I don't buy it either. Rather than argue the scifi aspect which no one here claims to understand, let's look at it from a motive/mission perspective.
1. Submarines don't go cruising around within 100' of the ocean floor with their lights turned on - it's much easier to run silently when you don't have to ping the sea floor constantly to make you aren't about to run into something. Yes, we have great ocean maps, but when you can just as easily cruise with 1000' below your hull why wouldn't you? Anyone ever tried to see *anything* 100' away at significant depth? I dive in Tahoe which has pretty good visibility, and at 300' there just isn't enough light. You guys are talking about several thousand feet - how much ambient light do you expect?
2. The oceans are big. How many watchers are you going to put down there again? I'd guess 12 guys would have a hard time monitoring the entry into the San Francisco bay under the golden gate bridge. Oh, and it's not 8000' deep there...
3. If they are just watching strategic entry/exit points like harbors, then even if you wanted to put guys down there something like the Newt Suit would be far more practical (1000' at 1 ata, not destructive to your personnel).
4. If you're planting mines on ships keep in mind that ships are found on the surface.
5. If you're planting mines on submarines then how were you planning on getting them to hold still and settle to the bottom while you mine them?
6. Someone mentioned "deep docks" for submarines at several thousand feet? What's the point other than to make the sitting ducks for an attack? Surely you aren't suggesting a whole city of people breathing liquid that service submarines?
I don't know why I'm wasting my time replying to this...
1. Submarines don't go cruising around within 100' of the ocean floor with their lights turned on - it's much easier to run silently when you don't have to ping the sea floor constantly to make you aren't about to run into something. Yes, we have great ocean maps, but when you can just as easily cruise with 1000' below your hull why wouldn't you? Anyone ever tried to see *anything* 100' away at significant depth? I dive in Tahoe which has pretty good visibility, and at 300' there just isn't enough light. You guys are talking about several thousand feet - how much ambient light do you expect?
2. The oceans are big. How many watchers are you going to put down there again? I'd guess 12 guys would have a hard time monitoring the entry into the San Francisco bay under the golden gate bridge. Oh, and it's not 8000' deep there...
3. If they are just watching strategic entry/exit points like harbors, then even if you wanted to put guys down there something like the Newt Suit would be far more practical (1000' at 1 ata, not destructive to your personnel).
4. If you're planting mines on ships keep in mind that ships are found on the surface.
5. If you're planting mines on submarines then how were you planning on getting them to hold still and settle to the bottom while you mine them?
6. Someone mentioned "deep docks" for submarines at several thousand feet? What's the point other than to make the sitting ducks for an attack? Surely you aren't suggesting a whole city of people breathing liquid that service submarines?
I don't know why I'm wasting my time replying to this...