Subs Zero

Probably the last thing you want while you’re deep underwater in your submarine is to run into something. This happened to two submarines earlier this month when they collided with each other mid-Atlantic Ocean. Both subs were damaged but didn’t spring a leak. So how do two 150metre-long subs come to find themselves at the same spot and same depth in the ocean - displaying a skill which would have no-one lining up to challenge them to a game of Battleship? Investigations continue but early suggestions are a possible procedural error – ie not maintaining a safe distance between the vessels; bad luck - or by design - the two vessels may have been unable to hear each other because of technology designed to make then invisible to enemies. This particular innovation, if it were the cause, may ”need more work”. The good news is that the collision did not compromise nuclear safety: important as each sub can carry up to 48 nuclear warheads on 16 missiles. (Source: The Daily Telegraph.)