Diesel submarines becoming a main irritant to U.S. Navy.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: Diesel-electric submarines

Following several years of relative inaction, the U.S. Navy is charging ahead with plans to neutralize what it sees as the growing menace of enemy diesel-electric submarines.

Diesel-electric boats, although relatively low-tech are emerging as a decided threat to military assets around the world and civilian targets the United States, officials said. Unlike large nuclear-powered attack submarines, diesel boats can operate covertly in coastal areas or in the vicinity of U.S. floating bases, possibly blocking U.S. access to combat zones and making U.S. vessels vulnerable to torpedo attacks.

Because they are much less costly to produce than nuclear submarines, easily available on the world arms market and hard to detect, diesel boats now are viewed as classic "asymmetric" threats that could wreak havoc on a technically superior U.S. naval force.

Adm. Vernon Clark, chief of naval operations, is expected to approve this fall an "anti-submarine warfare master plan" and a "concept of operations" on how to counter diesel-electric submarines.

Clark also set up new organizations dedicated to anti-submarine warfare. A Washington, D.C.-based task force stood up last year was directed to "identify new technologies and concepts of operations to fundamentally change anti-submarine warfare," said Capt. David Yoshihara, who heads the organization.

In San Diego, the Navy created a Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Command--led by Rear Adm. John J. Waickwicz--that is focused on sharpening commanders' anti-submarine war-fighting skills. Meanwhile, a new program office at the Naval Sea Systems Command is responsible for coordinating all anti-submarine warfare research, development and procurement across the Navy.

After the cold war, the Navy neglected anti-submarine warfare, on the assumption that Soviet subs no longer were a menace. But the proliferation of diesel-electric submarines around the world prompted Navy leaders to rethink their priorities, noted Capt. Paul Rosbolt, who oversees anti-submarine warfare programs at the Naval Sea Systems Command.

"We didn't pay attention to anti-submarine warfare for a while," said Rosbolt in a recent interview. "We allowed equipment to fall behind. We didn't train as much as when there was a Soviet Navy to practice against."

Fighting enemy diesel submarines requires new skills and sensor technologies that the U.S. Navy has not yet perfected, said Rosbolt. While Soviet nuclear submarines sail in deep oceans, the quieter...