Key Points and Summary – During a 1999 NATO exercise, the Dutch Walrus-class diesel-electric submarine HNLMS Walrus achieved a remarkable feat by successfully penetrating the anti-submarine defenses of a US Navy carrier strike group and “sinking” the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
-The submarine, commanded by LTZ1 Jan Huber Hulsker, took advantage of ocean layers to remain undetected, getting within firing range to simulate a torpedo attack.
-The incident, similar to other exercises where quiet diesel-electric submarines have “sunk” US carriers, highlighted the significant threat that modern, non-nuclear submarines pose even to the world’s most powerful surface warships.
How A Dutch Diesel Submarine Sank A US Navy Aircraft Carrier In 1999
The Dutch Walrus-class submarine Walrus ‘sank’ the USS Theodore Roosevelt during a NATO exercise in 1999.
The exercise highlighted the submarine’s stealth and capabilities, but it did not result in the carrier’s actual destruction.
During the Joint Task Force Exercise/Theatre Missile Defense Initiative 1999 (JTFEX/TMDI99), the HNLMS Walrus successfully penetrated the US Navy’s defenses and “sank” several ships, including the USS Theodore Roosevelt, in a simulated attack.
Dutch Submarine Success Due To Its Silence:
The exercise demonstrated the stealth and effectiveness of the Walrus-class submarine in penetrating anti-submarine warfare screens and targeting high-value assets.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, one of the largest warships in the US Navy. The carrier was sunk during the exercise, which stretched from Norfolk, Virginia, to Puerto Rico in the Atlantic Ocean.
Dutch submarines have a history of successful simulated attacks on aircraft carriers during exercises, including multiple carriers in a single event.
Meet The HNLMS Walrus (S802):
The Walrus-class was developed during the 1980s to protect its coast from the threat of Soviet submarines.
The boat has three diesel generators, SEMT-Pielstick PA4V200 12-cylinder engines that deliver 4,700 kW (6,300 shp), while one electric motor provides 5,150 kW (6,910 shp) to a single shaft.
On the surface, the submarines can reach a top speed of 13 knots, while submerged the boats have a maximum speed of 20 knots for short sprints.
The Walrus displaces 2,450 tons, each of the Walrus-class submarines are 222 feet (67.5 meters) in length, have a beam of 27 feet, seven inches (8.4 meters) and a draught of 21 feet, eight inches (6.6 meters).
The submarines have a double-deck hull configuration that features a “teardrop” from. It is constructed of high-tensile steel and has a minimum number of apertures and welded joints. A computer-controlled program controls the “X” configuration of the rudders and dive planes.
The Walrus class is equipped with four 21-inch (533mm) torpedo tubes, and each can carry up to twenty torpedoes or forty mines, as well as the UGM-84 Harpoon surface-to-surface missile.
“You Are Going To Lose”:
When the exercise began in February 1999, the commander of HNLMS Walrus (S802), LTZ1 Jan Huber Hulsker, arrived in the US for the exercise instructions for JTFEX 99-1.
“On the day of departure, we were provided with a few sheets of information. That was it – no briefing or presentation. But everything I wanted to know was on there: it was just a free exercise. We were in a large area, we were the bad guys and the carrier was the good guy.”
“The man who handed me the package – I will never forget it – added: ‘You are going to lose. Don’t be disappointed, but now you already know. Because of course the carrier has to win.’”
The exercise began with the Walrus hugging the surface, scanning the horizon with its periscope, searching for targets. The Walrus quickly ‘sunk’ an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The following day, the Walrus launched torpedoes at three more destroyers.
The boat’s EW operator detected several radars at a distance. The Walrus went deep and made the interception. Taking advantage of the ocean’s layers where the temperatures effected sonor, Hulsker arrived in perfect position.
The ‘Sinking’ of the Aircraft Carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt:
“I saw the escorts of the Roosevelt in the distance to our port and starboard sides, while the carrier was right in front of me, at a distance of 4,000 yards, heading toward me. I thought: ‘This is my day!’”
Hulsker was not afraid of the ships that the Walrus had passed, because “on frigates they mainly look forward.” So he took another good look at the Theodore Roosevelt: “I saw the F-14s taking off in front of me. You just don’t get a better picture than that,” Hulsker recalled.
The Walrus was in perfect shooting position, Shoot!” said Hulsker and water shot out of the empty torpedo tubes – a simulated shot. Hulsker then ordered a green smoke grenade to be fired – the signal during an exercise for a successful submarine attack.
However, the carrier strike group didn’t counterattack because not only did they not see the Walrus, but they also didn’t see the green smoke grenade.
So, Hulsker did something he would never do in wartime. He went closer and at 1,500 yards, fired another smoke grenade. Hulsker dove deep and went under the Nimitz-class carrier. Coming up on the other side of the carrier, the Walrus fired on three frigates in the strike group.
Importance of the Exercise:
This exercise, along with others involving the Swedish Gotland-class submarine, highlighted the vulnerability of even the most advanced aircraft carriers to stealthy submarines when operated by skilled crews and capitalizing on the ocean’s layers.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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