| Submarines that can fly like airplanes have been | | | | would cancel the project. |
| promoted in science fiction entertainment for | | | | However, The Defense Advanced Research |
| many years. As early as the 1960s, in the | | | | Projects Agency (DARPA) thinks the time is now |
| Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea movie and | | | | right to have contractors bid on the possibility of |
| television series, a flying sub often used for | | | | making yesterday's Hollywood science fiction a |
| exploration, was contained in the belly of a larger | | | | modern day reality. Darpa has a budget of 3 billion |
| submarine called the Seaview. | | | | dollars and the Agency has already received bids |
| A futuristic craft that is both submersible and can | | | | from defense contractors in response to its |
| fly has rescued James Bond from certain calamity | | | | Request For Proposal (RFP) to build a submersible |
| in the movies of that genre. Of course, a | | | | aircraft of the future. |
| submarine that can become an aircraft is still only | | | | The Defense Agency wants to build a submersible |
| science fiction fantasy and does not exist | | | | aircraft that would combine the key capabilities of |
| anywhere in the world today. | | | | three different platforms: (1) the speed and range |
| The difficulty in creating such an invention is the | | | | of an aircraft; (2) the capabilities of a boat; and |
| reason that a flying submarine exists today only in | | | | (3) the stealth of a submarine. By combining the |
| the imagination of Hollywood entertainment. The | | | | beneficial characteristics of each platform, DARPA |
| construction of such a vehicle would require | | | | hopes to develop a craft that will significantly |
| material that needs to meet the unique and | | | | enhance the United States tactical advantage in |
| diverse needs of both a submarine and an | | | | coastal insertion missions. |
| airplane. | | | | The proposed craft would hold eight soldiers plus |
| Aircraft are designed to be light and buoyant. | | | | all their gear and could support them in a floating |
| Submarines, on the other hand, need weight to | | | | surface craft for 72 hours. It would have a 1,000 |
| remain submerged, as well as thickness to sustain | | | | mile aerial range and a 12 mile submerged range. |
| the pressure of being underwater. Differences in | | | | Certainly, a flying submarine would be used to |
| the densities of water and air, in velocities, and | | | | great advantage for the deployment of special |
| loading requirements make for aircraft and | | | | operations military forces in difficult and dangerous |
| submarine design requirements that actually work | | | | missions. |
| against each other. It is why the Navy failed in an | | | | The world is on the edge of a revolution in |
| attempt many years ago to construct a | | | | construction materials. Nano technology research |
| submarine that can fly. | | | | is producing new, innovative construction material |
| In 1964, the Bureau of Naval Weapons awarded a | | | | in the laboratory that is stronger than steel at a |
| contract to Convair to examine the feasibility of a | | | | fraction of the weight. |
| "submersible flying boat," which was being called | | | | So, the time may be right to make Hollywood's |
| the "sub-plane" by those involved with the project. | | | | science fiction fantasy a reality. Indeed, it is |
| The Convair study determined that such a craft | | | | another bid by the U.S. military to attempt to build |
| was "feasible" and a contract was awarded to the | | | | the flying submarine. |
| company but only two years later, the Navy | | | | |