Posted on 08/26/2006 8:42:31 AM PDT by george76
The Navy debuted its newest nuclear-powered submarine Friday in an Atlantic Ocean swing off the Florida coast, the second in the latest fast-attack class that marks a broad departure from the Cold War-era deterrence boats.
The Texas, which will officially earn a "USS" designator in a commissioning ceremony in two weeks, weighs 7,800 tons, measures 377 feet long and can remain submerged on covert surveillance up to three months. It travels faster than 25 knots underwater and dives farther than 800 feet.
"It's much more effective than any ship I've been on before," said Capt. John Litherland, who has been on more than 50.
"It's not the fastest, but the difference is that it's quiet even at its top speed."
Perhaps the biggest improvement is the ability to travel with a small special forces submarine, nine commandos and their gear. Previous subs would have carried only three Navy SEALS.
That kind of space is premium on a vessel designed to hide and spend most of its life underwater.
Its maximum time submerged is limited only by the amount of food it can carry, because the boat generates its own power and oxygen.
Sailors sleep twelve to a room, on 6 1/2-foot beds with about 3 feet of top-to-bottom sleeping space, the 4-inch deep compartment under it the only place to stow belongings.
That's why they spent four weeks in basic training learning how to fold, crew members joke.
And they've grown to carry less stuff, after training to spend up to six months at a time in the middle of the ocean.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
It is for an SSN. It's bigger than the L.A. class it's intended to replace.
That's okay and it's common enough. The sailors who end up serving on a sub want to be there and aren't bothered by being in close quarters and tight spaces for 90 days at a time. It's not for everybody.
martin_fierro
Noisy machinery. Much like the November class. It was not until the later Victor class that the Soviets started giving some serious thought to noise control.
One thing with the Alfas - once underway, no crew in the engineering spaces due to lack of shielding. Liquid bismuth reactor as well. Most liquid metal coolant reactors are a PITA to work with. USN had only one liquid metal reactor sub, the Seawolf (SSN575), which after a few years got replaced by a PWR.
The Texas? Then its a 'nucular' sub.
That's sort of fitting, in a way, since we haven't finished tallying up the cost to America of Carter, himself. In fact, there's a huge new balloon installment on his account coming due real soon now...
Best wishes to the crew. Your nation is proud of you.
Potential submariners go through extensive psychological evaluations and testing before they are accepted. I went through it in the late 60's and was bounced almost immediately because of claustrophobia.
I don't think Blue/Gold applies here. She's a Fast Attack. They have one crew. Only Boomers have two crews.
AMEN
With appropriate scuba gear, yes.
Okay, the New Orleans Beer Man is photoshopped into this, is the Russian Akula-class boat a cut-and-paste deal as well?
Likely that it is photoshopped, but not by me.
That is a big boat !
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Israel buys 2 new submarines from Germany ( U212 )
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1688400/posts
Not sure of it's spelling-but i think its the Komsomolets,which was a Mike class sub,not alfa.
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