Making tomorrows Military today: Flip out for Flipper

Flip out for Flipper

Yahoo-AP is trying it's best to link the Navy's Submarines to an issue with some rough tooth dolphins. The USS Philadelphia is a 688i class Attack Submarine based out of Groton, CT. The ships usually operate with "passive" sonar. Passive sonar systems are designed to listen to sounds in the water, with hydrophones. These hydrophones do not send out any active noises at all. Submarines are designed to be quiet and hide.

There is an active sonar system on Attack Submarines. Here is why we know it was not used, according to the "press release"; the Phil was doing SEAL operations. If you are doing any work at all in the water around submarines and the active sonar fires off, you are deaf. Period. Sound travels significantly farther underwater with the same decibel level. So water basically amplifies the sound, without amplifying the sound, if you understand what I am saying. Less energy is required to push a liquid molecule into another than its gas counterpart. So if they hit the active, we would have some deaf ass SEALs.

Is there a problem with the Dolphins? Absolutely. Is it the submarines fault? I would guess not. We have a lot of submarines all around the world. Get used to it.

And what the hell is a necropsy? An autopsy on a dead thing? Is there a such thing as an autopsy on a living being?