Flying Submarines: Will They Be the War Airplanes of the Future?

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) of the United States Pentagon is conducting research to see if the advancements of technology can be pushed to the development of a submarine that can fly like an airplane, or to make an airplane that can submerge into the sea like a submarine. Such an invention might be thought of as a flying submarine, subplane or airmarine. According to Paul Mark's article, "From Sea to Sky, Submarines that Fly," the best approach to achieve this kind of technology is to focus efforts on the construction of an airplane that can submerge rather than on a submarine that can fly. Airplanes must be as lightweight as possible while submarines need to be extremely heavy to withstand the force of the oceans and seas. Attempting to get a submarine to fly presents many more problems than getting an airplane to submerge--at least for now.

The future flying submarine, subplane or airmarine, whatever its official name might be, is to be among tomorrow's war airplanes that, if all goes according to plans, will be able to seek out enemy vessels at sea. They will have the advantage of attacking while in flight or of landing and floating on the surface of the sea, submerging like a submarine to approach and attack enemy submarines. If flying submarines become a reality, it's doubtful that their use will be restricted to serving as war airplanes. Considering the fact that flights into space have already been planned for civilians who can afford the outrageous prices charged, it's only to be expected that flying submarines, if invented, will someday be used for commercial flights and to offer undersea tours.

DARPA has a very large budget with which to work towards the invention of a subplane or airmarine. Some people who are aware of this find the research a waste of funds that could be put to much better use. For example, some have suggested that it would be better for DARPA to work towards the development of improved torpedoes and bombs for use in war. These weapons already exists and perhaps much less money would be spent on research to invent torpedoes and bombs that can travel faster over longer distances than on the development of flying submarines. Others suggest that an even better use of the funds with which DARPA has to work should go towards developing better radar. If war airplanes had radar that could detect and attack enemy submarines, and if submarines could detect and attack enemy airplanes, there really wouldn't be a need for an airmarine, a subplane, or a flying submarine.

Personally, I believe that the desire to develop flying submarines goes beyond an interest in technological advancement for war. If a submarine that flies can be achieved, perhaps bicycles, cars, ships, and trains can be built to fly in the skies and sail the seas. The fact that the Jetsons is a cartoon doesn't mean that these things aren't in the minds of scientists.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727671.000-from-sea-to-sky-submarines-that-fly.html