Red October SSBN
The Red October, a fictionalized version of the Akula (NATO reporting name Typhoon) submarine, has two pumpjets built into its rear for silent propulsion (though implausibly stated to use a noisy magnetohydrodynamic drive in the movie). According to Chinese state media, the nation's new nuclear submarines will soon use a similarly silent, cutting-edge pumpjet. Paramount Pictures
Popular Mechanics: Chinese Navy Tests Experimental Magnetic Propulsion System
You know, like in The Hunt for Red October. Kinda.
Engineers and scientists in China have started up the first Chinese ship with a magnetohydrodynamic propulsion system. The system, which uses magnetic fields propel a ship through the water, promises to make quieter military submarines that are harder to detect. However, the technology is not new and has failed to catch on in the mainstream.
The report in China's official military news site and mentioned by China Defense Blog, says that a ship with a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propulsion system or "rim-driven pumpjet" drive was tested in southern China, on Hainan island. The ship, docked at the Chinese naval base at Sanya, was tested on October 18th and "then reached the designated speed."
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WNU Editor: If this tech is possible .... it is decades before it will be deployed. But the science behind it is impressive.
