a maximum speed of 12.6 knots. The submarine will have a crew of 40 and will be capable of continuous submersion for missions lasting 90 days. It can operate at depths of over 400 meters. |
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| With the construction of the world's largest submarine, Russia is hoping to find mineral and energy resources in the Arctic regions, which are being heavily impacted by global warming and melting ice. |
According to Baodatviet
