New Navy Nuclear Sub Debuts in Atlantic

The Associated Press ^ | Aug 26, 2006 | TRAVIS REED

[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.

[jpsb]

That baby is HUGE! Looks like a super tanker, 800'+ ?.

[jpsb]

"It's a trick photo"

LOL, sure fooled me! I've spend more then a littl etime at sea, and that thing looked as big as a super tanker. Biggest I ever saw at sea was 1180 ish Exxon something or other. Never saw an Aircraft carrier or BB at sea, which I had, most of my time at sea was in Gulf of Mexico, not to many war ships there.

[AFreeBird]

How about doing sea trials and ordinance trials in the Persian Gulf. OOOOOOPPPPS that nuke tipped missile went off course and slammed into Irans new toy nuclear reactor.

It's not that kind of boat. Not that it couldn't carry a torpedo launched cruise, but this baby is a spec ops boat.

[shankbear]

A hot tipped cruise missile would be fine. Crispy Muzzies with a broken nuke reactor. Toooo bad.

[rottndog]

Why anyone would take a perfectly good ship and deliberately sink it with the crew on board alway beat me.

Why anyone would take a perfectly good ship and leave it on the surface as an easy TARGET to get sunk with the crew on board always beat me.

At least submarines get to surface once for each time it dives. Targets don't get to do that.

[dljordan]

OMG! That's a hoot. This guy is everywhere.

[rottndog]

It's about 77 feet longer that the 300 foot pig I used to work on. Of course, this doesn't mean that there is any more livable space on board--that extra length is probably used by the VLS and lockout chamber. Those silly engineers don't make extra space for people.

[rottndog]

...on 6 1/2-foot beds with about 3 feet of top-to-bottom sleeping space,...

Three foot tall racks....we used to call those Cadillac racks. Hell, 18 inches used to be premo...

[RightWhale]

You know how when you put all your favorite albums on cassette tape and then go on tour with that and then listen to all of them the first day and there is still the whole tour to go? Nevermind, just reflecting on my pipeline days, which is much the same as being on a sub.

[rottndog]

At least we had cd's and gameboys. Luckily enough, people were nice about sharing. I did plenty of reading out to sea too. Of course, I got to do none of that when I was a nub.

[Da_Shrimp]

As this is a sub-related article, I found this interesting page on the Royal Navy website, showing some interactive panoramic views of a Trafalgar class SSN.

In know it's one of ours rather than one of yours, but I thought it might be of interest to some of the sub guys here!

Trafalgar Class

[samadams2000]

Now make 5 more just for laughs and giggles. And 5 more carrier groups before lunch.

[W. W. SMITH]

At least submarines get to surface once for each time it dives. Targets don't get to do that.


Please keep in mind, to us airdales, subs are targets.
A6 INTRUDER tec

[RDTF]

Three cheers for 'The Texas,' darlin!