Passive Underwater Fire Control Feasibility System: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 21:24, 8 November 2020

Passive Underwater Fire Control Feasibility System (or Study) (PUFFS) was a passive sonar system for submarines. It was designated AN/BQG-4 and was primarily equipped on United States Navy conventional submarines built in the 1950s beginning with the Template:Sclass-, and also those converted to GUPPY III or otherwise modernized in the 1960s. It was also equipped on the nuclear-powered USS Tullibee (SSN-597). It was also installed on the USS Thomas Edison (SSBN610) but never achieved operational status. Its transducers can be seen on pictures of the vessel. A version known as "Micropuffs" was fitted on Template:Sclass-s for the Royal Australian Navy, and as Type 2041 on the Upholder-class for the British Royal Navy. This class still serves in the Royal Canadian Navy as the Victoria class, where Micropuffs is known as BQG-501.^[1] The system was notable for three tall, fin-like domes topside, except on Micropuffs installations. The system was retained on several submarines transferred by the US to foreign navies. It was associated with long-range passive detection of targets for the Mark 45 nuclear torpedo and other weapons. Most submarines backfitted with it were also lengthened 12-16 feet to accommodate additional electronics and plotting rooms. It was also planned for Template:Sclass- and Template:Sclass- nuclear submarines, but was not fitted on them except Micropuffs experimentally on Barb and Haddock.^[2] With the exception of the four Canadian Victoria-class submarines, all PUFFS-equipped submarines have been disposed of or preserved as museum ships.

References

^ Friedman, p. 246
^ Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 16–17, 43. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.

Alden, John D., Commander (USN Ret) (1979). The Fleet Submarine in the U.S. Navy: A Design and Construction History. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0-85368-203-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
Sub vs Sub, Cdr R Compton Hall, Orion Books, 1989

[1] Friedman, p. 246

[2] Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 16–17, 43. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:USS Harder (SS-568).jpg|thumb|{{USS|Harder|SS-568}} with the three distinctive shark-fin PUFFS domes]]
 [[File:Onslow fin and Micropuffs.JPG|thumb|Fin and central section of {{HMAS|Onslow}}. The three orange covers on the casing are protective sheathes over the submarine's Micropuffs sonar]]
-'''Passive Underwater Fire Control Feasibility System''' (or Study) ('''PUFFS''') was a [[passive sonar]] system for [[submarine]]s. It was designated AN/BQG-4 and was primarily equipped on [[United States Navy]] conventional submarines built in the 1950s beginning with the {{sclass-|Tang|submarine|4}}, and also those converted to [[GUPPY]] III or otherwise modernized in the 1960s. It was also equipped on the nuclear-powered {{USS|Tullibee|SSN-597}}. It was also installed on the USS Thomas Edison (SSBN610) but never achieved operational status. Its transducers can be seen on pictures of the vessel. A version known as "Micropuffs" was fitted on {{sclass-|Oberon|submarine|2}}s for the [[Royal Australian Navy]], and as Type 2041 on the [[Upholder/Victoria-class submarine|''Upholder''-class]] for the British [[Royal Navy]]. This class still serves in the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] as the ''Victoria'' class, where Micropuffs is known as BQG-501.<ref>Friedman, p. 246</ref> The system was notable for three tall, fin-like domes topside, except on Micropuffs installations. The system was retained on several submarines transferred by the US to foreign navies. It was associated with long-range passive detection of targets for the [[Mark 45 torpedo|Mark 45 nuclear torpedo]] and other weapons. Most submarines backfitted with it were also lengthened 12-16 feet to accommodate additional electronics and plotting rooms. It was also planned for {{sclass-|Thresher|submarine|5}} and {{sclass-|Sturgeon|submarine|4}} [[nuclear submarine]]s, but was not fitted on them except Micropuffs experimentally on {{USS|Barb|SSN-596|2}} and {{USS|Haddock|SSN-621|2}}.<ref>{{cite book| last = Friedman| first = Norman| authorlink =| title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History| publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]| year = 1995| location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]| pages = 16-17, 43| url =| doi =| isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref> With the exception of the four Canadian ''Victoria''-class submarines, all PUFFS-equipped submarines have been disposed of or preserved as museum ships.
+'''Passive Underwater Fire Control Feasibility System''' (or Study) ('''PUFFS''') was a [[passive sonar]] system for [[submarine]]s. It was designated AN/BQG-4 and was primarily equipped on [[United States Navy]] conventional submarines built in the 1950s beginning with the {{sclass-|Tang|submarine|4}}, and also those converted to [[GUPPY]] III or otherwise modernized in the 1960s. It was also equipped on the nuclear-powered {{USS|Tullibee|SSN-597}}. It was also installed on the USS Thomas Edison (SSBN610) but never achieved operational status. Its transducers can be seen on pictures of the vessel. A version known as "Micropuffs" was fitted on {{sclass-|Oberon|submarine|2}}s for the [[Royal Australian Navy]], and as Type 2041 on the [[Upholder/Victoria-class submarine|''Upholder''-class]] for the British [[Royal Navy]]. This class still serves in the [[Royal Canadian Navy]] as the ''Victoria'' class, where Micropuffs is known as BQG-501.<ref>Friedman, p. 246</ref> The system was notable for three tall, fin-like domes topside, except on Micropuffs installations. The system was retained on several submarines transferred by the US to foreign navies. It was associated with long-range passive detection of targets for the [[Mark 45 torpedo|Mark 45 nuclear torpedo]] and other weapons. Most submarines backfitted with it were also lengthened 12-16 feet to accommodate additional electronics and plotting rooms. It was also planned for {{sclass-|Thresher|submarine|5}} and {{sclass-|Sturgeon|submarine|4}} [[nuclear submarine]]s, but was not fitted on them except Micropuffs experimentally on {{USS|Barb|SSN-596|2}} and {{USS|Haddock|SSN-621|2}}.<ref>{{cite book| last = Friedman| first = Norman| authorlink =| title = U.S. Submarines Through 1945: An Illustrated Design History| publisher = [[United States Naval Institute]]| year = 1995| location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]]| pages = 16–17, 43| url =| doi =| isbn = 1-55750-263-3 }}</ref> With the exception of the four Canadian ''Victoria''-class submarines, all PUFFS-equipped submarines have been disposed of or preserved as museum ships.
 == See also ==