Astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell describe the filming of a Polaris missile shot from the USS Benjamin Franklin (SSBN 640) as filmed from the spacecraft Gemini VII while in orbit.
Dec 6, 1965
Five years earlier the USS George Washington (SSBN 598) first launch of a Polaris is documented in newsreel footage.
July 21, 1960
Borman and Lovell hoping for a low ballistic coefficient on reentry and Franklin and Washington hoping for a high ballistic coefficient.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
What did you do on leave?
Summer 1983
So there we were on the USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN641) at the end of maneuvering watch heading out on patrol from Kings Bay, GA and the Quartermaster turns to me and says "Petty Officer NAVET what did you do while on leave this past off-crew?".
My response was, in a matter of fact voice, "I went sailing in Newport." The Navigator thought it was the funniest thing and laughed out loud, having just heard what a great leave the QM had. Guess he thought I was making fun of my paper and parallels counterpart's story, with a one up story of my own.
Sailors do love to spin stories, sea stories at home and stories of home while at sea, with a goal of one upping someone elses story.
I was serious about the sailing having spent a week crisscrossing Narragansett Bay on my neighbor's 35' sloop. If you're like me and had grown up in Rhode Island half way between Newport, RI and Groton CT. you're bound to have done three things; seen a submarine, gone stripier fishing and been sailing in Newport.
Summer sailing is usually a bit tamer than this, but the video brings back the urge to be "underway under wind power".
That love of wind speed had me windsurfing the 4' to 6' swells off one of my favorate spots, The University Of Rhode Island Bay Campus where the Oceanographic research ship RV Endeavor tires up. I do love it here in the Ocean State....
So there we were on the USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN641) at the end of maneuvering watch heading out on patrol from Kings Bay, GA and the Quartermaster turns to me and says "Petty Officer NAVET what did you do while on leave this past off-crew?".
My response was, in a matter of fact voice, "I went sailing in Newport." The Navigator thought it was the funniest thing and laughed out loud, having just heard what a great leave the QM had. Guess he thought I was making fun of my paper and parallels counterpart's story, with a one up story of my own.
Sailors do love to spin stories, sea stories at home and stories of home while at sea, with a goal of one upping someone elses story.
I was serious about the sailing having spent a week crisscrossing Narragansett Bay on my neighbor's 35' sloop. If you're like me and had grown up in Rhode Island half way between Newport, RI and Groton CT. you're bound to have done three things; seen a submarine, gone stripier fishing and been sailing in Newport.
Summer sailing is usually a bit tamer than this, but the video brings back the urge to be "underway under wind power".
That love of wind speed had me windsurfing the 4' to 6' swells off one of my favorate spots, The University Of Rhode Island Bay Campus where the Oceanographic research ship RV Endeavor tires up. I do love it here in the Ocean State....
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Cost of Doing Business in NY
If you're a private company with primarily with one customer, the US Government, you have to be careful in how you go about improving productivity, saving money and eventually saving US taxpayer's dollars.
Such is what Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. (BPMI) found out on Oct 11, 2006 when they announced plans to close their Schenectady, NY operation and consolidate the majority of its operations at one site in near Pittsburgh PA.
BPMI made this decision after the conclusion of a six month study. Jim Dillon, the manager of procurement operations said: "It is a sister operation of ours in Pittsburgh and we are trying to make sure we provide the best service at the lower price to the Navy."
Bechtel Plant Machinery is a major supplier of nuclear propulsion systems for the US Navy. It's contracts run into the hundreds or millions a year.
One month after the BPMI's restructuring announcement Senators Clinton and Schumer of NY took action to stop the company's consolidation plans.
(Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton of NY)
In November 2006 Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, and Congressman Michael McNulty met with representatives from Bechtel and released a joint statement.
"Today, we met with representatives from Bechtel to let them know, in the strongest possible terms, that we want Bechtel to reconsider its decision to relocate 260 jobs to Pennsylvania from Schenectady. We expressed our extreme disappointment that this decision was reached without any consultation with Congress, the state of New York or the county and city of Schenectady. We have requested specific information from Bechtel and will follow up with them in the near future to continue our ongoing conversations."
After the November 2006 elections in which the Democrats pick up the Senate seat covering the Pittsburgh, PA area Senator Schumer put out a Press Release stating:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2006
Schumer, Clinton, McNulty: Bechtel Puts 60-Day Hold on Further Action
(Washington, DC): -- Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-Green Island) have been told that Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) will wait 60 days to make any further decisions related to its plan to effectively close its facility in Schenectady and relocate 260 white-collar jobs to the Pittsburgh area. Senators Schumer and Clinton and Congressman McNulty released the following statement in response:
"We are encouraged to learn that Bechtel is willing to allow the City of Schenectady and New York State to present arguments for maintaining its current operation in Schenectady. We will continue to work aggressively with Mayor Stratton, County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, and State officials in the effort to persuade Bechtel to reverse their decision and keep the 260 jobs in Schenectady."
After getting Bechtel to delay their final decision for 60 days the Senators six days later place further demands on the company with an additional Press Release. In this they urged the company to stop recruitment efforts in Pittsburg and inquiring about relocation plans by employees.
In February 2007 Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. decided to retain 130 positions in Schenectady, NY thereby reducing it's consolidation effort. In addition the state of New York and the Empire State Development (ESD) Corp. will provide a $2 million grant for a new technology center creating an engineering center for Bechtel and office space that is in move-in condition.
Finally in June the U.S. Department of Defense announced a $69 million addition to a $129 million contract won in October by Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. 85 percent of the work will be done in Pittsburg, PA with Schenectady, NY getting the remaining 15 percent.
Senator Hillary Clinton is a member of the "Senate Armed Service Committee" and the "Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works" that oversees Nuclear Safety.
Senator Charles Schumer is a member of mostly Judiciary and Finance Committees.
I thought the timeline was interesting with company decision directly after the election, coincidence I guess. Both Senators moved fast on saving those jobs for there State, but I don't see the urgency with only a couple of hundred jobs moving one state or less than 500 miles away. It's not like they were outsourcing nuclear engineering to Mexico!
Senator's time and taxpayer money well spent?
Such is what Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. (BPMI) found out on Oct 11, 2006 when they announced plans to close their Schenectady, NY operation and consolidate the majority of its operations at one site in near Pittsburgh PA.
BPMI made this decision after the conclusion of a six month study. Jim Dillon, the manager of procurement operations said: "It is a sister operation of ours in Pittsburgh and we are trying to make sure we provide the best service at the lower price to the Navy."
Bechtel Plant Machinery is a major supplier of nuclear propulsion systems for the US Navy. It's contracts run into the hundreds or millions a year.
Basic nuclear propulsion plant components (very basic)
The Navy continues to struggle with high shipbuilding costs, limited budgets and an aging fleet. The age of current nuclear submarines fleet will be particularly acute in coming years with the predominant 688 class nearing the end of their service life.
The fact that of one of the Navy's key vendors was looking to reduce costs should be welcome news to those in government concerned with controlling defense costs and the federal budget.
NOT SO for the Senators from New York.One month after the BPMI's restructuring announcement Senators Clinton and Schumer of NY took action to stop the company's consolidation plans.
(Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton of NY)
In November 2006 Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, and Congressman Michael McNulty met with representatives from Bechtel and released a joint statement.
"Today, we met with representatives from Bechtel to let them know, in the strongest possible terms, that we want Bechtel to reconsider its decision to relocate 260 jobs to Pennsylvania from Schenectady. We expressed our extreme disappointment that this decision was reached without any consultation with Congress, the state of New York or the county and city of Schenectady. We have requested specific information from Bechtel and will follow up with them in the near future to continue our ongoing conversations."
After the November 2006 elections in which the Democrats pick up the Senate seat covering the Pittsburgh, PA area Senator Schumer put out a Press Release stating:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2006
Schumer, Clinton, McNulty: Bechtel Puts 60-Day Hold on Further Action
(Washington, DC): -- Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congressman Michael R. McNulty (D-Green Island) have been told that Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) will wait 60 days to make any further decisions related to its plan to effectively close its facility in Schenectady and relocate 260 white-collar jobs to the Pittsburgh area. Senators Schumer and Clinton and Congressman McNulty released the following statement in response:
"We are encouraged to learn that Bechtel is willing to allow the City of Schenectady and New York State to present arguments for maintaining its current operation in Schenectady. We will continue to work aggressively with Mayor Stratton, County Legislature Chairwoman Susan Savage, and State officials in the effort to persuade Bechtel to reverse their decision and keep the 260 jobs in Schenectady."
After getting Bechtel to delay their final decision for 60 days the Senators six days later place further demands on the company with an additional Press Release. In this they urged the company to stop recruitment efforts in Pittsburg and inquiring about relocation plans by employees.
In February 2007 Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. decided to retain 130 positions in Schenectady, NY thereby reducing it's consolidation effort. In addition the state of New York and the Empire State Development (ESD) Corp. will provide a $2 million grant for a new technology center creating an engineering center for Bechtel and office space that is in move-in condition.
Finally in June the U.S. Department of Defense announced a $69 million addition to a $129 million contract won in October by Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc. 85 percent of the work will be done in Pittsburg, PA with Schenectady, NY getting the remaining 15 percent.
Senator Hillary Clinton is a member of the "Senate Armed Service Committee" and the "Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works" that oversees Nuclear Safety.
Senator Charles Schumer is a member of mostly Judiciary and Finance Committees.
I thought the timeline was interesting with company decision directly after the election, coincidence I guess. Both Senators moved fast on saving those jobs for there State, but I don't see the urgency with only a couple of hundred jobs moving one state or less than 500 miles away. It's not like they were outsourcing nuclear engineering to Mexico!
Senator's time and taxpayer money well spent?
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Harold Froehlich, Aeonautical Engineer and Submersible Designer
You would think the engineers lead boring lives hunkered over mathematical models of hydraulic pressure and maximum structural loads, not Harold "Bud" Froehlich.
Mr. Froehlich was born in 1922 and served in the US Navy during WWII as a signalman. He went on to become an aeronautical engineer and worked for Boeing and other companies before ending up at General Mills (the Cheerios people) in his native Minnesota. At General Mills he helped design high-altitude balloons for the US military before being tasked to help build a mechanical arm for the U.S. Navy-owned bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960.
Alvin Submerged (Source: NOAA)
As part of his work on balloons he specialized in designing small spheres able to endure hostile environments. Mr. Froehlich also worked on the design for a self-propelled, two-man deep-sea vessel called the Seapup.
This talent and earlier experience became crucial factors in his selection as the project leader for the design of a new US Navy deep-diving research submersible. That submersible was later named "Alvin" by the US Navy after Allyn Vine of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Vine another engineer was a key proponent for the U.S. to develop a national program for manned undersea vehicles.
Part of Mr. Froehlich team's unique design was to combine a new buoyant material called syntactic foam with hollow metal spheres to build the vessel. Confident in his design Harold even participated in one the first test dives made in 1964 near Woods Hole, Mass. -- "to the great depth of 27 feet," he later said. Years later Mr. Froehlich told Minnesota Public Radio that winning the bid to design and build Alvin was an astonishing feat, because the Navy initially "was skeptical about a Wheaties company designing a submarine."
With Vine and Navy officer Charles B. Momsen Jr son of "Swede" Momsen., Mr. Froehlich received the 1989 Elmer A. Sperry Award for "the invention, development and deployment of the deep diving submarine, Alvin." The award is sponsored by prominent engineering societies.
After leaving General Mills Mr. Froehlich went on to work for the 3M company, designing surgical equipment and retiring in 1989.
Harold "Bud" Froehich died this past week at the age of 82. An engineer at a food company who designed one of the worlds most famous deep-sea submersibles.
Mr. Froehlich was born in 1922 and served in the US Navy during WWII as a signalman. He went on to become an aeronautical engineer and worked for Boeing and other companies before ending up at General Mills (the Cheerios people) in his native Minnesota. At General Mills he helped design high-altitude balloons for the US military before being tasked to help build a mechanical arm for the U.S. Navy-owned bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960.
Alvin Submerged (Source: NOAA)
As part of his work on balloons he specialized in designing small spheres able to endure hostile environments. Mr. Froehlich also worked on the design for a self-propelled, two-man deep-sea vessel called the Seapup.
This talent and earlier experience became crucial factors in his selection as the project leader for the design of a new US Navy deep-diving research submersible. That submersible was later named "Alvin" by the US Navy after Allyn Vine of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Vine another engineer was a key proponent for the U.S. to develop a national program for manned undersea vehicles.
Part of Mr. Froehlich team's unique design was to combine a new buoyant material called syntactic foam with hollow metal spheres to build the vessel. Confident in his design Harold even participated in one the first test dives made in 1964 near Woods Hole, Mass. -- "to the great depth of 27 feet," he later said. Years later Mr. Froehlich told Minnesota Public Radio that winning the bid to design and build Alvin was an astonishing feat, because the Navy initially "was skeptical about a Wheaties company designing a submarine."
With Vine and Navy officer Charles B. Momsen Jr son of "Swede" Momsen., Mr. Froehlich received the 1989 Elmer A. Sperry Award for "the invention, development and deployment of the deep diving submarine, Alvin." The award is sponsored by prominent engineering societies.
After leaving General Mills Mr. Froehlich went on to work for the 3M company, designing surgical equipment and retiring in 1989.
Harold "Bud" Froehich died this past week at the age of 82. An engineer at a food company who designed one of the worlds most famous deep-sea submersibles.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tribute to the Lost Boats of WWII
During WWII the US Submarine Service lost 52 Submarines, 375 Officers and 3,131 Enlisted Men.
The United States submarine service represented only 1.6% of Navy personnel at the time but suffered the highest percentage of casualties within any of the services; a casualty rate of about 22 percent. They also exacted a terrible price on the enemy accounting for 55% of all the Japanese ships sunk; this included a full third of the Japanese Imperial Navy.
Typically the loss of Submarine included the loss of the entire crew...
I put together this video as a 2007 Memorial Day tribute to those still on "Eternal Patrol".
The United States submarine service represented only 1.6% of Navy personnel at the time but suffered the highest percentage of casualties within any of the services; a casualty rate of about 22 percent. They also exacted a terrible price on the enemy accounting for 55% of all the Japanese ships sunk; this included a full third of the Japanese Imperial Navy.
Typically the loss of Submarine included the loss of the entire crew...
I put together this video as a 2007 Memorial Day tribute to those still on "Eternal Patrol".
The Final Patrol
Lord, this departed shipmate with dolphins on his chest is part of an outfit known as the best.
Make him welcome and take him by the hand. You'll find without a doubt he was the best in all the land.
So, heavenly Father add his name to the roll of our dear departed shipmates still on patrol.
Let him know that we who survive will always keep their memories alive.
Lord, this departed shipmate with dolphins on his chest is part of an outfit known as the best.
Make him welcome and take him by the hand. You'll find without a doubt he was the best in all the land.
So, heavenly Father add his name to the roll of our dear departed shipmates still on patrol.
Let him know that we who survive will always keep their memories alive.
Poem from COMSUBPAC Lost Boats web site
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
USS Scorpion (SSN-589) - 39 years ago
Posted so we do not forget that the dangers of the sea and how the service of submariners during hot wars and cold conflicts can exact a toll that still remains a mystery.
USS Scorpion SSN-589 (US Navy photo)
Photo location was Naples Italy and was taken a little over 1 month before her loss.
USS Scorpion SSN-589 (US Navy photo)
Photo location was Naples Italy and was taken a little over 1 month before her loss.
The following officers and men were lost with Scorpion (SSN-589).
| Officers | Chief Petty Officers |
|---|---|
|
|
| Enlisted Men | |
|
|
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Alvin On-Line Simulator
Have you ever wanted to pilot a submersible into the depths of the Ocean?
Not many of us will ever get that chance but if a cyber-space version will pass then check out the Woods Hole Oceanographic Insititution's Alvin Simulator. Used as a training tool for scientists it has standalone session mode as well as a joined session mode for collaborative missions.
Not many of us will ever get that chance but if a cyber-space version will pass then check out the Woods Hole Oceanographic Insititution's Alvin Simulator. Used as a training tool for scientists it has standalone session mode as well as a joined session mode for collaborative missions.
(Screen shot of Alvin simulator.)
WHOI website provides this description as to the use of the simulator:
If the simulator is to techie for you then here is some video footage from Alvin at a depth of 7644 feet.
Scientists do get excited when they see something unusual or unexpected, such as a lake at the bottom of the ocean.
WHOI website provides this description as to the use of the simulator:
"In addition to full mission planning for WHOI scientists, the Alvin simulator was intended to provide applicability as a public relations tool so that users at home would be able to find out about WHOI research.
One of the sumulator's outstanding features is its full functionality as a stand-alone session once the interface is downloaded. All the meters and devices reflect real data that is calculated by the underlying algorithms. Furthermore, scientists as well as public users are allowed to collaborate in teams of up to three persons - just as in the real Alvin cockpit where a team consists of one pilot and two scientists.
Every member's actions in a joined session will influence the virtual dive and will be reflected on all the remote team members displays. In addition, an optional chat tool was provided for communication and surveillance purposes. Since scientists might be separated, the simulator is configured for distributive network-based session management which is supported by a Java 1.3 servlet."
There is a link on the site to an instructional video.
You won't be shooting sea monsters, this is primarily a technical training tool full of device controls and system gages used for mission tasks rehearsals.If the simulator is to techie for you then here is some video footage from Alvin at a depth of 7644 feet.
Scientists do get excited when they see something unusual or unexpected, such as a lake at the bottom of the ocean.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Women, Guitars and Submarine Acoustics
Could the video be a valid argument to have women on submarines?
Artist: Mia Johnson - Style: Folk/Rock - Song Title: Sailor
Here's another sample of her music.
Submarines not the place for a low cut evening dress, except if you're the XO on halfway night. But as long as its a museum like the USS Ling I'm all for "Women, Guitars an Submarine Acoustics".
Artist: Mia Johnson - Style: Folk/Rock - Song Title: Sailor
Here's another sample of her music.
Submarines not the place for a low cut evening dress, except if you're the XO on halfway night. But as long as its a museum like the USS Ling I'm all for "Women, Guitars an Submarine Acoustics".
Sunday, May 06, 2007
What's in a Name - Honor the Monitor
If you follow the submarine blogs you'll see the topic of ship naming surface now and again. There is usually a debate on the best names for submarines which range from fish to States to historic leaders such as Presidents.
There is now a movement to have one of the new Virginia class attack submarines named after a famous naval vessel of the civil war, Lincoln's secret weapon, the USS Monitor.
USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia (Source: National Archives)
The introduction of the innovative USS Monitor could be argued as the end of sailing warships and the beginning of the big iron warships domination of Naval efforts for the next 100 years.
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable has started a grassroots campaign to have the memory of the USS Monitor honored "For the sake of history, tradition, and symmetry".
There is now a movement to have one of the new Virginia class attack submarines named after a famous naval vessel of the civil war, Lincoln's secret weapon, the USS Monitor.
USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia (Source: National Archives)
The introduction of the innovative USS Monitor could be argued as the end of sailing warships and the beginning of the big iron warships domination of Naval efforts for the next 100 years.
The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable has started a grassroots campaign to have the memory of the USS Monitor honored "For the sake of history, tradition, and symmetry".
USS Virginia "Monitor?" (Photo Source: US Navy)
Now if only the Navy could put a naval rail gun turret in the sail the "USS Monitor" name would be a sure thing. ;-)
Now if only the Navy could put a naval rail gun turret in the sail the "USS Monitor" name would be a sure thing. ;-)
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sub arrives for Fleet week in South Florida
News Video: USS Memphis Arrives at Port Everglades
The USS Memphis arrives for Fleet week in Southern Florida.
Why do reporters always seemed to be fixated on creature comforts, like personal hygiene and sleeping arrangements?
Next report high drama with mess cooking and movie night.
Additional unedited video: Surface transit to port.
Update 5/2/07: A much better report on the USS Memphis while they're in port for fleet week. Disregard the previous snarky comment on mess cooking and movie night.
The USS Memphis arrives for Fleet week in Southern Florida.
Why do reporters always seemed to be fixated on creature comforts, like personal hygiene and sleeping arrangements?
Next report high drama with mess cooking and movie night.
Additional unedited video: Surface transit to port.
Update 5/2/07: A much better report on the USS Memphis while they're in port for fleet week. Disregard the previous snarky comment on mess cooking and movie night.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
NAVY - it's not just a job, it's a musical video adventure!
Official - Accelerate Your Life
Unofficial - Ha Ya Ya
Long skimmer deployments in the hot Middle Eastern sun will do that to you, I guess.
Most of my deployments were in the cold deep Atlantic, different time, different adversary, different music.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Bonefish Fire - recommend read
xformed at ChaoticSynapticActivity has an excellent piece on the USS Bonefish (SS582) fire in 1988. Lots of first hand accounts of the rescue efforts by the USS Carr (FFG52).
USS Bonefish (SS582)
(Photo credit: Navsource.org - Courtesy of Paul Perris, CSG-7 retired)
The Bonefish was one of the B-Girls: USS Barbel (SS580), USS Blueback (SS581) and the USS Bonefish (SS582). In 1980 I took a tour on the one of the B-Girls in Norfolk while I was at NAVET C school in Damn Neck, Va. I thought she was a Nuke until the crewmember showing me the boat said otherwise.
(Photo credit: Navsource.org - Courtesy of Paul Perris, CSG-7 retired)
The Bonefish was one of the B-Girls: USS Barbel (SS580), USS Blueback (SS581) and the USS Bonefish (SS582). In 1980 I took a tour on the one of the B-Girls in Norfolk while I was at NAVET C school in Damn Neck, Va. I thought she was a Nuke until the crewmember showing me the boat said otherwise.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Затопленный = SUBMERGED; SUNKEN
A New England nor'easter sank the Russian Juliett 484 museum submarine today.
The news reported as of yesterday 4/17 that the boat was taking on water aft.
Juliett 484 Summer 2006 (Photo by Lubbers Line)
Then local news today 4/18 had this report on the sinking.
Specifications
Type: Guided Missile Submarine
Class: Project 651 (NATO designation Juliett)
Launched: 11 March 1965
At: Krasnaya Sormova Works, Gorky, Russia
Commissioned: 31 October 1965
Length: 297 feet
Beam: 32 feet, 10 inches
Draft: 23 feet
Displacement: 3,174 tons (surfaced)
Currently - 4,137 tons (submerged)
The news reported as of yesterday 4/17 that the boat was taking on water aft.
Juliett 484 Summer 2006 (Photo by Lubbers Line)
Then local news today 4/18 had this report on the sinking.
Specifications
Type: Guided Missile Submarine
Class: Project 651 (NATO designation Juliett)
Launched: 11 March 1965
At: Krasnaya Sormova Works, Gorky, Russia
Commissioned: 31 October 1965
Length: 297 feet
Beam: 32 feet, 10 inches
Draft: 23 feet
Displacement: 3,174 tons (surfaced)
Currently - 4,137 tons (submerged)
Juliett 484 April 18, 2007 (Photo by Lubbers Line)
(Click on photo for a larger view)
I volunteered for a while at the sub museum and it was a sad sight when I stopped by today and took the above photo. She wasn't water-tight having been modified with access doors in the forward and aft torpedo compartments. The hatches were the oval surface ship type that could be dogged shut. Because of the subs age the ballast tanks were a constant maintenance issue requiring repairs to sections where they were rusting through.
Today I spoke to the Duty Officer from the Sunday before Monday's storm; he felt the boat was in good shape to ride out the storm when he left. The problem was that the city closed the hurricane barrier adjecent to the sub for the storm surge. The storm surge caused the sub to ride high on its mooring lines and shift in its normal berth. When the water receded the bow rested high on a shoal area and the stern sank deeper. As I recall the aft ballast tanks were the ones in worst shape and the free flood area aft below the superstructure has lots of areas for water to collect. We always had to pump these pockets out after a big rain.
Once the stern water level reached the access hatch the aft torpedo room started to slowly flood. As evidanced in the photo the boat is now on the bottom at the pier and the Coast Guard has ordered the area closed off to visitors. The mooring lines are stressed to the breaking point and one has already parted. A salvage company was on-site evaluating the effort required to re-float her.
Let's just hope that with all submarines surfacing equal dives.
(Click on photo for a larger view)
I volunteered for a while at the sub museum and it was a sad sight when I stopped by today and took the above photo. She wasn't water-tight having been modified with access doors in the forward and aft torpedo compartments. The hatches were the oval surface ship type that could be dogged shut. Because of the subs age the ballast tanks were a constant maintenance issue requiring repairs to sections where they were rusting through.
Today I spoke to the Duty Officer from the Sunday before Monday's storm; he felt the boat was in good shape to ride out the storm when he left. The problem was that the city closed the hurricane barrier adjecent to the sub for the storm surge. The storm surge caused the sub to ride high on its mooring lines and shift in its normal berth. When the water receded the bow rested high on a shoal area and the stern sank deeper. As I recall the aft ballast tanks were the ones in worst shape and the free flood area aft below the superstructure has lots of areas for water to collect. We always had to pump these pockets out after a big rain.
Once the stern water level reached the access hatch the aft torpedo room started to slowly flood. As evidanced in the photo the boat is now on the bottom at the pier and the Coast Guard has ordered the area closed off to visitors. The mooring lines are stressed to the breaking point and one has already parted. A salvage company was on-site evaluating the effort required to re-float her.
Let's just hope that with all submarines surfacing equal dives.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Headline of the Day
From the Wired News Blog: Navy Chief to Shipbuilders: You Suck!
Has a sort of blue collar shipyard ring to it, don't you think?
Has a sort of blue collar shipyard ring to it, don't you think?
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Iran's Territorial Duplicity - back story
Everyone knows the story by now of the Iranian capture and eventual release of the 15 British sailors and Marines. But the back story or real story I believe is that the Iranians have been acting agressively and the Brits and Americas have been keeping close watch on them. A little news video timeline to demonstrate:
1) Iran back in Feb was violating Iraqi waters in runs to Iraq's main oil export terminal.
So they are asked to leave Iraq's waters with no repercussions but we're left wondering what there up to.
2) Iran's forces a month later ambush and take 15 Brit Naval personnel hostage.
First the Iranians say they don't want to escalate the situation, but immediately make the Sailors and Marines political pawns.
3) Finally the 15 Brits are released.
Framed by the first and last news video stories you can see that the Brits were oviously watching the Iranians closely. They were also doing their duty in protecting the Iraqi oil facilities and looking for smugglers.
To me the Iranians only managed to raise suspicions of there activities even further despite their, all is forgiven, politically calculated pardon.
As for the conduct of the Brit sailors while captive, different topic and no comment.
1) Iran back in Feb was violating Iraqi waters in runs to Iraq's main oil export terminal.
So they are asked to leave Iraq's waters with no repercussions but we're left wondering what there up to.
2) Iran's forces a month later ambush and take 15 Brit Naval personnel hostage.
First the Iranians say they don't want to escalate the situation, but immediately make the Sailors and Marines political pawns.
3) Finally the 15 Brits are released.
Framed by the first and last news video stories you can see that the Brits were oviously watching the Iranians closely. They were also doing their duty in protecting the Iraqi oil facilities and looking for smugglers.
To me the Iranians only managed to raise suspicions of there activities even further despite their, all is forgiven, politically calculated pardon.
As for the conduct of the Brit sailors while captive, different topic and no comment.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Australian Submarine Crew Retention Trouble
The Australian Navy has been having some submarine crew retention problems lately and the government has a solution. 
(Source: AU Navy Photo -Collins Class)
From the theage.com.au: Defence to get big spending boost
The Federal Government is planning a huge increase in defence spending to overcome deficiencies in areas such as the submarine service.
From the theage.com.au: Defence to get big spending boost
The Federal Government is planning a huge increase in defence spending to overcome deficiencies in areas such as the submarine service.
Defence sources say the money, to be made available in the May budget, will be used to recruit thousands more defence personnel and offer incentives for existing staff to stay.
Numbers in the submarine service are 25 to 30 per cent below requirements. As a result, the number of days at sea per boat has been cut from a planned 127 this year to 87.
Sources said the navy was having problems retaining WA-based submarine crew members, who were being offered $135,000 to work in the private sector, particularly in the mining industry, almost double their usual pay.
The situation has become so serious that defence is "cold calling" former submarine crews and asking them to return.
Although increases in pay and retention bonuses are an incentive it doesn't help when your only Submarine Rescue system the Remora has been sitting at the bottom of ocean off Western Australia's Rottnest Island since December. I blogged a little about the Remora's problems here back in September 2005.Saturday, March 17, 2007
To the North Pole
A couple of interesting news items recently relating to the submarines operating at and under the north pole.
First TheSubReport links to an article about the upcoming Ice Exercise 2007 (ICEX-2007). Submarine Force Announces This Year's Ice Exercise Participants
(USS Salt Lake City (SSN 716} north pole 2006 - US Navy Photo)
The USS ALEXANDRIA (SSN 757), home ported in Groton, Conn. will particapate with a Royal Navy Trafalgar class submarine in classified arctic operations in March and April 2007. But if you're not a submariner on SSN 757 or that un-named Royal Navy Trafalgar class submarine you can still reach and submerge at the north pole either this summer or in 2008.
A group called Deep Ocean Expeditions ,that operates science expeditions using the Russian MIR submersibles and support ships, is planning the first ever descent to the Amundsen Plain on the ocean floor of the north pole. From a Russian new service Russian Submersible To Reach 5 Km Depth.
(Russian MIR Submersible - NOAA Photo)
Here is the link to the expedition website "Submersible Dive to the Real North Pole". It's a little rich for me at $80,000USD to dive in the MIR to a 14,500 feet depth at the north pole. As a non-diver it will cost $15,000 to stay aboard the support ship for the duration of the expedition. A lot cheaper than the Russian equivalent to space tourism.
It is a once a lifetime event and an adventure in making history riding a nuclear icebreaker to the north pole and diving in a submersible to the bottom on the arctic ocean at the top of the world.
(Gulf of Alaska seamounts 2002 - NOAA & WHOI Alvin Submersible Video)
The closest I could find to wet the appetite for deep sea exploration is the above video from the Gulf of Alaska.
If anyone wants to fund a blogger on the Expedition I'm willing to go and write about the experience. I'll try not to say it was "way cool".
Friday, March 16, 2007
First Day Back
I've been away from the Submarine Blogosphere for a few months and have missed it. Not to take things too seriously I thought this was appropriate. Enjoy...
And Admiral Stupid on the T-shirt is not my doing, so from one bubblehead to another no disrespect intended.
And Admiral Stupid on the T-shirt is not my doing, so from one bubblehead to another no disrespect intended.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Navy over UConn 41-17
Damn I missed it, got invited by one of my USSVI friends to go see the Navy - UConn game and took the kids apple picking instead.
Oh well dad duty has its own reward - Fresh Apple Pie!
Oh well dad duty has its own reward - Fresh Apple Pie!
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