Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe vs Shallow Water Combat Submersible

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AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph — Representative exterior of Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe

ASubmarines

Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe

bathyscaphe

AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph

Credit

ForceTally · AI-generated illustration · Not a photograph · AI-generated · OpenAI output terms · Source ↗ · Modified

Shallow Water Combat Submersible — licensed reference photograph

BSubmarines

Shallow Water Combat Submersible

Submersible , diver propulsion vehicle

Credit

CAPT Kate Dollof · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Sea Pole-class bathyscapheLength

8.2 m

Length source ↗

Shallow Water Combat SubmersibleLength

6.8 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Sea Pole-class bathyscaphelarger figure on 3 of 4

Length+21%
Beam+100%
Draught+127%

Shallow Water Combat Submersible

Measured figures

Head to head

14 of 37 rows sourced on both sides

8.2m

6.8m

Length+21%

All recorded figures & sources

8.2 m

Length

Single source

8.2 m (27 ft)^[source]

Length: 8.2 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications · Length: 8.2 meters

Configuration

Details

Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe and Shallow Water Combat Submersible configuration
Specification	Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe	Shallow Water Combat Submersible
Mass	24 tons in air^[source] Mass: 24 tons^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications · Mass: 24 tons in air	—
Range	12 hr^[source]	—
Name	Sea Pole^[source]	—
Ordered	2^[source]	—
Awarded	2^[source]

Cost	180 million ¥^[source]	$383 million (program cost)^[source]

Sponsored by	People's Republic of China^[source]	—

Completed	2008^[source]	2^[source]

Acquired	2009^[source]	—

Commissioned	2009^[source]	—

Maiden voyage	2008^[source]	—

In service	2009^[source]	—

Status	Project ends^[source]	—

Type	bathyscaphe^[source]	Submersible , diver propulsion vehicle^[source]

Propulsion	electrical^[source]	Lithium-ion batteries powering electric motors^[source]

Test depth	7,000 m (23,000 ft)^[source]	>190 feet (58 m)^[source]

Sensors & processing systems	sonar & search lights^[source]	Inertial navigation system , high-frequency sonar for obstacle/mine avoidance and navigation, GPS^[source]

Source measurement	The Sea Pole (Hai Ji, or Chinese : 海极 ) class bathyscaphe is a class of bathyscaphe of the People's Republic of China (PRC). They are capable of diving up to 7,000 meters, covering 99.8% of the oceanic floor of the world. Two units of this class are planned, with derivatives to follow and are used by both the civilian and military establishments in China.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Sea Pole class bathyscaphe is designed by the 702nd Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation . The general designer is Mr. Xu Huangnan ( Chinese : 徐芑南 ), a professor of School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering Archived 2009-04-27 at the Wayback Machine ( Chinese : 船舶与海洋工程学院 ) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SHJTU), who also designed many other Chinese submersibles and unmanned underwater vehicles. The first deputy general designer is Mr. Cui Weicheng ( Chinese : 崔维成 ), and the deputy general designer was Mr. Zhu Weiqing ( Chinese : 朱维庆 ), all of the three are academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences . There are two mechanical arms with associated tools that enable the bathyscaphe to perform a various tasks at its maximum operational depth, and this pair of mechanical arms with 7 degrees of freedom (7-DOF) are mounted on the right and left sides of the vehicle, which is powered by 110 kWh (110 V, 800 Ah) silver oxide – zinc batteries.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The pressure hull is built of titanium alloy, and the manufacturing method for the pressure hull involves producing two hemispherical parts by tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding six-side plates to a top plate, followed by heat treatments and polishing by machining; the two halves are then TIG welded together to form a complete sphere. The plate thickness is 76 – 78 mm, with deviations of ±4 mm in the completed radius, and sphericity is 0.4% or less. Pressure testing of the pressure hull was performed in Russia, and included a one-hour test at a water pressure equivalent to 7,700 meters, or a 10% greater depth than the vessel's, 7,000 m maximum operational depth, a continuous hour-long test at water pressure equivalent to 7,000 m, and a test simulating 0 to 7,000 m ascent/descent of the submersible, which was repeated six times. There were no problems reported in any of these tests, and the pressure hull passed with flying colors.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage All viewports of Sea Pole class bathyscaphe have a circular truncated cone shape. There is a large viewport with diameter of 20 cm mounted in the bow, and this central view port is the same type of that of Russian Mir class bathyscaphe. The two additional smaller side viewports of 12 cm diameter are mounted on portside and starboard side, closer to the front than other bathyscaphes. The advantage of this arrangement is that it enables navigation while both the pilot and the scientists simultaneously observe an objective in front of the vehicle. However, the side views have limited field of vision. There are two onboard life supporting system based on that of Shenzhou 6 spacecraft, and additionally, there are two onboard oxygen generating systems independent of life supporting system for additional safety. The pressure hull is built of titanium.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Length: 8.2 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Width: 3 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Height: 3.4 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Inner diameter of the pressure hull: 2.1 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Mass: 24 tons in air^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Payload: 220 kg^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Endurance: 12 hr^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Maximum operating depth: 7,000 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Never to exceed depth: 7,100 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Crash depth: 7,700 meter^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Life support: 3 x 12 hr^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Designed by the 702nd Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation , Dragon class bathyscaphe is slightly smaller than its predecessor, with overall length slightly reduced to 8 meter from the original 8.2 meter of Sea Pole class.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Dragon class bathyscaphe; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Meanwhile, the first unit completed a 300-meter dive test on Sept 20th 2009.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In early Oct 2009, they reached a depth of 1109 meters during a test dive.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage On May 31, 2010, 3000 meter dive tests began, and concluded on Jul 18, 2010, with a test dive reaching a depth of 3757 meters on Jul 9th 2010.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—

Source measurement

The Sea Pole (Hai Ji, or Chinese : 海极 ) class bathyscaphe is a class of bathyscaphe of the People's Republic of China (PRC). They are capable of diving up to 7,000 meters, covering 99.8% of the oceanic floor of the world. Two units of this class are planned, with derivatives to follow and are used by both the civilian and military establishments in China.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Sea Pole class bathyscaphe is designed by the 702nd Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation . The general designer is Mr. Xu Huangnan ( Chinese : 徐芑南 ), a professor of School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering Archived 2009-04-27 at the Wayback Machine ( Chinese : 船舶与海洋工程学院 ) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SHJTU), who also designed many other Chinese submersibles and unmanned underwater vehicles. The first deputy general designer is Mr. Cui Weicheng ( Chinese : 崔维成 ), and the deputy general designer was Mr. Zhu Weiqing ( Chinese : 朱维庆 ), all of the three are academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences . There are two mechanical arms with associated tools that enable the bathyscaphe to perform a various tasks at its maximum operational depth, and this pair of mechanical arms with 7 degrees of freedom (7-DOF) are mounted on the right and left sides of the vehicle, which is powered by 110 kWh (110 V, 800 Ah) silver oxide – zinc batteries.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The pressure hull is built of titanium alloy, and the manufacturing method for the pressure hull involves producing two hemispherical parts by tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding six-side plates to a top plate, followed by heat treatments and polishing by machining; the two halves are then TIG welded together to form a complete sphere. The plate thickness is 76 – 78 mm, with deviations of ±4 mm in the completed radius, and sphericity is 0.4% or less. Pressure testing of the pressure hull was performed in Russia, and included a one-hour test at a water pressure equivalent to 7,700 meters, or a 10% greater depth than the vessel's, 7,000 m maximum operational depth, a continuous hour-long test at water pressure equivalent to 7,000 m, and a test simulating 0 to 7,000 m ascent/descent of the submersible, which was repeated six times. There were no problems reported in any of these tests, and the pressure hull passed with flying colors.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

All viewports of Sea Pole class bathyscaphe have a circular truncated cone shape. There is a large viewport with diameter of 20 cm mounted in the bow, and this central view port is the same type of that of Russian Mir class bathyscaphe. The two additional smaller side viewports of 12 cm diameter are mounted on portside and starboard side, closer to the front than other bathyscaphes. The advantage of this arrangement is that it enables navigation while both the pilot and the scientists simultaneously observe an objective in front of the vehicle. However, the side views have limited field of vision. There are two onboard life supporting system based on that of Shenzhou 6 spacecraft, and additionally, there are two onboard oxygen generating systems independent of life supporting system for additional safety. The pressure hull is built of titanium.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Length: 8.2 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Width: 3 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Height: 3.4 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Inner diameter of the pressure hull: 2.1 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Mass: 24 tons in air^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Payload: 220 kg^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Endurance: 12 hr^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Maximum operating depth: 7,000 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Never to exceed depth: 7,100 meters^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Crash depth: 7,700 meter^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Life support: 3 x 12 hr^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Specifications; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Designed by the 702nd Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation , Dragon class bathyscaphe is slightly smaller than its predecessor, with overall length slightly reduced to 8 meter from the original 8.2 meter of Sea Pole class.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Dragon class bathyscaphe; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Meanwhile, the first unit completed a 300-meter dive test on Sept 20th 2009.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In early Oct 2009, they reached a depth of 1109 meters during a test dive.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

On May 31, 2010, 3000 meter dive tests began, and concluded on Jul 18, 2010, with a test dive reaching a depth of 3757 meters on Jul 9th 2010.^[source]Sea Pole-class bathyscaphe · Deployment; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

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