The navy for any country is a powerful geopolitical deterrence mechanism. And the submarine fleet, by its very presence, affects international relations and the escalation of conflicts. If in the 19th century the border of Britain was determined by the sides of its military frigates, in the 20th century the United States Navy becomes the leader of the World Ocean. And American submarines played an important role in this.
Paramount importance
The submarine fleet is becoming increasingly important for America. Historically, the territory of the country was limited by water borders that impeded the covert attack of the enemy. With the advent of modern submarines and missiles "submarine-air" in the world, these borders are becoming increasingly illusive for America.
The aggravated opposition to international relations with Muslim countries makes the threat to the lives of American citizens real. Iranian Islamists are not abandoning attempts to acquire submarine-air missiles, and this is a threat to all the coastal centers of America. And in this case, the destruction will be colossal. Only the same rival can resist an attack from under water.
The current president of the United States, Donald Trump, in his first interviews noted that he intends to further increase the US submarine fleet. But on one condition - reducing its value. It is worth considering the corporations that build nuclear-powered American submarines. A precedent is already there. After Donald Trump said he would turn to Boeing for cheaper fighters, Lockheed Martin cut the cost of the F-35 fighter.
Combat power
Today, US submarines predominantly have atomic energy sources. And this means that during operations, limitations in combat effectiveness will be only in the amount of food and water on board. The largest class of submarines is Los Angeles. These are third-generation boats with a displacement of about 7 tons, a depth of immersion of up to 300 meters and a cost of about $ 1 million. However, America is currently replacing them with fourth-generation Virginia class boats, more equipped and worth $ 2.7 million. And this price is justified by their combat characteristics.
Combat structure
Today, the US Navy is leading in both quantity and equipment of naval weapons. The US Navy includes 14 strategic nuclear submarines and 58 multipurpose submarines.
The submarine fleet of the US military is equipped with two types of submarines:
- Ocean ballistic boats. Deep-sea submarines, the purpose of which is the delivery of weapons to the destination and release of ballistic missiles. In other words, they are called strategic. Defense weapons are not represented by strong firepower.
- "Boats are hunters." High-speed boats, the goals and objectives of which are versatile: the delivery of cruise missiles and peacekeeping forces to conflict zones, lightning attacks and the destruction of enemy forces. Such submarines are called multifunctional. their specificity is speed, maneuverability and stealth.
The beginning of the development of underwater navigation in America begins from the middle of the year before last. The volume of the article does not imply such an array of information. We focus on the nuclear arsenal, which was developed after the end of World War II. A brief review of the submarine arsenal of the Armed Forces of America will carry out, adhering to the chronological principle.
First experimental nuclear
In Connecticut, at the shipyard in Groton, in January 1954, the first American submarine Nautilus (USS Nautilus) with a displacement of about 4 thousand tons and a length of 100 meters was launched. She went on a first voyage a year later. It was “Nautilus” in 1958 that the first passed under the North Pole, which almost ended in tragedy - a breakdown of the periscope due to a malfunction of navigation systems. It was an experimental and the only multi-purpose torpedo boat with a sonar mount in the bow, and torpedoes in the rear. The submarine Barracuda (1949-1950) showed such an arrangement the most successful.
Nuclear American submarines owe their appearance to a naval engineer, Rear Admiral Hyman George Rickover (1900-1986).
The next experimental project was the USS Seawolf (SSN-575), also released in a single copy in 1957. She had a reactor with a liquid metal as a coolant in the primary circuit of the reactor.
First serial atomic
A series of four submarines built in 1956-1957 is the USS Skate. They were part of the US armed forces and were decommissioned in the late 80s of the last century.
A series of six boats is Skipjack (1959). Until 1964, this is the largest series. The boats had an “albacorean” hull shape and the highest speed before the Los Angeles series.
At the same time (1959-1961), a specialized series of five nuclear powered boats, the George Washington, was launched. These are the boats of the first ballistic project. Each boat had 16 Polaris A-1 missile silos for missiles. The accuracy of the shooting was increased by a hygroscopic damper, which reduces the amplitude by a factor of five at a depth of 50 meters.
Then followed the projects of nuclear submarines in one experimental instance of the Triton, Halibut, Tullibe series. American designers experimented and improved navigation systems and energy systems.
The large Skipjack series of multi-purpose boats has replaced the 14 nuclear-powered Treaher submarines, the last of which was decommissioned in 1996.
Benjamin Franklin series - Lafayette type submarines. At first they were armed with ballistic missiles. In the 70s, they were re-equipped with Poseidon and then Trident-1 missiles. Twelve boats of the Benjamin Franklin series in 1960 entered the fleet of strategic missile carriers, called "41 on guard of Freedom." All ships of this fleet were named after the figures of American history.
The largest series - USS Sturgeon - of multi-functional nuclear boats includes 37 submarines created between 1871 and 1987. A distinctive feature - low noise and sensors for ice swimming.
US Navy Boats
From 1976 to 1996, the Navy was equipped with multipurpose boats of the Los Angeles type. In total, 62 boats of this series were produced, this is the most numerous series of multi-purpose submarines. Torpedo armament and vertical launchers of Tomahawk-type missiles with homing systems. Nine Los Angeles class boats participated in the Gulf War. 26 MW GE PWR S6G reactors designed by General Electric. It is with this series that the tradition of calling boats by the names of American cities begins. Today, the US Navy 40 boats of this class are in combat service.
A series of strategic nuclear submarines, launched from 1881 to 1997, consists of 18 submarines with ballistic missiles on board - the Ohio series. The submarine of this series is armed with 24 individually guided intercontinental ballistic missiles. For protection, they are armed with 4 torpedo tubes. "Ohio" - a submarine that forms the basis of the offensive forces of the US Navy, 60% of the time it is at sea.
The latest project of nuclear submarines of the third generation of the third generation "Sivulf" (1998-1999). This is the most secret project of the US Navy. He was called "Advanced Los Angeles" for its special noiselessness. He appeared and disappeared unnoticed by radar. The reason is a special soundproof coating, the rejection of a screw in favor of an engine such as a water jet and the widespread adoption of noise sensors. The tactical speed of 20 knots makes it as noisy as the “Los Angeles” standing on the pier. There are three boats in this series: Sivulf, Connecticut and Jimmy Carter. The latter was commissioned in 2005, and it is this boat that the terminator controls in the second season of the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. This once again confirms the fantastic nature of these boats both externally and in content. "Jimmy Carter" is also called the "white elephant" among the submarines for its size (the boat is 30 meters longer than its counterparts). And by its characteristics, this submarine can already be considered an underwater ship.
The latest generation submarines
The future of the U.S. Navy in submarine shipbuilding began in 2000 and is associated with a new class of USS Virginia class boats. The first boat of this class SSN-744 was launched and put into operation in 2003.
U.S. Navy submarines of this type are called a stockpile of weapons due to their equipment with a powerful arsenal, and an “ideal observer,” because of the most complex and sensitive sensor systems ever mounted on submarines.
Movement even in relative shallow water is provided by an atomic engine with a nuclear reactor, the plan of which is classified. It is known that the reactor is designed for a service life of up to 30 years. The noise level is reduced due to the system of isolated cameras and the modern design of the energy block with a "damping" coating.
General performance characteristics of USS Virginia class boats, of which thirteen have already been commissioned:
- speed up to 34 knots (64 km / h);
- immersion depth is up to 448 meters;
- from 100 to 120 crew members;
- surface displacement - 7.8 tons;
- length up to 200 meters and a width of about 10 meters;
- nuclear power plant type GE S9G.
In total, the series includes the release of 28 Virginia submarines with the gradual replacement of the Navy's arsenal with fourth-generation boats.
Michelle Obama's boat
Last August, a military shipyard in Groton (Connecticut) commissioned 13 USS Virginia class submarines with tail number SSN-786 and the name Illinois. It is named after the native state of the then first lady Michelle Obama, who took part in her launch in October 2015. The initials of the first lady, according to tradition, are embossed on one of the details of the submarine.
The Illinois nuclear submarine, 115 meters long and with 130 crew members, is equipped with an uninhabited submarine for detecting mines, a gateway for divers and other additional equipment. The purpose of this submarine is to conduct coastal and deep-sea operations.
Instead of the traditional periscope, the boat has a telescopic system with a television camera, and a laser infrared observation sensor is installed.
The firepower of the boat: 2 turret-type installations of 6 missiles and 12 vertical Tomahawk-class cruise missiles, as well as 4 torpedo tubes and 26 torpedoes.
The total cost of the submarine is $ 2.7 billion.
The prospect of military underwater potential
The highest ranks of the US Navy insist on the gradual replacement of diesel-fuel submarines with boats that have virtually no restrictions in the conduct of military operations - with atomic propulsion systems. The fourth generation of the Virginia nuclear submarine provides for the release of 28 submarines of this class. The gradual replacement of the arsenal of naval forces with fourth-generation boats will increase the rating and combat effectiveness of the American army.
But design bureaus continue to work and offer their army projects.
Landing american submarines
A secretive landing of troops on enemy territory is the goal of all landing operations. After the Second World War, such a technological opportunity appeared in America. The Bureau of Ships received an order for a landing submarine. Projects appeared, but the landing troops did not have financial support, and the fleet was not interested in the idea.
Of the seriously considered projects, one can mention the project of Seaforth Group, which appeared in 1988. Designed by them, the landing submarine S-60 involves descent into the water at a distance of 50 kilometers from the coast, diving to a depth of 5 meters. At a speed of 5 knots, an underwater boat reaches the coastline and lands 60 paratroopers along retractable bridges at a distance of up to 100 meters from the coast. No one has bought the project yet.
Proven Reliability
The oldest submarine in the world that is still in service today is the Balao SS 791 Hai Shih (Sea Lion) submarine, which is part of the Taiwan Navy. The American submarine of the Second World War, built at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, in 1945 replenished the US military submarine fleet. She counted one military campaign in August 1945 in the Pacific Ocean. After several upgrades, in 1973 she was transferred to Taiwan and became the first operational boat in China.
In January 2017, the press reported that within 18 months of planned repairs at the shipyards of the shipbuilding corporation Taiwan International Shipbuilding Corporation, Sea Lion will carry out a general repair and replacement of navigation equipment. This work will extend the life of the submarine until 2026.
The veteran American-made submarine, one of a kind, plans to celebrate its eightieth anniversary in combat formation.
Extremely tragic facts
There are no open and public statistics on losses and accidents in the US submarine fleet. However, the same can be said of Russia. The facts that have become public will be presented in this chapter.
In 1963, a two-day test trip ended with the death of the American submarine Thresher. The official cause of the disaster is the flow of water under the hull of the boat. The muffled reactor immobilized the submarine, and it went to the depths, taking the lives of 112 crew members and 17 civilian specialists. The wreckage of the submarine is at a depth of 2,560 meters. This is the first technological accident of a nuclear submarine.
In 1968, the multi-purpose nuclear submarine Scorpion (USS Scorpion) disappeared without a trace in the Atlantic Ocean. The official version of the death is the detonation of ammunition. However, today the mystery of the death of this ship remains a mystery. In 2015, US Navy veterans once again appealed to the government with a request to create a commission to investigate this incident, clarify the number of victims and determine their status.
In 1969, the USS Guitarro submarine with tail number 665 curiously sank. This happened at the berth wall and at a depth of 10 meters. Inconsistency and negligence of instrument calibration specialists led to flooding. Raising and restoring the boat cost the American taxpayer about $ 20 million.
A Los Angeles class boat, which took part in the shooting of the movie "Hunting for the Red October", on May 14, 1989 off the coast of California, hooked a cable connecting a tug and a barge. The boat immersed by pulling the tug behind it. Relatives of one crew member of the tugboat who died that day received compensation from the Navy in the amount of $ 1.4 million.