Failing Acoustic Tiles on USS Virginia
Aren’t all submarines supposed to be stealthy? I suppose some are stealthier than others. The South China Morning Post in Hong Kong is reporting concerns by China’s neighbors that China may have already built a stealth submarine. On the other side of the world, the acoustic urethane tiles on the US Navy’s Virginia Class attack submarines have been flaking off at sea. The tiles are believed to dampen sound from the subs and make them more “stealthy,” at least until they fall off.