An Un-Conventionally Armed SSBN

The conventional understanding of a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) is that it's sole purpose is one of nuclear deterrence. Loaded with nuclear armed ballistic missiles the Trident SSBN hides with stealth waiting to unleash unthinkable destruction upon any enemy with the nuclear capability to strike the US.

In the October issue of Proceedings magazine author Norman Polmar writes in his article "Strategic Submarine Progress" (not currently available on-line) about some unconventional thinking relating to Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles or SLBMs.

Trident II D5 Missile (Source: US Navy)

The unconventional thinking is put forth by the Defense Science Board and it is to arm some SLBMs with conventional (non-nuclear) warheads. The proposal pertains to the converted Trident SSGNs and recommends retaining some SLBM capacity. Rear Admiral Charles B. Young, Director of Strategic Systems Programs was quoted in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, 17 June 2005 as saying a SLBM could deliver 1,250 pounds of conventional explosive to a range of 1,500 nautical miles, adding "Time of flight would be about 14 to 15 minutes... So if you have a time-critical target, that is a great capability".

The idea is that a conventional warhead's accuracy could also be enhanced to less than 30 feet with the addition of a global positioning system GPS guidance package. There is also some speculation in Polmar's Proceeding article that if the Navy were to pursue a conventional-warhead Trident missile they may consider arming Trident SSBNs in addition to or instead of SSGNs.

Although I don't think such a proposal would be very cost effective, placing a 1000 lb bomb on a extremely expensive weapons system, it does have its merits. (Addition reading on merits at the Baker Institute in pdf)

First being the ability to place a conventional weapon on a time-critical target from an extreme range. This would give the defense department a quick reaction option to an unanticipated region or situation where other assets could be hours if not days away. The caveat here being that if the target is unanticipated how do you quickly and accurately communicate the targeting information to the submarine submerged and maybe 1500 nautical miles away.

A second benefit could be the shock and awe factor. A dictator or terrorist may feel the remoteness of his location or no clear nearby US military presents as a form of safety until his chemical weapons pilot-plant is destroyed by a warhead falling at something close to Mach in double digits. The kinetic energy release alone could scare the hell out someone standing within visual range. Additionally placing the idea in the head of a dictator that the next warhead could be in the kiloton range may be enough to instill a little behavior modification to the positive.

Third, the capability to deliver a conventional weapon from a great distance with extreme accuracy and within minutes could force hostile nations to either harden or decentralize their high value military assets. The tactic of hardening, hiding or building decentralized redundancy would be costly to a potential enemy and may result in reduced command and control of those assets. The only other option for them would be to build or buy an Anti Ballistic Missile (ABM) system. This could also draw funds and skilled personnel away from the offensive weapons systems that we are more concerned about.

Lastly, the conventional SLBM warhead could be a way of prototyping and testing technology and designs to be later adapted for nuclear warheads. Such technologies could include the aforementioned improved accuracy with GPS as well as bunker busting earth penetrating munitions.

Apart from the cost, numbers of conventionally armed SLBMs would be limited because it would compete with the traditional SSBN role. A SLBM with a conventional warhead would also not be an option where an adversary is a known nuclear power with ICBM and or SLBM capability. A conventional strike could be mistaken for a nuclear one and invoke a nuclear response. Additionally such a weapon would complicate any future arms limitation talks with said powers.

The Navy has rejected this idea in the past but with the advent of the Trident conversions to SSGNs the concept may be given another look.

Video link for Missile one away, Missile two away (mpg 4.1mg).....

Toshiba and Russian Espionage – Again

In 1987, the Toshiba Corporation of Japan was accused of illegally selling sophisticated propeller milling machinery to the Soviets through the Norwegian Kongsberg firm. The incident resulted in the arrest and prosecution of two senior executives, as well as the imposition of sanctions on the company by the US and Japan. It also resulted in quieter Soviet submarines principally the Akula Class.

It is also alleged that the Project 671RTMK Victor III subs incorporated a fully integrated submarine combat direction and fire control command system that ran on computers obtained from the Toshiba Corporation of Japan. This fire control system is said to be based on one developed for the Norwegian Ula class submarines.

So in recent news here and here, a Japanese employee of Toshiba Corporation has been caught selling confidential data to a Russian official. The leaked data referred to semiconductor technologies that could be used for jet fighter radar, missile guidance systems and submarine periscopes.

Industrial espionage is as much a national security risk as the Walker spy ring or those identified in the Cox Report.

Where Were You? Remembering Beirut 10/23/1983

The Event
On October 23, 1983 in Beirut Lebanon a truck laden with the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of TNT crashed through a gate and into the lobby of the Marine headquarters building. The suicide bomber then detonated his explosives killing 241 American servicemen: 220 Marines, 18 Navy personnel, and 3 Army soldiers.

That was and remains the largest single day death toll of US Marines since WWII. The public response by the Reagan Administration was that it pledged to maintain a military peacekeeping force in Lebanon. A plan was drawn up to attack a barracks in Lebanon that housed the Iranian Revolutionary Guards believed to have been training Hezbollah fighters responsible for the attack. The Battleship New Jersey was moved off the coast of Lebanon and even shelled some suspected terrorist camps.

Worries about reactions from "friendly" Arab nations prevented the Reagan administration from taking any overly aggressive action, therefore canceling the planned targeting of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards barracks. The International Peacekeeping force was eventually withdrawn and Lebanon descended further into civil war and chaos. Probably the Reagan Administration's biggest mistake and a victory for the purveyors of terrorism in the Middle East.

Where was I
I heard the news of the Marine barracks bombing while on patrol on the USS Simon Bolivar SSBN 641 Gold.

USS Simon Bolivar SSBN 641 (Source: US Navy)

A couple weeks later the Bolivar was nearing the end of it's 70 day patrol and was given new orders, "Liberty Call", but where?

The USS Simon Bolivar in 1983 was one of the few C4 Trident Missile Backfit boats and being a boomer, liberty port calls during a strategic deterrent patrol were very rare. Additionally most port calls for boomers were limited to relatively friendly places, Port Canaveral FL, Halifax Nova Scotia, places like that. With few exceptions, countries didn't like Nuclear Powered Submarines with Nuclear Weapons capability sitting in one of their ports. But we were on the other side of the Atlantic from any of those "regular" liberty ports so where were we going especally with the 1980's anti-US and Reagan climit in Europe and ongoing terrorism.

Our port visit was, Agadir Morocco, in North Africa. According to the CIA factbook Morocco is 98% Sunni Muslim, maybe not the place to send a Ballistic Missile Submarine after a terrorist attack, especially in light of recent history.

Conclusion
Twenty two years later I may be reading more into the coincidence of a my rare SSBN North African port visit and the Beirut bombing. I had great respect for Ronald Reagan and would like to think that someone in his Administration wanted to send a message to any possible State sponsor of terrorism that the US had other options within the range on an SLBM for a trouble making Middle Eastern nation. Of course today there are still those who can't leave Lebanon to the Lebanese people.

More information about the Beirut Marine barracks bombing can be found at the Memorial site or Alington Cemetery site.

Submarines of Rhode Island

I have nothing to write in the blog at the moment so I'm going the easy route --- visuals...

Here's a few photos of submarines with some association to my home state, Rhode Island.

USS Rhode Island SSBN 740 (Source: US Navy)

If you've ever been to my home state you'll recognize the bridge behind the sub as the Newport Bridge. The USS Rhode Island, accompanied by the Sloop Providence, is exiting Narragansett Bay and would have passed by the Naval War College before going under the bridge. Photo was probably taken shortly after commissioning in 1994.
Update 10/22/05: Ooops, a second look at the photo above and I realize I got it backwards, they're going up the bay not leaving.

USS Providence SSN 719 (Source: US Navy)

Photo is of the USS Providence SSN 719 named for the capital city of Rhode Island, is the fifth warship in Naval History to bear the name. The Providence is a Flight III boat, the first of the 688's with the Vertical Launch System (VLS) installed. Photo was taken during sea trials somewhere off the Southern New England coast.

Juliett 484 K-77 (Source: Saratoga Museum Foundation)

The Juliett 484 is a 300-foot long, diesel-powered Cold War veteran, moored at Collier Point Park in Providence, Rhode Island. The sub is the centerpiece of The Russian Submarine museum run by the Saratoga Museum Foundation and is open to the public.

UK Could Extend Vanguard SSBN Lifespan.

The US has already planed to extend the Ohio Class Trident SSBN lifespan from 30 to 42 years. The UK could be taking the US lead and may extend it's Vanguard Class Trident SSBN to a similar length.

From The Herald in the UK "Trident fleet faces stretched lifespan to help curb defence costs"
(Hat tip: NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence)

BRITAIN is to try to stretch the operational lifespan of its four Trident missile submarines until at least 2035 to maintain its nuclear deterrent at minimal cost and risk, according to naval sources.

Tony Blair and John Reid, defence secretary, have both insisted recently that no decisions have been taken, but sources say they have already scrapped alternative plans for aircraft or submarine-launched cruise missiles tipped with nuclear warheads.

They have also rejected building a new generation of submarines despite the fact that replacing ageing intercontinental missiles, installing new reactor cores, and redesigning the existing British warheads could cost more than the original £12.2bn paid for the Trident system in the 1990s.

Royal Navy Vanguard SSBN

The lead UK boat is the HMS Vanguard commissioned in 1993. If the lifespan of this class is extended to 2035 this would put it in the same timeframe for replacement as the US Tridents. The last US Trident commissioned was the USS Louisiana SSBN 743 on 9/06/1997.

As of this date, there is no large-scale design or production program in place by either country to replace thier Trident Submarines. The development of a SSBN-X Follow-on to the Trident should start in the next 10 years. This is in order to replace the first of the Tridents to be decommissioned in approximately 2029.

Beer and Submarines - odd google finds

Just for the fun of it, I googled Beer and Submarines and came up some choice links below.

Dutch beer commercial for a Walrus -- Video link -- drink up.

Brit sub layout with Food/Beer storage area.

Beer recovered from the S/S Nicomedia a victim of the The Submarine Massacre of 1915 was reproduced in 2000 and sold as "Wreck Beer" by a Swedish brewery.

A beer and a shot is known as "depth charge" at the following watering holes.

The Submarine Cocktail from Mexico.

Cold beer and Nazi subs in Chicago?

Four from the USS Dace (SSN-604) go through 62 gallons of beer, you'll find at the end of a rather long photo description.

Submarine and Luau Combination with open bar!

AND to sober everyone up read the story of Chris Beer age 18 who wanted to be a RAN submariner. Makes you want to think before you drink.

Alvin (DSV-2) to Start Last Refit

The Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) Alvin is scheduled to start a 6 month refit at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in mid October. This 40 year old sub may be undergoing it's last refit with the new deeper diving $21.6 million Alvin II scheduled to be built and delivered by 2008.

Alvin routinely undergoes a refit about every 3 years where it is completely disassembled down to the (1.9 in.) thick titanium personnel sphere. The DSV recently returned on 10/13 to Woods Hole, MA aboard it's support vessel R/V Atlantis from the Pacific.

Alvin Submerged (Source: NOAA)

The submersible Alvin is owned by the US Navy and operated by WHOI as a national oceanographic facility. The DSV typically makes eight-hour dives transporting two scientists and a pilot as deep as 4,500 meters or 14,764 feet. Specifications on the DSV can be found here.

Alvin has made more than 4,100 dives worldwide in it's forty year history. Of those dives the majority have been for Biology, Geology and Geophysics research. A NOAA streaming video of Alvin being launched from the support ship R/V Atlantis can be found here.

Alvin Drawing (Source: NOAA) Click on graphic for larger view.

Alvin is famous as the Geophysics research vehicle that in 1977 discovered the first hydrothermal vents off the coast of the Galapagos Islands. That discovery lead researchers to about 300 new species of animals, including bacteria, foot-long clams and mussels, tiny shrimp, arthropods, and red-tipped tube worms that can grow up to 10 ft long in some vents. The biological significance being that these creatures were the first discovered to exist totally independent of sunlight for energy and therefore an ecosystem dependent upon the these deep sea hydrothermal vents.

Other significant discoveries, accomplishments and mishaps in Alvin's 40 year history include:

1966 - Alvin assisting in the recovery of a hydrogen bomb lost when the B-52 crashed in the Mediterranean off Palomares, Spain after colliding with a refueling tanker.

1967 - Alvin was attacked by a swordfish on the bottom at about 2,000 feet. The fish became trapped in Alvin’s skin and was brought back to the surface (and cooked for dinner).

1968 - Alvin’s cradle support cables failed and Alvin slid into the water and sank to the bottom in 5,000 feet of water. The pilot sustained minor injuries and escaped while the sub was on the surface. Alvin was recovered a few months later with the assistance of the DSV Aluminaut .

1977 - Alvin discovered the first hydrothermal vents off the coast of the Galapagos Islands.

1980 - Alvin completed its 1,000th dive at the Galapagos Rift

1986 - Alvin made 12 dives to the RMS Titanic to test a prototype robotic vehicle called Jason Jr. and to photographically document the wreck.

A full chronology of Alvin's history can be found here.

Photo of 1974 refit of Alvin where a (1.9 in.) thick titanium pressure sphere replaced the HY-100 steel one, increasing it's certified dive depth (Source: NOAA)

Alvin's pilots typically have engineering degrees. Pilot certification is in some ways like earning your Submarine Dolphins, the U.S. Navy requires pilots to draw—from memory—dozens of the sub’s intricate hydraulic, ballast, electrical, and mechanical components and systems. Alvin's pilots are skilled swimmers assisting in every launch and recovery of the DSV. Additionally they are all mechanics as well as pilots; being required to make shipboard repairs during an expedition.

The sub's name Alvin is in honor of the prime mover and creative inspiration for the vehicle, Allyn Vine, a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A 2004 NPR audio interview is linked here with Barrie Walden, manager, National Deep Submergence facility at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Alvin' s projected retirement.

Who was Josef Papp?

Josef Papp was a Hungarian-Canadian engineer who in 1966 claimed to have built the worlds fastest submarine with a speed of over 300 MPH.

Papp claimed to have built a unique jet propulsion and engine system that drove his home built submarine at such a high speed that it was enveloped in a bubble of air or supercavitation. He even wrote a book about the submarine's design, construction and sea trial titled "The Fastest Submarine".

The Fastest Submarine?

Papp's story is so fantastic that has been placed in the realm of hoaxes and frauds.

On August 11, 1966, after being missing for a few days from his home in Canada, Joseph Papp was picked up from a life raft by a fishing boat off Brest, France. Bruised, bloodied and dressed in a flight helmet and goggles Papp claims to have just bailed out of his high-speed experimental submarine. When questioned further Papp explains that he had traveled in his sub across the Atlantic solo and in just 13 hours. According to Papp, the submarine had become unstable during the voyage and after he bailed out it sank never to be found.

With no real evidence of his fantastic feat and two round trip plane tickets to France found in his pocket, Papp was quickly dismissed as a prankster.

Josef Papp who died in 1989, was described as an extremely paranoid, very unstable, selfish, and unpredictable man. But this odd man's life has other interesting controversies besides his submarine adventure. Papp was an inventor holding three US patents: "Method and Means for Generating Explosive Forces", "Method and Means of Converting Atomic Energy into Utilizable Kinetic Energy" and "Inert Gas Fuel, Fuel Preparation Apparatus and System for Extracting Useful Work from the Fuel". Joseph Papp's Noble Gas Engine is another fraud that may or may not be a fraud.

Just goes to show you, anyone interested in submarines and atomic energy may not have both oars in the water, but then again they may. Yet another unsolvable controversy ;-)

Russian Submarine Launched Spacecraft - failures

After three previous Submarine launches of spacecraft have failed the Russians were able to have a successful launch yesterday 10/7. But this success after one day was short lived, the headline today "Experimental Russian Spacecraft Missing". Excerpt:

Moscow, Russia (AHN) – Russian authorities are searching for an experimental mini-spacecraft today, just one day after the prototype was test launched from a nuclear submarine. A Russian news agency reports that engineers have had no contact with the Demonstrator spacecraft since its launch on Friday. No signals are being received from the craft. Workers have called off their search for the night and planned to resume at daybreak.

Previous submarine launch failures included a joint Russian-U.S project attempt at deploying the first controlled flight of a solar sail.

Today news includes another Russian failure of a converted land based ICBM launch with a European Space Agency's (ESA) Cryosat satellite aboard.

The Russians did have a successful launch today of a submarine missile with a different purpose in mind.

Auto Airbag Torpedo Launcher

The technology employed in auto airbags is stable, reliable and cost effective so why not use it to launch a torpedo.

Sea Corp. a local company here in Rhode Island has developed and tested such a system in the past year. In the spring of 2004 the company tested such a system aboard the Martha’s Vineyard High Speed Ferry. During the five day test 31 launches were made of torpedo and countermeasure shapes at speeds up to 35 knots. Here’s a link to their R&D page describing their Advanced Surface Launcher (ASL) system’s development. Also on the page there is a streaming video of one of their test launches (Link here – warning loads slow about a minute with broadband).

When I watched the streaming video a few thoughts came to mind.

One was obviously that the system may be employed on the Navy’s new LCS (Fast Ferry ;-) class of ships under development. A second would be a possible method for celebrities to take out those annoying Paparazzi on their way to "The Vineyard". Lastly, the locals may need to take down a number of environmentally unfriendly structures proposed for Nantucket Sound that they seem to have a problem with.

Bioluminescent Organisms "Milk Sea"

The chemical-based light given off by some sea creatures is known as bioluminescence. Disturbing a concentration of bioluminescent organisms will produce a trail of light for anything from a dolphin to a submarine periscope passing through it. Therefore, bioluminescence can gave away the position of a submarine operating on or near the surface by leaving a tell tail glow in the ship's wake.

Depending on the concentration of these glowing organisms, a ship's wake may be visible for up to 6 nautical miles. In 1918, it was bioluminescence that gave away the position of the last German U-boat sunk during World War I.

The Navy is therefore interested in studying bioluminescence and it's Naval Research Laboratory scientists recently confirmed the existence of a phenomenon known as a "Milk Sea".

There have been 235 documented sightings of milky seas since 1915 but up until now there has been no real photograpic evidence of bioluminescence on such a large scale. However, The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program has captured an image of a "milk sea" the size of Connecticut in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia.

Milky Sea (Source: Naval Research Laboratory - Dr. Steven Miller)

A report in Live Science "Mystery Ocean Glow Confirmed in Satellite Photos" states the following:

Scientists suspect bioluminescent bacteria are behind the phenomenon. Such creatures produce a continuous glow, in contrast to the brief, bright flashes of light produced by "dinoflagellate" bioluminescent organims that are seen more commonly lighting up ship wakes and breaking waves.

"The problem with the bacteria hypothesis is that an extremely high concentration of bacteria must exist before they begin to produce light," Miller told LiveScience. "But what could possibly support the occurrence of such a large population?"

One idea, put forward by the lone research vessel to ever encounter a milky sea, is that the bacteria are not free-living, but instead are living off some local supporting "substrate."

"This previous excursion reported the presence of bioluminescent bacteria, which were found to be living in association with an algal bloom," Miller explained.

So it appears that a "Milk Sea" could be caused by high concentrations of bioluminescent bacteria independent of a disturbance, but what can be witnessed in a ship's wake are tiny bioluminescent organisms like jellyfish.

Bioluminescent Jellyfish (Source: NOAA)

The "Milk Sea" phenomenon is found primarily in the Indian Ocean, where as, bioluminescence can be found in all oceans throughout the world. Research into understanding bioluminescence and possibly forecasting it's occurrence could help US Submarines operating in littoral waters avoid detection as well as improve anti-submarine warfare against our adversaries.

When a political blog does ocean science – you get?

I don't do the political blog thing and try to keep it to submarine topics, science and technology. But what would you get if you did mostly the political thing and then posted an off beat ocean science piece?

Well, read through this The Huffington Post post's comments about Fabien Cousteau's new method to study Great White Sharks. Lesbianism, bible humping, Dick Cheney, President Bush and terrorists all rolled into one.
Some days even googling a science topic gets you foul mouthed political noise. Smells like rotting fish, time to Move On. (Pun intended)

FYI, here is a link to a news piece on Fabien Cousteau's new submersible.

Aussie Submarine Rescue System - Deficient

The US Navy has it's DSRV the UK Royal Navy uses the LR5 and Russian Navy has the ill fated Priz class but what does the Australian Navy use for submarine rescue?

Australian Collins Class Submarine (Source: Australian Navy)

The Australian Navy uses the Remora (Remotely Operated Rescue Vehicle) system for submarine rescue. The Remora system is a product of Ocean Works International of North Vancouver, BC Canada. The company has a good streaming video link promo of the system.

Remora Submarine Rescue System (Source: Australian Navy)

The Remora system seems a very capable submarine rescue system with the following specs:
Operational up to Sea State 4/5 transportable up to sea state 6+
Submerged depth up to 2000 ft
17 to 24 hours life support
Articulated mating skirt capable of up to 45 degrees mating lock
Transportable on C130 or larger military airlift aircraft
Can accommodate 2 crew + 16 passengers per rescue assent

The Australian Navy also has a comprehensive training program on submarine escape and rescue.

So you would conclude that the Australian Navy had a world class submarine rescue system. But seems that isn't so, the news site The Weekend Australian is reporting in an article Sub rescue unit 'a risk to lives' that there are significant problems with the AU Navy's submarine rescue program and equipment. As follows:

The navy's submarine rescue unit is in disarray, with faulty and obsolete equipment and poor training creating "intolerable" risks to sailors stranded under the ocean, according to a damning internal defence report.

A Review of Submarine Escape and Rescue Services documents a litany of frightening shortcomings that raise grave doubts about the navy's ability to rescue sailors from a stricken submarine.

The report, written in February, comes as the navy is seeking new hoses for its six Collins-class submarines to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic onboard flood that almost sank HMAS Dechaineux and its 55 crew in 2003.

The report, obtained by The Weekend Australian under Freedom of Information laws after an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, concludes that the navy's submarine rescue system suffers from "a significant number of high risks".

Other specific problems cited in the AU Navy's report were a lack of spare parts for critical rescue equipment and a significant risk to the availability of cargo aircraft for Remora systems transport. Additionally training deficiencies may be a problem that could lead to equipment damage and failure.

In my opinion The Weekend Australian article goes a little overboard when it uses quotes that could have come from any submarine sailor in the world. An example:

"We always joke that escape systems are there for politicians and girlfriends," one submariner told The Weekend Australian.

"For the most part, the waters we operate in are too deep for rescue, and if an accident were to occur you would not be recovering anyone or anything. You'll just know where we went down."

Although the above two quotes are true for all who go to sea on submarines, it also true that it gets the public's attention when it appears a government is deliberately putting their sailors at risk.

With the HMAS Dechaineux flooding investigation the Assies have identified their problems and will fix their boats and systems. Therefore, they will continue to be one of the most capable submarine forces in the world.

Update 10/1/05: If you want to read back about the HMAS Dechaineux flooding incident Bubblehead at "The Stupid Shall Be Punished" has written a number of posts search link here.

Live Webcast of an Ocean Floor Exploration

The National Science Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation, ResearchChannel and the University of Washington TV have teamed up in an effort to produce the first live video broadcasts from the seafloor. Weather permitting the webcast is scheduled for Sept. 28 and 29. Link to the Webcast site here including updated times, dates and additional video.

The broadcasts will be of the Juan de Fuca Ridge seafloor 200 miles off the Washington coast an area known to be one of the most geologically and biologically active sites in the global network of mid-ocean ridges.

The Ocean Floor (Source: NASA graphic)

The broadcasts are part of a five-week expedition funded in part by the National Science Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation and the University of Washington. Used in the expedition are the remotely controlled submersibles JASON II and ABE from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The expedition is referred to as VISION 05, for Visually Integrated Science for Interactive Ocean Networked Systems. It's purpose is to study of how tectonic plate interaction can support exotic and ancient microbial life forms deep within the seafloor.

Architeuthis Filmed at Depth

Architeuthis or Giant Squid for centuries has been the monster of legends and a scientific mystery. None have ever been observed in the wild until recently. The New York Times is reporting that the First Giant Squid Captured in Wild (on Film, That Is) was accomplished by a Japanese research team.

The submarine Nautilus attacked by a giant squid in Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea .

Japanese scientists, Tsunemi Kubodera and Kyoichi Mori, report that they have made the world's first observations of a giant squid in the wild. The researchers followed sperm whales, that are known to feed on giant squid, to find a location for their attempted filming. A system of a robotic cameras tethered to buoys and baited with a bags of mashed shrimp were used.

At about 3000 feet and positioned about 1,000 feet above the seafloor lowest bait on the rig attracted a small Architeuthis measuring 26 feet in length. It is believed that the giant squid can grow as large as 60 feet.

Attracted by the bait the Architeuthis got caught in the bait and camera rig. The robotic camera then took pictures every 30 seconds of the giant squid for over 4 hours as it struggled to free itself.

Although Jules Verne's Captain Nemo encounter with Architeuthis was a work of fiction occasionally deep sea submersibles have run across the unexpected.

On December 20, 2001 NOAA scientists aboard the submersible Alvin encountered a 21-foot-long squid, dubbed the "Mystery Squid," while conducting an undersea project.

The Submersible Alvin (Source: NOAA)

The scientists were investigating gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of approximately 6,300 feet below the surface when a 21 foot "Mystery Squid" drifted close to the submersible. The squid was captured on video before moving away after a few minutes.

NOAA scientists in 2001 could not be certain of the identity of the squid they encountered without capturing a specimen. The Japanese scientists who filmed the Architeuthis were fortunate in that a piece of the squid's tentacles was left behind after it escaped it's 4 hour entanglement. DNA analysis of that sample and other comparisons with squid that have washed ashore confirmed that it was an Architeuthis or Giant Squid.

For more information on Architeuthis go to the links page on The Search for Giant Squid webpage from a Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 1999 exhibition.

NUWC - Submarine Engineering Support Contracts Awarded

The US Navy has recently awarded three contacts for electronic systems program engineering, life cycle and in-service support totaling approximately $112.5 million dollars. The majority of this work will be performed at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Newport Division in Newport, RI.

Virginia Class (Source: US Navy graphic)

GRYPHON TECHNOLOGIES in Riverdale, MD won a $44.7M contract to provide Submarine Non Propulsion Electronic Systems Programs Engineering, Life-Cycle, and In-Service Support.

ENGINEERING SERVICES NETWORK, INC. in Arlington, VA received a $42 million in NUWC support contracts.

RAYTHEON CO in Marlborough, MA received a $14.5 to $25 million contract for design, development, test and production work for X-band Extremely High Frequency (EHF) submarine communications.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center, NUWC was once called the Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC) and before that Naval Underwater Research and Engineering Station.

NUWC, Newport RI falls under NAVSEA command and is the Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons systems associated with undersea warfare.

Raging Rita

From the Eye on the Fleet photo gallery.
GOES-12 Satellite infrared image provided by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Calif.

GOES-12 Satellite infrared image (Source: US Navy)

Infrared image shows the population centers with a very well defined Hurricane Rita. Navy assets are being redeployed to respond to this one two punch on the gulf coast. A number of Navy ships already in the gulf coast area put to sea to avoid the storm and be in position for assistance.

These ships include:
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)
USS Shreveport (LPD 12)
USS Tortuga (LSD 46)
USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201)
USNS Comfort (T-AH 20)

Additionally the Navy Region Northeast continues to provide assistance from Naval Submarine Base New London, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and other commands for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Help all those effected by supporting the American Red Cross.

Updated 9/23/05 - 13:00 Of related local RI interest I'd like to share. This is from a email forwarded to me by a recently retired RI National Guard member.

This was written by the XO of the USS Iwo Jima just before the MPs left New Orleans.

Finally, a word about our guests onboard, the 119th Military Police Company, Rhode Island National Guard.

These folks are headed home after a very long two weeks. To their credit, they were the first to enter the Convention Center and restore order with only 140 troops, though the mission called for more than 500. They saved 15 lives and evacuated hundreds.

The Company averaged more than 20 missions per day that lasted from 0600 until well past midnight on most days. I had an opportunity to accompany them on two missions and found them to be extremely professional - since they were among the first to arrive after Katrina, they became the resident experts for mission planning and execution for many other Guard and Army units. Their company even found time to care for 4 stray canines to relieve the stress.

Footnote: most of the MP Company returned from a tour in Iraq n April. Huge Heroes from a Small State.

Burton C. Quist
Colonel, US Marine Corps

Another RI National Guard MP unit from Warwick RI was one of the first units to serve at Gitmo after the start of the GWOT.

www.riguard.com
Saddle Up! Tonight We Ride!
See You On The High Ground!

Video file footage of Russian Submarine Force

Ever want to take a sneak peek at a Russian Submarine underway?

How about the inside of an operational sub complete with Russian sailors looking like "What is he doing with a camera" look on their faces?

The Russian website www.tvdata.ru has a catalogue of short (a few seconds) file clips covering the Russian Navy submarines link here. Some footage was filmed from a helicopter and others are interior views of submarine equipment. The films are from independent producers & studios. They are for sale for commercial use on the website, but I found that if you click on the image you can run a short clip with a TVDATA watermark that's not that annoying.
(Warning: links best with Broadband)

Some of my favorites - with suggested titles:

SLBM zero defects? oops back to QA. link here

On the tail of a Typhoon. link here.

Always refer to the chart before wandering around the boat. link here

Rig for visitors, or Someone left the security covers off. link here

I think I see a periscope astern better clear baffles to make sure. link here

I'm thinking the guys at Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) about 20 years ago would have loved to have seen this stuff. Back then, they were commissioning paintings like the one below of Soviet Typhoons.

TYPHOON Replenishing in the Arctic by Edward L. Cooper, 1986
(Source: DIA Military Art Collection The Threat in the 1980's)

One last one: Midrats taste like chicken....meow. link here

Trident I (C4) Missile System Retired

With little to no fan fair the Trident I (C4) missile system has been essentially retired from service.

A ceremony held on Sept. 7, 2005 marked the Change of Command for the USS Alabama SSBN 731, combining of crews and the retirement of the Blue Crew CO Cmdr. Kevin A. Fontes. It also marked the last Trident submarine scheduled for shipyard conversion to the Trident II (D5) missile system.

The USS Alabama Gold Crew was also awarded the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Afloat Safety Award on Sept. 2 after the completion of the Sub's historic 67th deterrent patrol and the last operational deployment of the Trident I (C4) missile system.

First Test Launch of Trident I (C4) Missile Jan. 18, 1977
(Source: DOD File Photo)

The C4 missile system, at 26 years, was the longest deployed US SLBM entering service in 1979 and being retired this year. The Missile was first back fitted to 12 Poseidon submarines and later the first 8 Tridents. The USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657) was the first submarine to successfully launch a C4 missile in July 1979. In October that year, SSBN-657 became the first submarine to go on patrol with the Trident I C-4.

The Trident I C4 missile was developed primarily a weapon of deterrence, adhering to Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara's Mutual Assured Destruction or MAD doctrine. The missile had an estimated range of 4000 nm nearly double it's predecessor but lacked the ability to effectively target hardened enemy ICBM missile silos.

The current Trident II (D5) missile is the culmination of Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger's concept of counterforce as deterrence. Entering service in 1990 the D5 missile could be considered a first strike weapon when measured against the improvement in accuracy and range over it's predecessor the C4. However, under the counterforce as deterrent doctrine the targeting of enemy's strategic weapons systems would only be used an immediate retaliatory response and for a first strike.

It seemed only fitting to post the news on this planned obsolescence of the C4 weapons system. I served on one of the first subs USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN 641) and the very last USS Alabama (SSBN 731) the last to carry that system to sea.

Update: 9/21/05 - 13:00 From a reader of TheSubReport "The conversion of the Alabama to D5 Backfit also marks the end of the SINS based navigation system. This system has been supporting the Strategic Weapons System since the Polaris days, almost 50 years."

Almost 50 years longevity is a remarkable achievement for a system as complex as the SINS -Ships Inertial Navigation System. SINS was created out of the joint Army/Navy JUPITER program then further developed to support the POLARIS program. Although a Regulus guided missile submarine, the USS Halibut (SSGN 587) was the first submarine to carry the Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS) back in 1960.

Cocaine Submarine Force Reduction

The Columbian cocaine Navy is at it again, this time with a drug cargo UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle). AP World News is reporting "Coast Guard Seizes Cocaine in Pacific" (Hat tip: thesubreport.com) excerpt:

BOGOTA, Colombia -- The U.S. Coast Guard, acting on Colombian intelligence, intercepted a ship towing an unmanned submarine-like vessel that held more than 2 tons of cocaine, Colombia's anti-narcotics police chief said Thursday.

The boat was raided Wednesday off the coast of the Ecuadorean-owned Galapagos Islands, Gen. Alberto Gomez told reporters. The underwater capsule, which was attached by a metal cable, was designed so smugglers could tow it below their boat and escape detection if drug agents searched the ship.

Of course this isn't the first attempt to construct and use a submarine type vessel to smuggle drugs. Just last March Colombia's secret police discovered a nearly complete fiberglass submarine (CBS news) designed to carry cocaine to speed boats offshore.

Then there was the September 2000 discovery of a half-built submarine in a warehouse in Bogota, Remember that one?

Cocaine Submarine Under Construction Sept 2000.

The BBC reported the submarine under construction back in 2000 as being sophisticated and based on a Russian design. It was speculated that the Russian mafia or Russian technicians were involved in its construction.

So here's the tally:
1) The Russian designed large Sub was found in 2000 half way through construction.
2) The fiberglass Sub found in March of this year was nearly complete.
3) And now the drug smugglers have had a nearly successful sea trail of a towed UUV variant.

What's next?

I Feel The Need, The Need for Speed!

Having grown up as a Navy brat I was usually near a military installation that started with NAS. My father was a career Navy Seabee and I lived in places like Yokosuka Japan, Port Hueneme CA, Keflavik Iceland, Quonset Point RI, all before I was a twelve. Watching the jets was a fascination for me and always exciting. If there was an air show near by I would be there, as close to the flight line as possible, eyes glued skyward.

It must have been this fascination with complex machines that do extraordinary things that brought me to submarines and if my life choices had been a little different I may have earned Wings instead of Dolphins.

That being said I felt the need to share some aviation eye candy.
Scroll down and fulfill your "Need for Speed" complete with trans-sonic vapor clouds.

F/A-18 Hornet going Supersonic Location Taehan-min'guk – Republic of Korea, July 7, 1999
(Source: US Navy -Ensign John Gay)


F/A-18F Super Hornet July 27, 2005 USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Philippine Sea
(Source: US Navy - Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Jonathan Chandler)


F/A 18 going Supersonic (Source: US Navy)


F-14B Tomcat USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Mediterranean Sea Mar. 30, 2005
(Source: US Navy -Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Justin S. Osborne )


F14-B Tomcat going Supersonic Mediterranean Sea, April 22, 2003
(Source: US Navy - Justin S. Osborne)


B-1B subsonic but super low (Source: USAF)


STS-106 Space Shuttle Atlantis, September 8, 2000 going Trans-sonic
(Source: NASA)

OK, if the photos weren't enough to satisfy, then you may want to try this (I did) or this or maybe even this.

Alligator Hunting

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA and the Office of Naval Research ONR have teamed up to search for the civil war submarine USS Alligator. This is the second year for this NOAA-ONR collaborative effort schedule to resume Sept. 9-12 off Cape Hatteras, N.C.
The newsobserver.com has a short article on this current effort.

The USS Alligator (Source: NOAA - Painting by Jim Christley)

The Alligator was so named because of it's low profile and distinctive green color. The 47 foot long sub was lost in April of 1863 while being towed by the USS Sumpter. The Sumpter was to tow the Alligator from Virginia to Charleston S.C. to participate in Union attacks on that Confederate port. The sub sank in a fierce storm somewhere south of Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island, N.C. in an area known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. In a heavy gale and no crew aboard the USS Alligator the captain of the USS Sumpter unable to make headway cut the tow line.

Hunting the Alligator (Source: NOAA)

An initial side-scan sonar search by the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson in the spring of 2005 identified several new targets. Additional investigation of these targets will be conducted using marine magnetometer and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Operating out of Ocracoke, N.C., a team of marine archaeologists and researchers will work aboard ONR’s 108-ft. “Afloat Lab” (YP-679), deploying a number of these undersea search and survey tools.

The USS Alligator has a distinctive place in history which few are aware. It was the US Navy’s first submarine.

There is some confusion around the first US Navy submarine claim. David Bushnell’s The Turtle used in the revolutionary war in September 1775 was piloted by an Army Sergeant and volunteer and not commissioned by the Continental Navy/Marines. John Holland's Holland VI is many times incorrectly cited as the US Navy's first Submarine even though it came some 26 years after the USS Alligator.

The USS Alligator was an innovation in naval design at the time and included many features and firsts for a submarine:

First submarine ordered and built for the U.S. Navy
First submarine to have a diver’s lockout chamber.
Was deployed to a combat zone.
First submarine to have onboard air compressors for air renewal/diver support.
First submarine commanded by a U.S. Naval officer (who would later achieve Flag rank).
First submarine designed with an air purifying system.
Had an underway test witnessed by a U.S. president (Abraham Lincoln).
First submarine to have electrically-detonated limpet mines.
Underwent an overhaul in a U.S. naval shipyard.

If you're interested in the project to find the USS Alligator and the sub's history, more information can be found at the NOAA website (Link here) specifically devoted to this project.

The Original Silent Ships

One hundred and fifty four years ago on August 31, 1851 the Yankee clipper ship The Flying Cloud arrived in San Francisco from New York after a record run of only 89 days, 21 hours . That record of 89 days was only shared by one other ship of that era the Andrew Jackson . No other sailing ship beat the 89 day mark for nearly 130 years when in 1989 the OSTAR single-handed racing yacht Thursday's Child bested the record by 9 days. The Flying Cloud is considered to have been the fastest clipper ship ever launched. The ships navigator was Ellen Creesy, the wife of the captain Josiah P. Cressy.

The Flying Cloud (Source: National Archives)

The Silent Ship by Colin West

I sailed a ship as white as snow,
As soft as clouds on high,
Tall was the mast, broad was the beam,
And safe and warm was I.

I stood astern my stately ship
And felt so grand and high,
To see the lesser ships give way
As I went gliding by.

That was the Golden Age of Clipper Ships romanticized in books and movies.

In another one hundred and fifty years will these be the new silent ships of legends?

(The Urban Legends link above is for my friends back in maneuvering ;-)

Repel Boarders "The Video Game"

The old adage “practice makes perfect” takes many forms. Athletes call it muscle memory where you do same physical moves over and over until you don’t even have to think, you just do. Musicians say they’re in the groove when rhythm and melody flow together without much mental effort. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence is developed when an individual through practice can recognize sequential patterns such as 1 + 1 = 2 or 1,055 joules = 1 BTU or where there’s smoke there’s fire.

Therefore, the brain learns through pattern recognition and deduction, the more embedded the pattern the stronger the memory and the quicker and easier the response. Which brings us to shipboards drills, you remember those, reactor scram, fire in the galley, torpedo hot run, WSRT, etc. Now the Navy is putting a new twist to the Repel Boarders drill - practice it with a video game.

Navy SSN 688 class submarine crews will use a custom built video game to practice anti-terrorism tactics aboard ship. The company 3Dsolve developed what is called a Force Protection Anti-Terrorism Simulation Trainer, a three-dimensional, first person view, decision making game.

National Defense Magazine has an article you can read for the details on this new twist to a common shipboard drill.

When given access 3Dsolve animation developers said they were stunned by the complexity they found inside a SSN 688 class submarine. Only 688 class Subs at the Submarine Base in New London have had scenarios created but the Navy plans on a new version to include SSBN 726 class submarines and additional port scenarios.

In 1981 I would play Asteroids at the video arcade in Virginia Beach while at Dam Neck FBM “C” school. But, I never thought someday you could play something just short of DOOM3 for your watchstation quals, times have changed!

Brac - Clean Sweep!!!

That is a clean sweep for the Submarine community in New England.

The Brac Commission has voted to take the Submarine Base in New London and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard off the list of base and facility closures.

Clean Sweep (Source: US Navy via navsource.org)

Photo is from the USS Montpelier (SSN-765) preparing to moor at Naval Station Norfolk. I choose this Photo as a little poetic justice on my part. Now I wonder if any Subs will end up moving from Norfolk to Groton, only time will tell.

We Build the Best -Submarines

“WE Build thE Best” written in a silhouette of a Submarine, that was the bumper sticker I had on my car in 1978 when I worked for Electric Boat (EB) as a machinist. At the time, EB and Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (NNS) were prime competitors for the submarine construction business. Newport News had designed and built the lead unit of the 688 class fast attack submarines and Electric Boat was building 688 SSNs and Trident 726 class SSBN submarines. Both yards were producing between one to three 688s a year each. The 688 production run lasted from the late 1970s into the 1990s. During that roughly 20 year timeframe EB produced 33 688 SSNs and 18 726 SSBNs, NNS produced 29 688 SSNs.

General Dynamics Electric Boat (Source: US Navy Photo)

The last 688, a 688i variant, SSN 773 the USS Cheyenne was delivered to the Navy in September 1996 by NNS. Since then EB has delivered three SSN 21 Seawolf class submarines, was the lead designer of the new Virginia class submarine and delivered the SSN 774 USS Virginia in October of 2004. Newport News has not built another submarine since 1996 until the recent launch of the USS Texas SSN 775 in April of 2005. Newport News Shipbuilding also produces the best Aircraft Carriers in the world, the Nimitz class, of which nine have been built and one is currently in construction.

Therefore, who builds a better submarine General Dynamics Electric Boat or Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding? I was qualified on and rode two different boats, one built by NNS in 1965 and another built by EB in 1985. Not a fair comparison two different classes with 20 years difference in technology and design. And as I indicated before I was once a EB yardbird, so there is a built in bias here, fair warning in where I’m going with this.

Newport News has always built a quality submarine. The USS San Francisco SSN 711 built by NNS ran into a seamount at a full bell crushing it bow in January. The San Fran may not have survived if not for the quality of its construction and professionalism of the crew. But if being the “Best” means also staying on budget and delivering when contracted to then Newport News get a losing grade. NNS will not deliver the USS Texas to the Navy until May 2006 almost a year after the initial projected delivery date. Newport News Shipyard’s construction of the Texas is also an estimated 24 percent over projected cost.

Lead units are usually problematic and NNS will have had a nearly 10 year hiatus between deliveries of its last two submarines, but the Virginia class is different. In order to maintain two active submarine construction yards, production of the 10 projected Virginia class submarines is being split between EB and NNS with whole systems produced by one or the other. For example, EB will build the ships Command and Control Systems and NNS will build the Weapons Systems. Final submarine assembly will be split between each shipyard EB has completed the USS Virginia and NNS is in the process of completing the USS Texas. This is different from the 688 contracts where each yard did the bulk of its own component fabrication and construction.

Therefore, here is my argument, its not who builds thE Best submarine but who is the better shipyard at submarine construction? Both shipyards have had their share of cost overruns and problems and in the end both build a quality submarine. However, Electric Boat has an advantage in that its only business is in the design and construction of nuclear submarines for the US Navy. Newport News Shipyard builds submarines as well, but also produces Navy surface ships and has an extensive surface ship overhaul and conversion business. Additionally Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility is dedicated to the quality fabrication of submarine pressure hull sections. In fact, a major portion of the pressure hull sections that NNS will use in the construction of Virginia Class subs will come from Electric Boat Quonset Point. Also recently the Navy has been concerned about NNS construction delays and cost overruns has asked EB to take a more active role as the lead design yard in managing Newport News Shipyard’s Virginia class submarine construction program.

With the current reduced production rate of submarines the Navy is hard pressed to keep two shipyards building submarines efficiently. Therefore, at 1.6 billion the Virginia class submarine was to be a cost saver for the Navy and far cheaper than the 2.8 – 3.0 billion Seawolf class, but the current Virginia class subs are now costing between 2.4 -2.7 billion a copy. With the current procurement rate of one submarine a year that cost could drop to just around 2.0 billion per hull if the build rate were increased to two subs per year. A side note two new subs a year would also keep our force level at it’s current state where as the one per year rate will further reduce the size of the SSN fleet as older 688s are decommissioned.

The Navy has some tough choices. In order to keep a two competitive shipyards producing submarines it must split what a single shipyard could handle easily between two yards. However, this decision comes at the expense of higher production costs. There is no economy of scale in production and smaller regional parts suppliers can no longer be supported by the effective reduction of orders. Additionally the shipyards are forced to retain higher cost engineers and trades people in order to maintain the required instructional skill sets while reducing their work force. These highly skilled shipyard workers end up back filling functions that are below their skill level or worse doing busy work thereby further driving up production costs.

Hopefully the Navy and the two remaining submarine manufactures EB and NNS can made this joint production competition/non-competition thing work. But if not and costs drive procurement rates down like the Seawolf class, from 29 hulls down to only 3 we could some day be saying that a foreign manufacture builds the “Best” submarines in the world.

Submarines True Systems of “Transformation”

Consider the following questions:

Do submarines provide a valuable asset to the “Transformation” of the American military into a network-centric fighting force or are they just inflexible relics of the Cold War and 20th century?

What is today’s force level requirement for Submarines? Do we need the Cold War level of roughly 100 SSNs or should we let the submarine force draw down to about 30 boats?

Capt. James H. Patton Jr. USN (Ret.), president of Submarine Tactics and Technology, Inc. and former member of the Naval War College faculty addresses the above questions in a recent Newport Naval War College linked white paper “THE SUBMARINE AS A CASE STUDY IN TRANSFORMATION – Implications for Future Investment.” I recommend reading the entire paper, about five pages, but I've also provided a summary and some thoughts below.

TRANSFORMATION

Mr. Patton’s paper outlines the evolution of the submarine from 1900 to present providing examples of submarine designs adapting to unforeseen requirements. Part of that evolution:

S-Boats designed in the 1920s for coastal defense and fleet boats designed in the 1930s as battle-fleet scouts found themselves in 1942 as distantly deployed commerce raiders.

The Skipjack class, designed to provide terminal guidance for nuclear-tipped Regulus cruise missiles fired from a large fleet of Halibut-class SSGNs, never materialized because of the advent of the Polaris ballistic missile.

The Thresher/Permit-class SSNs, designed to operate in pairs while firing rocket-propelled nuclear depth charges at distant Soviet subs, never carried out that mission, due to the failure of Sesco, a secure acoustic communications system needed for information exchange and the triangulation of sonar bearings for target localization.

Escorting carrier battle groups was the justification for the high speed of the Los Angeles class in the late 1960s. Even though submarines were used in direct support of battle groups in a 1977 Pacific Fleet exercise (RimPac), and a Navy warfare publication was published in 1980 based on further experimentation in RimPacs 1978 and 1979, this mission was not routinely assigned until after the Cold War ended, when many of the class were being decommissioned.

With the above examples and others, Mr. Patton presents an argument in that “To avoid obsolescence, it was sometimes necessary for extreme variant requirements to be made technically (and tactically) during a ship’s (and crew’s) lifetime. As a result it can be safely said that no U.S. submarine has ever been employed for its designed purpose, and no commanding officer ever performed that for which he was trained.” The only exception I would make is that of SSBN Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines who's purpose of nuclear deterrence has not changed since the 1960s only the targeting packages.

But then again, excess 726 Class SSBN capacity post the Cold War has resulted in four Tridents scheduled for conversion to the new Ohio Class SSGN. This will result in adapting a submarine platform from its initial design of nuclear deterrence to one of an Information Systems Research (ISR) intelligence processing node and Special Operation Forces (SOF) platform with land strike capability. A truly network-centric warfare system as Mr. Patton qualifies with using the Giant Shadow and Silent Hammer counterterrorism exercises as examples.

USS Virginia (Source: US Navy)

Another point made in the white paper is this:

“It should also be clear, to those who think deeply about such matters, that the SSGN program is far more than just a way to extend the operational viability of declining SSBNs; it is a pilot program to investigate just what the Virginia class should become when it has fully evolved in ten years.”

Essentially the Ohio SSGN program is a proving ground for technologies and tactics that well evolve and be incorporated into the new Virginia class submarines.

FORCE LEVEL

The latter part of the Mr Patton's paper briefly addresses the number of submarines we will require for our furture submarine force "Force-Level" with this.

However, with the world situation becoming increasingly unstable, there are more than one or two places where a credible, actual, or virtual U.S. presence must be claimed or maintained. Therefore, to sustain persistently unseen assets around the world, there is a force-level number that must be maintained. This number is significantly more than thirty, the level resulting from a one-per-year build rate of thirty three-year-design-life hulls, when operating tempos, maintenance, and transits are factored in. All post–Cold War submarine force level studies by several agencies indicate an enduring need for numbers of SSNs far in excess of what can be sustained by a one-per-year build rate.

I think what unstable areas Mr. Patton alludes to is obviously the Middle East and Western Pacific. But without long forward deployments a SSN force of 30 hulls, with some in the shipyard some deployed for carrier taskforce ASW protection and some in port, the Navy would be hard pressed to “sustain persistently unseen assets around the world”.

It is stated in the paper that "SSN taskings by fleet and national commanders have essentially doubled since the end of the Cold War" even though the force level of SSNs has dropped from 100 to roughly 50 today. The predicted affect is: “Because of this submarine shortage, existing ships must now transit at much higher sustained speeds than originally planned, which threatens the life span of their reactors.” If this is true then SSNs would be heading to the shipyard sooner for refueling thereby putting addition pressure on our existing submarine assets.

Conclusion

To me all the above (Submarine systems adaptability and increased force requirements and tasking) seems to run counter to the current DOD and Navy decisions with regards to the New London Sub Base being on the Brac list and the reduced build rate for the Virginia class Subs. My concern is that the powers that be (budgetary and political) may indeed hurt Submarine Force and lessen this country’s ability to defend itself.

Film of the Shot of the Day

Back a little over a week ago I had a "Shot of the Day" featuring the USS Pilotfish (SS-386) resting in 175 feet of water at the bottom of the Bikini Atoll. It as well as other ships were sunk as part of atomic bomb testing in July 1946 and are now dive destinations.

Operation Crossroads Baker Shot (Source: DOE)

I ran across some film of the Operation Crossroads Baker shot (National Geographic HERE or the DOE HERE) that resulted in the test target USS Pilotfish, moored at a depth of 168 feet and at a range of 363 yards from the point of the blast, in sinking. Only 21 of the 71 ships in the Able and Baker tests actually sank but all sustained damage. If not sunk during the tests the remaining ships were heavily contaminated with radiation and were either scuttled, sunk in gunnery exercises or scrapped.

The Baker shot was a 21-kiloton shallow water test detonated some ninety feet underwater and was the final weapon test conducted as part of the original Manhattan Project.

My Russian Watch is Broken

About a year and a half ago, I purchased a Russian Submariner's watch over the internet. Sometime after I started wearing it I showed it to Vika a programmer originally from Russia who works for the same company as I do. She had two comments; the first was "You bought Russian watch?", with a look on her face of disbelief, followed by "Don't get it wet". I also found out that what was advertised as a self-winding watch meant you wind it yourself (Must have been a translation problem).

Hey, I thought it looked cool anyway and I needed a watch at the time. Live and learn, the watch's winding stem fell off two months ago. I've changed country and service branch since, my new watch is a Swiss Army.

Therefore, when I saw this headline "Navy team given Russian wristwatches for sub rescue" (Hat tip: TheSubReport) My first thought was, I hope they get something of better quality, followed by Vika's recommendation "Don't get it wet" which I'm thinking could also apply to the current state of the Russian Navy.

I was Four Striper for Four Minutes Today

Actually two four stripers (CAPTs), so here is how it happened. I went to the Russian Juliett 484 in Providence today as I do every weekend. I try to put in a good 4 or 5 hours on my new pet restoration project, the starboard outboard diesel powered 4 stage high pressure air compressor. It’s in the engine room upper level just forward of the 3,500HP starboard main diesel.

The restoration work is dirty so I wear steel toe work boots, old blue jeans, a tee shirt, ball cap and safety glasses. The manager of the Juliett has asked the Subvets that volunteer to wear something to add color to the tours. Some of the docents wear Russian seaman shirts and hats. I’ve been doing maintenance work so I wear a tee shirt and ball cap with silver dolphins and saying simply “US Submarine Force – Silent Service”. My real job has me at a computer all day so getting down in the bilges, so to speak, and using a wire brush and scrapper feels good (as long as its my idea) and telling a sea story to a passing inquisitive tourist is, well, sort of like blogging in person. But I digress….

I had been working for about two hours and was getting hot so I got my can of ginger ale and went topside. One of the Russian subs watch standers (employee) was busy bringing up folding chairs from below decks for a Senior Chief Sonarmen’s retirement ceremony. With only one person from the Juliett doing the setup I stepped in to assist. Because of the number of the attendees 30-40 with some elderly or in a wheelchair we decided to set things up on the pier verses the Juliett’s missile deck. Within 45 minutes, everything was setup and ready to go chairs, podium, Colors, big quarterdeck shells and sideboys complete with bosun’s pipe. OK, back below for this civilian to continue my bilge therapy session.

Not so fast, time for a quick rehearsal and they need someone to fill in and be piped aboard. So yours truly is enlisted once again, this time as a couple of COMSUB or SUBRON somethings (Squadron Twelve was one I think, sorry didn’t pay attention). Must have been a site, me looking like an A-Gang striker covered head to foot in Russian pigboat dirt, being piped aboard with sideboys and all, had a little chuckle to myself.

Ceremony looked like it went off without a hitch.

Best of luck Senior Chief and thanks for your service.

Bad Air and AS-28 Submersible Rescue

During this crisis, there had been ongoing conflicting reports on how much air the trapped crew of AS28 had to survive on. Bubblehead noted this here in a Reuters article from early Saturday:

"We must complete the operation in 24 hours because the supply of air on board is not without limit," Interfax news agency quoted the deputy chief of navy staff, Vladimir Pepelyaev, as saying.

"It is believed that there is still enough air for slightly more than 24 hours," Pepelyaev added. Initial offical reports said the AS-28, itself a rescue vessel, ran into trouble when its propeller became entangled in fishing nets during a military exercise. They said it had five days' supply of air -- more than enough for any rescue mission.

However, about 1100 BST on Friday, naval spokesman Igor Dygalo said the trapped vessel had only 24 hours' worth of air left. There was no official explanation why estimates of air remaining still stood at 24 hours on Saturday morning.

This submersible was primarily submarine rescue vehicle and therefore the crew would have been trained in all aspects of submarine rescue problems, including air quality and conservation. Once the crew knew that they needed to await outside rescue that training would have kicked in and may have been what pushed the air supply to the more optimistic estimates.

If my experience with doing restoration work on the old Soviet Juliett 484 is any indication the Russians kept an ample supply of lithium hydroxide for CO2 absorption. They may also have kept chlorite candles chemically similar to what is in an OBA for emergency O2 generation on board their submarines. It would be reasonable to think that this practice would include a submarine rescue submersible if not for its own use then to supplement a submarine on the bottom. Any submarine rescue vehicle would require multiple trips to a stricken submarine to effect a complete crew rescue.

As far as the political air is concerned, Putin and some Russian admirals can get some sleep tonight. It would have been a political crisis similar to that of the Kursk if things had come out differently, for the sake of the AS-28 crew, thank god and the Brits ROV team it didn't.

Been on watch - since Wed.

I have been the single parent since the middle of the week with the significant other in DC at a conference, that means kid duty. So, I haven't been able to follow the Russian Bathyscaphe AS-28 story closely. Looks like Pig Boat Sailor and Bubblehead have been consolidating the news and keeping on top of things on their blogs as well as at Ultraquite No More. Check my submariners blogroll for others that may have additional info.

Sorry about no updates here but it's been chicken nuggets, popsicles and tubbies for three days. Makes for a bad blogging schedule.

Microsoft has a Navy now??

No, But Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has $200 million private yacht in construction that sounds like a Navy ship. In a CNN/Money piece "Superyachts of the CEOs" Allen's yacht is described as such:

Imagine yourself cruising the high seas in a lavish, super-secret ocean-faring vessel complete with a remote controlled undersea rover, a 12-man submersible and a personal crew of 60, including several former Navy Seals and a recording studio.

First off I didn't know Navy Seals could sing, unless they were really drunk, nevermind be good enough to record!!! Paul Allen's 416-foot boat named Octopus has some other nice warship like features including:

• Garage with a 4x4 vehicle (maybe a Hummer, up-armored of course)
• Transport craft to take the 4X4 to the beach (amphibious I'm guessing)
• Two helicopter pads (no waiting for the flight back to headquarters)
• Under hull docked 12 man submersible (stealth is key for the super rich)
• Staff of former Navy Seals (for the south asian software pirates I presume)

Not to be outdone Larry Ellison CEO of Oracle has a larger 452-foot superyacht named Rising Sun also in construction.

I guess this is what you buy when the money flows like water into your bank account. Not to complain or anything but, I'd be happy with just one of their old leaky sub accounts and a used Boston Whaler......