'Quiet As a Baby Dolphin': The Astute-Class Submarine Is Not To Be Toyed With

 

What You Need to Know: The UK’s Astute-class submarines are among the most advanced and quietest in the world, rivaled only by the U.S. Navy. Equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, these submarines can launch precise strikes from 1,000 miles away and operate undetected thanks to over 39,000 acoustic tiles that mask their sonar signature.

Powered by a nuclear reactor with a 25-year lifespan, they possess unlimited underwater endurance, allowing global circumnavigation without surfacing.

Each submarine’s cutting-edge technology includes advanced sonar, electronic countermeasures, and a dry deck shelter for Special Forces, cementing their role as formidable assets for the Royal Navy.

How the Astute-Class Submarines Redefine Underwater Warfare

The Astute class are among the most capable submarines in service today.

Each boat is equipped with world-leading sensors, carries Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, and can circumnavigate the globe submerged, producing its own oxygen and drinking water.

Only the U.S. Navy can match these underwater warships. 

As noted by naval analyst H I Sutton, the Astute-class subs are the only ones outside the U.S. Navy able to launch the Tomahawk, a capability that truly sets them apart.

Quite Astute

The Astute-class program began in February 1986 when the Ministry of Defence (MOD) launched a number of studies intended to determine the capabilities and requirements for the replacement of its Swiftsure and Trafalgar-class fleet submarines.

Each of the submarines costs a reported £1.6 billion to build, but the capabilities offered are essentially priceless. The Astute-class boats are roughly 97 meters (318 feet) in length and have a crew of around 100 sailors, with a capacity for 109 in total.

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The final two of the planned seven of the class, the future HMS Agamemnon and HMS Agincourt, are now under construction in Barrow, England. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness and the first of class, HMS Astute, was launched by Queen Consort Camilla, then-Duchess of Cornwall, in 2007. The submarine was commissioned in 2010 and declared fully operational in May 2014.

Each of the Royal Navy's nuclear-powered Astute-class fleet submarines (SSNs) has been outfitted with many technological firsts, including not having an optical periscope.

Instead, high-specification video technology has been employed, which enables the crew to scan the horizon and get a 360-degree view to address any potential threat.

In addition, unlike other nuclear-powered submarines, the Astute-class was developed to utilize state-of-the-art anti-acoustic tiles. Each hull is fitted with more than 39,000 acoustic tiles that mask the vessel’s sonar signature and allow the submarines to glide through the water almost silently.

The little noise the boats give off has been compared to that of a "baby dolphin."

Unlimited Endurance

The fleet attack submarines are powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 (Core H) reactor and fitted with a pump-jet propulsor, the same reactor that was developed for the Royal Navy's Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines.

That particular nuclear reactor, which powers the submarines and has a 25-year lifespan before needing to be refueled, is also used to recycle air and water. It provides a theoretically unlimited endurance for the submarine and can circumnavigate the globe without surfacing. Each of the boats is typically supplied with about 90 days of food.

As deployments on the submarines can vary in length, with overall assignments lasting three years, two full crews rotate shifts to allow the vessel to remain at sea for as long as possible. 

Crews may serve between 60 and 80 days before resurfacing and rotating out.

True Attack Subs for the Royal Navy 

The Astute-class submarines have stowage for 38 weapons and typically carry a mix of Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, with the latter capable of hitting a target within a few meters, to a range of 1,000 miles (1,600 km). The missiles can be also re-directed at a new target mid-flight, and can "beam" back images of the battlefield to its mother sub.

Each of the boat's Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes – which are nearly two tonnes – can further attack targets up to 14 miles away (which can increase to 30 miles at low speed) and is capable of blowing an enemy submarine clean out of the water. Guided by either copper wire or inbuilt sonar, the Spearfish delivers 660 lbs of explosive charge either when it impacts with the intended target or via an acoustic proximity fuse underneath.

The submarines' countermeasures suite includes decoys and electronic support measures (ESM).

Moreover, the Astute Combat Management System (ACMS), which is an evolved version of the Submarine Command System (SMCS) used on other Royal Navy subs, was developed to receive data from sonars and other sensors and, using advanced data handling and algorithms displays this data as real-time images on the command consoles.

For detecting enemy vessels, the Astute-class submarines are equipped with Sonar 2076 - an integrated passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, and towed arrays.

The Astute-class boats are also fitted with a dry deck shelter, which allows Special Forces – such as the Royal Marine Commandos or Royal Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) operators – to deploy whilst the submarine is submerged.

 

Legendary U.S. WW II Submarine Found 3,000 Feet Underwater 80 Years After Fierce Battle With Japanese Ship© Knewz

Legendary U.S. WW II Submarine Found 3,000 Feet Underwater 80 Years After Fierce Battle With Japanese Ship

The Naval History and Heritage Command had recently announced their joyful discovery of a U.S. World War II submarine. The submarine, USS Harder—nicknamed 'Hit 'em HARDER'—was found near the Philippine Island of Luzon, 3,000 feet underwater, sitting upright and mostly undamaged. Tim Taylor, CEO of the Lost 52 Project, had led the team that located it.

According to CBS News, NHHC Director Samuel J. Cox, a retired U.S. Navy admiral, said in a press release, "Harder was lost in the course of victory. We must not forget that victory has a price, as does freedom." He added, "We are grateful that Lost 52 has given us the opportunity to honor once again the valor of the crew of the 'Hit 'em HARDER' submarine that sank the most Japanese warships—in particularly audacious attacks—under her legendary skipper, Cmdr. Sam Dealey."

Knewz.com noted that Tim Taylor, along with diving expert Christine Dennison, had used advanced imaging tools and underwater robots to find and capture incredible images of the Harder. The submarine had been sunk off the coast of the Philippines by Japan in 1944 during World War II. NHHC stated, "Submarines, by their very design, can be challenging to identify, but the excellent state of preservation of the site and the quality of the data collected by Lost 52 allowed NHHC to confirm the identity of the wreck as Harder."

Tim Taylor and his team had also located other lost World War II submarines, including the USS Grayback, USS Stickleback, and USS Grunion. In recognition of his efforts, Taylor received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the Navy in 2021.

The USS Harder, commanded by the renowned Commander Samuel D. Dealey, had gained fame for sinking three Japanese destroyers and damaging two others within four days. However, Harder’s luck changed in 1944. On August 22, Harder and the USS Haddo sank three escort ships near Bataan. Later that night, Harder, Haddo, and USS Hake headed toward Caiman Point on Luzon. On August 24, Haddo and Hake evaded enemy ships, but Harder remained and fired three times at an escort ship, missing each shot. The escort ship then attacked with depth charges, sinking the Harder and killing all 79 crew members.

According to CNN, the National Medal of Honor Museum described Dealey’s tactics: "At 1,500 yards, Dealey fired three torpedoes and ordered the sub to dive. As the Harder passed 80 feet underneath the destroyer, two of the torpedoes struck the ship, sending shock waves through the submarine." Harder’s achievements earned it a Presidential Unit Citation for its first five missions and six battle stars during World War II. Its courageous commander, Dealey, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, a Navy Cross, two Gold Stars, and a Distinguished Service Cross.

The waters around the Philippines had seen many shipwrecks. In 2015, U.S. billionaire Paul Allen discovered the Musashi, one of Japan’s largest warships, in the Sibuyan Sea. Just last September, explorers had documented images of three shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway, including the first close-up photos of a Japanese aircraft carrier sunk in 1942.

Salvage of the Kursk

 Kursk salvage information some may not have seen.

Clip is 20 minutes long and very interesting..

https://youtu.be/WlB9IdESaXU?si=Xl9PsxS6Szwy8WKo

The US Navy is about to launch a submarine built for a mixed-gender crew, the first of its kind

 

On board the USS Alaska in 2010, the year that a law barring women from serving aboard submarines was dropped. Image used for illustration purposes. Stephen Morton/AP Photo

The USS New Jersey, designed for a co-ed crew, is set to join the US fleet on Saturday.

A ban on women serving on US submarines was lifted in 2010, leading to hundreds joining the service.

Future US submarines will be gender-neutral, addressing privacy and space issues for co-ed crews.

A submarine designed to fully integrate male and female sailors is set to join the US fleet on Saturday.

The USS New Jersey "is the first Virginia-class submarine designed and built for a full gender integrated crew," according to Naval Sea Systems Command.

Delivered last April after eight years of construction, it will enter active service on September 14, following a ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey.

A long-standing ban on women serving aboard US submarines was lifted in 2010, and as of 2023 there were 609 women assigned to submarines in operation, per the US Naval Institute.

"The submarine community is a fully gender-integrated warfighting force," said Vice Admiral Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Forces Atlantic, according to Stars and Stripes.

Gaucher added, per the outlet, that all future nuclear-powered attack submarines and all new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines are to be designed "gender-neutral from the keel up."

For the New Jersey, that meant adjusting many details, from the height of overhead valves to the privacy of washrooms and berths, the outlet reported.

Since admitting women onto submarines, the US Navy has faced the challenge of retrofitting and reorganizing vessels for co-ed use.

Last year, the Navy announced plans to expand the number of submarines taking on co-ed crews from 30 to 40, the Navy Times reported.

Lieutenant Commanders Andrea Howard and Emma McCarthy, who joined the influx of women to the fleet, wrote last year about the adjustments needed — both physical and social — in integrating them on ships designed for all-male crews.

Space is tight, and the distribution of bathrooms and berths doesn't always match the crew's needs, they wrote.

"The number of women on board often does not conform to three- or six-man rack configurations," they said.

Similar issues apply to the washrooms, with some crews dividing up the space and others deciding to use them in all-male and all-female blocks.

"Transit to and from these spaces for showering also warrants an unambiguous, uniform standard for decency," they said.

But the physical arrangement of a submarine was only part of the issue — the workplace culture also needed to adapt, they said.

"Crew reactions ranged from treating the women the same, to making the experience awkward (knowingly or unwittingly), to showing disinterest in helping or—at worst—actively subverting," they wrote.

The first influx of female junior officers also drew sometimes awkward curiosity from male crew members, they said.

"A fishbowl effect developed any time one of the first female junior officers did something for the first time," they wrote.

The USS New Jersey is the 23rd Virginia-class submarine and the third Navy vessel to be named after the state. In 1900, New Jersey was the site of the construction of the first-ever US submarine

The Alfa-Class Submarine was a 'Nuclear Nightmare' for Russia

 

The Alfa-class submarine, developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, was an innovative but problematic vessel. Its titanium hull and unique lead-bismuth-cooled reactor allowed it to achieve record-breaking speeds and deep diving capabilities, making it one of the fastest submarines of its time.

However, the Alfa-class faced significant drawbacks, including noisy operation, complex maintenance, and radiation risks to its crew.

Despite these issues, the Alfa-class remained in service for over 30 years.

Though it proved to be a menace to NATO forces, it was hampered by the very technologies that made it exceptional.

The Alfa-class Submarine was a Nuclear Nightmare for the Soviets

The Cold War era saw some incredible advances in technology in both the Soviet Union and the United States, notably in the area of submarine research and development. Project 705 Lira, or the Alfa-class submarine that was built for the Soviet Navy, was one such advancement. Considered highly innovative for its time, this ambitious Cold War-era project possessed a unique titanium hull and high-speed capabilities. 

But its innovative design was tempered by operational challenges. 

Alfa-class submarines were meant to be a counterweight to NATO’s various fast-attack subs, notably the ubiquitous Los Angeles-class submarines. The Alfa-class submarine’s primary role was to serve as an interceptor. In other words, it would hunt down and destroy enemy submarines.

Soviet designers wanted the Alfa class to achieve high underwater speeds. The goal was to make a boat that could outrun and outmaneuver any of its American or NATO rivals, either underwater or on the surface. 

The Titanium Alloy Hull

Thus, a titanium alloy was used for the ship’s hull. 

This hull could go deeper and faster than the steel hulls that most submarines for either the American or Soviet navies could go. Not only does titanium allow for greater speed because it is lighter, but it can withstand greater pressure than can steel. 

This meant the Alfa class could go very deep undersea.

These boats could go an average of 46 miles per hour (40 knots), earning the Alfa-class submarine the title of being the fastest submarine in the world for its time. The lighter-weight titanium hull was but one reason for the high speed. Soviet engineers installed a powerful liquid-metal cooled reactor, too. 

These two factors operating in tandem ensured the high rate of speed for the sub.

Speaking of reactors, the Alfa class had a unique nuclear-powered reactor. Whereas most submarines use water-cooled reactors as a power source, the Alfa-class was designed with a lead-bismuth-cooled fast reactor. This unique coolant system meant that the boat could be equipped with a smaller reactor, which allowed the Alfa class to travel at faster speeds. 

And here is where we get to the drawbacks.

As innovative as the Soviets were when it came to designing nuclear reactors, the Reds were also quite sloppy in their application. I mean, how many nuclear disasters, both at sea and on land, did the Soviet Union endure? 

And I’m not just talking about Chernobyl. 

Anyway, the reactor on the Alfa-class submarine was one of the biggest drawbacks when it came to operating this boat. Notably, the smaller, lead-bismuth-cooled nuclear reactor created polonium-210 as an unfortunate byproduct. So the submarine could move faster underwater and dive deeper than its rivals, but the longer the crew operated the boat, the greater their exposure to lethal radiation poisoning. 

The Nuclear Reactor was a Hot Mess—Literally 

Indeed, as Peter Suciu outlined in these pages just a few weeks ago, an Alfa-class submarine designated K-64, the lead boat of this submarine class, suffered a massive reactor failure in 1972. The issue with the lead-bismuth-cooling was that the alloy needed to be constantly heated to prevent it from cooling, solidifying, and basically backing up the reactor. When the reactor on K-64 leaked, the metal alloy solidified as soon as it hit the cooler air outside the reactor. 

The leak was so bad that it effectively damaged the surrounding components, compromising the integrity of the K-64. 

Soviet engineers opted to mothball the sub rather than try to rebuild it. Interestingly, part of the decommissioning process involved cutting the submarine in half and sending the forward section – with all the controls – to the Soviet Navy’s submarine warfare training center in Leningrad.

Setting aside the K-64 fiasco, even on Alfa-class submarines that operated “within norms,” the liquid-metal coolant was corrosive, which created massive maintenance woes for the ship. 

Other problems related to maintaining the submarines. Its greatest strength, the titanium-alloy hull, was also its greatest weakness. Welding the submarine’s hull was a complex affair. As such, it was prone to cracking. That’s definitely not something you want to have occur on any ship – especially one that has a primary function of operating below the waves. 

Alfa-Class© Provided by National Interest

Even if everything was operating according to design specifications, these boats were unsafe. Long-term exposure to unsafe levels of radiation posed significant health risks to the crew. Over time, those who did continuous deployments aboard the Alfa-class subs suffered health declines as a result of constant exposure to polonium-210. 

Oh, and the internal temperatures of the submarines as a result of the output of the reactor created hellish conditions for the crews. 

Run Toxic (and Loud), Run Deep

One of the primary purposes of any submarine is stealth. But the Alfa class was one of the noisiest submarines the Soviets produced during the Cold War. In effect, the Alfa class, despite its high rates of speed and innovative hull design, failed in the paramount mission of any submarine. These boats were way too noisy beneath the waves, meaning rivals could hear them coming from over the horizon. 

So the Alfa class gets high marks for innovation, maneuverability, and speed. But the boat failed to deliver on key elements necessary for any submarine – namely stealth – and the Alfa was notoriously unsafe because of the very elements that gave the bot its greatest advantages: its unique hull and nuclear reactor. 

Still, the Alfa class served for more than 30 years, with the final units being retired in 1996. These boats were dangerous for their crews and didn't always work to specifications. But they did last decades in service, and they proved to be a continual menace to NATO ships.

First submarine fully integrated for coed crews to join Navy fleet next week Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-09-05/navy-sailors-submarine-women-15079956.html Source - Stars and Stripes

 

The Navy received the New Jersey, its 23rd Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine in April 2024. The first fully integrated sub for mixed-gender crews, the New Jersey will join the fleet on Sept. 14, 2024, during a commissioning ceremony.  (Ashley Cowan/Newport News Shipbuilding)

WASHINGTON — The first submarine fully integrated for mixed gender crews will join the Navy fleet next week during a commissioning ceremony in its namesake state of New Jersey. 

The future USS New Jersey, a fast-attack submarine, will become a deployable part of the Navy’s force during the ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey on Sept. 14, culminating five years of construction that represents a historic shift in how Navy submarines are designed. 

The New Jersey is the 23rd Virginia-class submarine, but it is the first of its kind — designed from the keel up with specific modifications for gender integration. “The submarine community is a fully gender-integrated warfighting force,” said Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Forces Atlantic. 

Modifications included obvious ones — more doors and washrooms to create separate sleeping and bathing areas — and some that are more subtle — lowering some overhead valves and making them easier to turn and installing steps in front of the triple-high bunk beds and stacked laundry machines. 

The design changes were made to accommodate the growing female force of submariners. In the past five years, the Navy has seen the number of officers and enlisted sailors in the submarine force who are women double and triple, respectively, Gaucher said. 

As of August 2024, 730 women were assigned to operational submarines — serving as officers and sailors on 19 nuclear-powered, ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines, and 19 nuclear-powered attack boats, according to Submarine Forces Atlantic.  The increase follows the 2010 lift of the ban that barred women from serving aboard submarines. 

A decade later, in 2021, the Navy announced a long-term plan to integrate female officers on 33 submarine crews and female enlisted sailors on 14 submarine crews by 2030. “To support women serving onboard submarines, the submarine force, starting with [the Pre-Commissioning Unit] New Jersey, is building all future [nuclear-powered attack submarines] and the new Columbia-class, [ballistic-missile submarines] gender-neutral from the keel up,” 

Gaucher said. Construction on the New Jersey began in 2019 at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division in Virginia. The warship was christened in 2021 and delivered in April to the Navy at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. 

Before construction of the New Jersey, the Navy retrofitted existing Ohio-class submarines with extra doors and designated washrooms.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-09-05/navy-sailors-submarine-women-15079956.html

Source - Stars and Stripes

‘Take her down!' WWII submarine skipper sacrificed with final order

 

‘Take her down!' WWII submarine skipper sacrificed with final order

With the Battle of Midway raging in the Pacific in June 1942, Japanese forces 2,500 miles to the north were seizing control of the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu.

Their aim was clear: Distract American forces from Midway while sending a message that Japan was capable of hitting additional territories belonging to the United States.

In the months that followed, the northern region would host a series of fights whenever weather permitted. U.S. submarines made their presence known that Fourth of July, when the submarine Triton sank the destroyer Nenohi.

But it was the following day that saw the combat debut of two names destined for submariner immortality: The USS Growler and its skipper, Cmdr. Howard Gilmore.

Howard W. Gilmore was born in Selma, Alabama, on Sept. 29, 1902. He enlisted in the Navy in November 1920 before commissioning at the U.S. Naval Academy.

In 1931 Gilmore transferred to the Navy's submarine school at New London, Connecticut. Climbing the ranks and earning a reputation as more aggressive personality than his peacetime counterparts, Gilmore attracted the attention of superiors and was rewarded by being named executive officer of the submarine USS Shark (SS-174).

While serving aboard Shark, Gilmore's career - and life - were almost cut short. On shore in Panama, he and a crewmate were assaulted by thieves. Gilmore's throat was cut in the brawl, but he survived.

In December 1941 Gilmore was given full command of Shark, but the role was short lived. The day after the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor Gilmore was transferred to the Gato-class submarine USS Growler (SS-174).

The boat's first war patrol was to the Aleutians, where, on the morning of July 5, 1942, it spotted a tempting sight: Three Japanese destroyers off the island of Kiska.

Approaching directly, Gilmore loosed two torpedoes, dealing serious damage to Kasumi and killing 10 of its sailors. Next, it blew off the bow of Shiranui, killing three seamen and forcing the destroyer to be towed to Maizuru, Japan, for repairs.

Gilmore then calmly turned toward the destroyer Arare. He fired another two torpedoes, the second of which sent the ship and its crew to the ocean floor. Arare's commanding officer and 42 survivors were rescued by the damaged Shiranui.

For these efforts Gilmore was awarded the Navy Cross - but he was just getting started.

In a second patrol Growler sank four merchant ships, totaling 15,000 tons, in the East China Sea near Formosa (now Taiwan). Gilmore was awarded a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross.

After an uneventful third patrol, Growler set out on what would become an ominous fourth.

Departing Brisbane, Australia, on New Year's Day 1943, Growler headed toward Rabaul in the western Solomons, sinking a transport on Jan. 16 and another on the 19th. On Jan. 30 it damaged a freighter but was driven down by a barrage of gunfire and depth charges.

The area had become a hornet's nest, courtesy of Japanese evacuations from Guadalcanal.

On Feb. 4 Gilmore tailed two freighters escorted by two patrol craft toward Gazelle Channel. As he moved Growler into position for an ambush, the lead Japanese ship proved ready and fired on the sub at 5,000 yards.

Gilmore ordered a dive, forced to wait out an hour-long depth charge attack. One concussion ruptured a manhole gasket in the forward main ballast tank. Emergency repairs slowed the leak.

Just before 6 a.m., Gilmore, believing the patrol vessels to have moved on, brought Growler to periscope depth to pursue a ship five miles away.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 7 Growler's crew spotted a target. Gilmore ordered torpedo tubes readied and reduced the range to 2,000 yards, but the Japanese vessel reversed course.

Growler's radar lit up. The enemy ship was headed straight for the sub.

The nemesis was Hayasaki, a 920-ton ammunition ship converted to an auxiliary escort. It was armed with one 3-inch and two 25mm anti-aircraft guns, as well as a single 13mm machine gun.

With the range between Growler and Hayasaki too close for the sub's torpedoes to arm, Gilmore ordered "Left full rudder."

Just then the collision alarm sounded and the antagonists crashed head-on at 17 knots, throttling the sub and knocking everyone off their feet.

Growler heeled 50 degrees. An 18-inch section of bow bent sideways, disabling the sub's forward torpedoes.

Hayasaki had been rammed amidships but its 13mm gun crew, realizing they were holding a tiger by the tail, fired on the sub's conning tower with the only weapon they could bring to bear.

At point-blank range, the machine gun crew killed Ensign William Wadsworth Williams and Fireman 3rd Class Wilbert Fletcher Kelley.

Grievously wounded, Gilmore clung to the bridge frame.

Belowdecks the battered XO, Lt. Cmdr. Arnold F. Schade, was finding his feet when he heard Gilmore's next order.

"Clear the bridge!"

Wounded personnel were pulled down the hatch. Then came Gilmore's final order.

"Take her down!"

Schade hesitated, as did the crew under the conning tower, but Gilmore did not appear. Another 13mm burst swept the upperworks, leaving a hole that let in the sea.

The crew closed the hatch and submerged.

Assuming command, Schade used controlled flooding to level Growler off while the crew scrambled to make temporary repairs.

After about 30 minutes he ordered "battle surface," but the damaged Hayasaki had already withdrawn to Rabaul.

There was sign of Gilmore.

Thanks to its skipper's sacrifice, Growler managed to limp back to Brisbane, where it was restored to combat readiness.

"The performance of the officers and crew in effecting repairs and bringing the ship safely back to base is one of the outstanding submarine feats of the war to date," Commodore James Fife Jr., the chief of staff of Asiatic Fleet Submarines, remarked.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 13, 1943, Rear Adm. Andrew C. Bennett, the commandant of the Eighth Naval District, awarded Howard Gilmore the Medal of Honor. Present to receive it was his widow and their children.

Under Schade's command Growler took part in five more patrols, sinking the destroyer Shikinami and the escort ship Hirado on Sept. 12, 1944.

The boat dispatched a total of 15 ships, totaling 74,900 tons, and claimed seven more damaged.

During its 11th patrol, however, Growler, then under command of Thomas B. Oakley, vanished somewhere in the South China Sea off Mindoro, possibly falling victim to the destroyer Shigure.

Hayasaki, meanwhile, managed to survive mines, air attacks and submarines until the end of the war. After two years of repatriation duties, on Oct. 3, 1947, it was ceded to the Soviet Union as the Olekma.

Howard Gilmore's memory is marked in the Howard family plot - his widow's family - in Magnolia Cemetery, Meridian, Mississippi.

Carved in stone are his last words, which remain similarly etched into the memories of every U.S. Navy submariner.

"Take her down!"

Typhoon-Class: Russia Built the Biggest Submarine Ever (Navy Could Not Match It)

 

Typhoon-Class Submarine

The Russian Navy decommissioned the Project 941 Akula (Typhoon-class) submarine Dmitry Donskoy in February 2023, several years earlier than expected.

-Originally commissioned in 1981, the Dmitry Donskoy was the last of the Typhoon-class submarines in service, known for being the largest submarines ever built.

The vessel, which served as a weapons test platform in recent years, was retired due to cost considerations. The Typhoon-class submarines were designed during the Cold War to counter the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class submarines, carrying 20 RSM-52 SLBMs with multiple warheads.

Over a year ago, Russia decommissioned the Project 941 Akula (NATO reporting name Typhoon) heavy nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarine cruiser Dmitry Donskoy several years earlier than expected. In fact, it had been only three years ago that the Kremlin announced the boat would remain in service until at least 2026, even as its role was reportedly limited to that of a weapons test platform for the new Borei-, Borei-A-, Yasen-and Yasen-M-class submarines.

In February 2023, it was officially confirmed that Dmitry Donskoy was decommissioned in February due to cost considerations. The submarine had served for more than 40 years in the Northern Fleet.

Initially designated the TK-208, she was the lead vessel of the Soviet third-generation Akula-class (Russian for "Shark"). She entered service in 1981 with the Soviet Navy, and after a 12-year overhaul and refit that began in 1990, she reentered service in 2002 as the Dmitry Donskoy, named after the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Donskoy (1359–1389), the reputed founder of Moscow.

According to Russian media, Dmitry Donskoy initially carried D-19 strategic intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as its basic armament. Following its upgrade under Project 941UM, it was involved in the tests of the seaborne Bulava ICBM.

Typhoon-Class: Project 941 Boats

The Sevmash Shipyard built six of a planned seven Project 941 submarines for the Russian Navy, and all were operational with the Northern Fleet. Though the oldest of the submarines, the Dmitriy Donskoy was also the last of the class to remain in service.

The TK-202, TK-12 – later renamed the Simbirsk – and T-13 were withdrawn from active service between 1996 and 2009, and scrapped with the financial support of the United States. Two other boats: the TK-17/Arkhangelsk and TK-20/Severstal remained in service until they were decommissioned circa 2013. A seventh boat, TK-210, was laid down but scrapped before completion.

With a displacement of 48,000 tons, a length of 175 meters (nearly 600 feet), a 23-meter beam, and a 12-meter draught, the Typhoon-class was the largest class of submarines ever built. Developed with multiple pressure hulls, including five inner hulls situated inside a superstructure of two parallel main hulls, the Typhoon-class was also wider than any other submarine ever built. The submarines were powered by OK-650 pressurized-water nuclear reactors, two 50,000 horsepower steam turbines, and four 3,200 KW turbogenerators and this provides the boat with the ability to sail at a speed of up to 22.2 knots on the surface and 27 knots whilst submerged.

Each contained nineteen compartments, including a strengthened module, which housed the main control room as well as an electronic equipment compartment above the main hulls and behind the missile launch tubes. It even was reported that there was a sauna on board as well as a small swimming pool for the crew. The sheer size of the submarines was likely welcomed by the approximately 160 sailors who called the submarine home on voyages lasting 120 days or longer, oftentimes without surfacing for months at a time.

The Typhoon-class subs were designed to counter the United States Navy's Ohio-class subs, which were capable of carrying up to 192 100-kiloton nuclear warheads. By contrast, the Soviet Typhoons could carry a primary cache of 20 RSM-52 SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), each of which contained up to 10 MIRV (multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle) warheads.

Though the Dmitriry Donskoiy has been decommissioned, in 2021, a new sub of the Borei-class has already begun construction; and when launched, will bear the name of the legendary founder of Moscow.

USS Idaho: Futuristic nuclear-powered fast attack Navy submarine launched

 

USS Idaho: Futuristic nuclear-powered fast attack Navy submarine launched

The future USS Idaho (SSN 799) has been successfully launched into the Thames River from the shipyard of General Dynamics Electric Boat, one of the U.S. Navy’s latest attack submarines.

The launch, also known as “float off,” marks a construction milestone in the life of a ship when it moves from the shipbuilder’s facilities and into the water for the first time to begin final outfitting, testing, and crew certification.

“Today’s launch is a testament to the strong collaboration the Navy has with its shipbuilding partners,” said Capt Mike Hollenbach, Virginia Class Submarine program manager. 

“IDAHO will be a valuable national asset and source of pride for our Sailors, the shipbuilders and all Americans for years to come.”

Virginia-class fast-attack submarine submarine sponsor Terry Stackley christened the boat on March 16, 2024, with water she collected from several lakes in Idaho. 

The submarine began construction in 2017 and will be the 26th Virginia-class fast attack submarine to deliver to the fleet and the fifth U.S. Navy ship named for the state. 

The last ship named Idaho was battleship BB 42, commissioned in 1919.

Virginia-class fast-attack submarines allow the Navy to maintain the nation’s undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.  

Virginia submarines have enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements that enable them to meet the Navy’s multi-mission requirements. 

Additionally, through the extensive use of modular construction, open architecture, and commercial off-the-shelf components, the Virginia class is designed to remain state-of-the-art for its entire operational life by rapidly introducing new systems and payloads.

The submarine will undergo rigorous US Navy sea trials.

Sea trials are an intense series of tests to demonstrate the satisfactory operation of all installed shipboard equipment. 

Sea Trials ensure that the submarine’s overall performance is in accordance with its plans and specifications. 

New construction ships undergo Builder’s Trials and Acceptance Trials prior to the submarine’s delivery and Final Contract Trials several months after delivery before sailing away.

The sail away is the submarine’s final departure from the construction yard for its homeport or commissioning site. 

It signifies the end of the new construction period and the beginning of its life as it prepares to perform the mission it was designed to undertake.

Capabilities and missions

The USS Idaho SSN 799 will have Acoustic Stealth, developed at Acoustic Research Detachment, Bayview, Idaho.

The submarine features nuclear power, and the original nuclear submarine propulsion system was built at Idaho National Lab in 1953—all of the nuclear training officers and crew from the USS Nautilus SSN 571 trained in Idaho.

The submarine is built at an estimated cost of $2.6 billion; its life is expected to be 30 years.

The submarine’s armament includes 12 Vertical-Launch Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and 4 Horizontal Torpedo Tubes capable of launching Mark 48 Advanced Capability Torpedoes and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.

The special operations of the submarine include an integrated Lock In / Lockout chamber for Navy SEAL Operations Capability.

The missions of this submarine are sea control and freedom of navigation operations, land attack, antisubmarine warfare, carrier/task force battle group escort, mine laying and detection, special operations control/support, antisurface ship warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and launch/recovery of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles.

The submarine is expected to be commissioned in 2025.

Guam slated to homeport its first Virginia-class fast-attack submarine

 

The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Minnesota transits Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on June 20, 2024, as it begins sea trials after undergoing a two-year maintenance period. (Claudia LaMantia/U.S. Navy)

The Navy will beef up its submarine squadron on Guam in the coming months by homeporting one of the service’s most advanced fast-attack subs there. 

The Virginia-class USS Minnesota is expected to arrive in the U.S. territory sometime during the next fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, Lt. Cmdr. Rick Moore, a spokesperson for U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, said by email Friday.

 “We are committed to posturing our most capable platforms to preserve peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he wrote. “Although I am unable to discuss specifics at this time, the Navy routinely assesses its overseas force positioning, to include forward-deployed naval force submarines homeported in Guam.”

 USS Minnesota, which was commissioned in 2013, is currently homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In early July, it completed a two-year maintenance overhaul at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Hawaii.

 Guam is of growing importance to the Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific strategy as China continues to expand its Navy and its ambitions in the region. The U.S. territory is home to Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam and Camp Blaz, a massive Marine Corps base still under construction.

 The island would serve as a crucial hub in the event of a conflict with China because it is the westernmost American territory and closest to the South China Sea, a flashpoint in the region. The nuclear-powered Virginia-class subs will eventually replace the Navy’s aging fleet of Cold War-era Los Angeles-class vessels.

 Virginia-class subs are designed for a greater range of missions, with an emphasis on littoral operations, according to a Navy fact sheet. They support a host of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance.

 The subs are designed so that their torpedo rooms can be reconfigured to hold a large number of special operations forces and their equipment during extended deployments. Guam was homeport to five Los Angeles-class submarines for most of 2022, a group that included USS Annapolis, USS Jefferson City, USS Asheville, USS Springfield and USS Key West.

 In early 2023, however, the Key West headed back to the U.S. mainland after 35 years of service in the fleet and awaits decommissioning.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2024-08-02/navy-guam-submarine-uss-minnesota-14716907.html?utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email

Source - Stars and Stripes