French delete evidence US carrier was 'sunk' by sub in drill off the coast of Florida

Published time: March 06, 2015 05:19
Edited time: March 06, 2015 09:35

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USS Theodore Roosevelt (Reuters / Mark Wessels)

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France, Navy, Security, USA

A major vulnerability that allowed French submarine to “sink” aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and most of its escort during drills was apparently revealed by the French Navy and Defense Ministry in blogposts that were quickly wiped out.

Both the French Defense Ministry and the Navy released and then quickly deleted a news post entitled “Le SNA Saphir en entraînement avec l’US Navy au large de la Floride” (“The SNA Sapphire in training with the US Navy off the coast of Florida”) that praised the 34-year-old French nuclear submarine’s success in “sinking” the American aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt along with best part of its escort.

Marine nationale ✔ @MarineNationale Follow Le SNA #Saphir en entraînement avec l’@USNavy au large de la #Floride http://www.colsbleus.fr/articles/3945 #GalaxieColsBleus



The news, before it was deleted was spotted by several outlets, including The Aviationist blog, which disclosed the information which the French authorities initially shared.

The aim of the military games off the coast of Florida which began in mid-February were meant to test the newly upgraded carrier, which had undergone a four year, $2.6 billion overhaul, ahead of the Strike Group's deployment. The drills involved practicing scenarios of hostile ship boarding, submarine attacks, and enemy ships battles.

Brian Dreyer @Bwdreyer Follow
The service conducts “full-ship shock trials” the USS Roosevelt http://breakingdefense.com/2014/01/top-tester-tells-navy-to-test-carrier-destroyer-defenses-with-real-missiles-explosions/ …





During the first phase of the 10 days naval exercises, the French Saphir sub was part of the so-called friendly force to support anti-submarine warfare.

However, in the second phase of the games, the Saphir turned foe and was integrated with the imaginary enemy forces. Its mission become to locate Theodore Roosevelt and to prepare an attack on the strike group by guiding the ships.


During that last stage of the drills, the French sub snuck up undetected on US Carrier Strike Group 12 by penetrating a US defensive screen.

“The Saphir has quietly slipped into the heart of the screen formed by the American frigates protecting the aircraft carrier, while avoiding detection against-pervasive air assets ,” the original release read as quoted by French Challenges blog. “On the morning of the last day, the order of fire was finally given, allowing the Saphir to fictitiously sink Theodore Roosevelt and most of its escort.”


No other details are available about the outcome of the exercise. The strike group will be deployed later this year to provide an overseas forward presence and maintain US maritime security abroad.

Marquis de Seignelay @FauteuilColbert Follow

MT @MarineNationale #COMPTUEX du #CSG Theodore Roosevelt : Le #SNA #Saphir en chasse http://www.colsbleus.fr/articles/3834







U.S. aircraft carrier and part of its escort “sunk” by French submarine during drills off Florida

Mar 05 2015 - 57 Comments



By David Cenciotti

If you thought aircraft carriers were invincible you were wrong.

On Mar. 4, the French Ministry of Defense released some interesting details, about the activity conducted by one of its nuclear-powered attack submarine (SNA) in the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

According to French MoD website (that is no longer online, even if you can still find a cached version of the article titled “Le SNA Saphir en entraînement avec l’US Navy au large de la Floride”), the Saphir submarine has recently taken part in a major exercise with the U.S. Navy off Florida.

The aim of the exercise was joint training with U.S. Carrier Strike Group 12 made by the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, several Ticonderoga cruisers or Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and a Los Angeles-class submarine, ahead of their operational deployment.

The scenario of the drills saw some imaginary states assaulting American economic and territorial interests; threats faced by a naval force led by USS Theodore Roosevelt.

During the first phase of the exercise, the Saphir was integrated into the friendly force to support anti-submarine warfare (ASW) by cooperating with U.S. P-3C Orion P-8A Poseidon MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft): its role was to share all the underwater contacts with the other ASW assets.

In the second phase of the exercise, the Saphir was integrated with the enemy forces and its mission was to locate the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and its accompanying warships and prepare to attack the strike group.

While the fictious political situation deteriorated, the Saphir quietly slipped in the heart of the multi-billion-dollar aircraft carrier’s defensive screen, while avoiding detection by ASW assets.

On the morning of the last day, the order to attack was finally given, allowing the Saphir to pretend-sinking the USS Theodore Roosevelt and most of its escort.

Although we don’t really know many more details about the attack and its outcome, the scripted exercise its RoE (Rules of Engagement), the simulated sinking of a U.S. supercarrier proves the flattop’s underwater defenses are not impenetrable.

This is the reason why modern subs often train with aircraft carriers: they pose a significant threat to powerful Carrier Strike Groups.

Obviously, this was not the first time a submarine scored a simulated carrier kill with torpedo attacks.

For instance, in 2007 HMCS Corner Brook, a Canadian diesel-electric submarine “sunk” UK’s Illustrious during an exercise in the Atlantic.



US supercarrier ‘sunk’ by French submarine in wargames


  • 11 days ago March 06, 2015 9:00AM



Unexpected victor ... The 30-year-old French nucler powered attack submarine Saphir. Source: Wikipedia Source: Supplied

WITH a good submarine, a navy can do amazing things. Ask the French. They’ve just managed to “sink” a nuclear-powered US super carrier — and half its battle group.

The French Ministry of Defence has revealed one of its attack submarines pulled of an astounding upset during recent war-games in the North Atlantic.

The Aviationist blog spotted an article on the French defence force’s website — quickly withdrawn — which told how one of their submarines, the “Saphir” tackled the might of the United States’ navy off the coast of Florida.


Formidable force ... The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt with a protecive force of cruisers, destroyers and frigates. A recent exercise saw this expansive, and expensive, defence force bypassed by a French submarine. Source: USN Source: Supplied

At the core of the surface force was the enormous aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its powerful strike wing of 90 combat aircraft and helicopters.

Clustered protectively about it was several advanced cruisers and destroyers, and its own guardian submarine.

In one element of the war games, the Saphir was tasked with the role of being the “bad guy”.

It’s mission: To seek, locate and exterminate the US naval force.

The exact details of how it achieved this embarrassing outcome is not known.


Fallout ... The USS Theodore Roosevelt undergoing shock testing during sea trials in 1987. Source: USN Source: Supplied

Somehow, the French submarine must have been able to slip between the defensive sensor patchwork of patrol aircraft, helicopters, warships and submarines to line up a shot on the $13 billion monstrosity.

SUB CONTROVERSY: Navy boss sunk by Wikipedia

There she lurked as a fictitious political crisis evolved in the world above.

On the final day of the exercise, the order finaly came.

Sink the Theodore Roosevelt.

This 30-year-old Saphir proceeded to do. Along with most of the escorting warships.


Silent killer ... The French nuclear-powered attack submarine Saphir. Source: Wikipedia Source: Supplied

The outcome of such war-games are usually kept a close secret. Not only does a result such as the above have the potential to be politically embarrassing for the losing side, it also exposes the existence of weaknesses any future enemy may exploit.

But rumours abound of similar significant victories by minor nations against the titanic icons of America’s naval might.

Both aircraft carriers and submarines are facing increased scrutiny as to their role in future defence forces.

Both are immensely expensive. Both project immense power.

But their abilities to survive a modern hi-tech battlefield with ever increasing enhancements in sensors and weapons has been called to question in recent years.


US Navy can be defeated by China, claims Global Times


  • Staff Reporter
  • 2015-03-15
  • 09:16 (GMT+8)




The Liaoning, China's sole aircraft carrier which it purchased from Ukraine and refitted. (Photo/CNS)

In response to a New York Times pieces by Gregg Easterbrook on March 9, China's nationalist tabloid Global Times wrote a commentary of its own, saying that China is capable of defeating the US Navy in the Western Pacific with anti-ship missiles built at low prices.

In Easterbrook's article, he said that China currently possesses only one outdated, conventionally-powered aircraft carrier and is rumored to be constructing two others. However, neither of those two vessels are likely to be nuclear supercarriers, according to the author. Furthermore, Easterbrook questioned whether those two domestically built carriers have "blue water" or open ocean-going capabilities.

Easterbrook said that the US Navy is more powerful than all other navies in the world combined in terms of its aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, naval aviation, surface firepower, assault ships, missiles and logistics. The author added that it is unnecessary for many US military experts to engage in fearmongering regarding China's naval capability since "their carriers are modest compared with America's; the submarines far less capable."

The article also went on to say that there is no evidence that China has conducted realistic tests of its anti-ship missile. "China's neighbors are unhappy that the growing Chinese Navy may back Beijing's claims regarding the South China Sea," Easterbrook wrote. "But Chinese naval expansion does not pose any direct threat to the national security of the United States, or to its dominance of the oceans." He then stated that making the US Navy more powerful does not help to solve the dispute over the South China Sea peacefully.

The Global Times was unhappy about Easterbrook's evaluation of Chinese naval power and said in its commentary that it is not necessary for China to build a strong and powerful navy to defeat the US in a regional conflict. With enough low cost anti-ship missiles, the People's Liberation Army Navy is capable of paralyzing the US Navy's freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the paper said. Enough damage can be done to morale and equipment even if only one missile out of 1,000 hits an aircraft carrier.