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THE TRIM PUMP PUBLICATION OF USSVI NEBRASKA – OCTOBER 2020 http://www.wildbill631g.com/ ********************************************************************************* Why America's Virginia-Class Is Really 5 Submarines In 1 Caleb Larson, National Interest, July 3 Here's What You Need To Remember: New submarine classes have to undergo extensive testing and validation in order to be put into production. By implementing incremental changes and improvements in the design (and not just in the production process) the Navy is able to get better submarines out of shipyards and into the water much more quickly than would otherwise be possible. America’s Virginia-class submarines come in five “blocks,” and the latest hulls, block Vs, are essentially a new class of submarine. So why aren’t they called something else? Cost Effective According to the Congressional Research Service, the Virginia-class design “was developed to be less expensive and better optimized for post-Cold War submarine missions than the Seawolf-class design,” which was intended to be the United States’ heavy- weight with which to attack Soviet Union underwater strongpoints. Only three Seawolfs were built. The Virginia-class submarines come in five “blocks,” each with different, incremental improvements and tweaks related to manufacturing ease and upgrades in automation to reduce crew size. While the initial batch of ten Virginia-class submarines (blocks I and II) are essentially the same, the following eight Virginias are block III and incorporate a new bow design. As per Craig Hooper’s analysis, the new block IIIs will have “a new sonar array and large diameter vertical payload tubes.” A prodigious twenty percent of the block IIIs were redesigned. Of that class, the USS Delaware will apparently be commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 2020. As Hooper explains, “the new Block V boats, by adding the payload tubes and making other changes, induced another 20 percent change in the overall Virginia class design,” which means that the block Vs are forty percent re-designed. They’re essentially new submarines. Block V Virginia’s are also about eighty feet longer, carry more Tomahawk missiles, and have underwater drone launch and recovery capabilities. So if they’re so different—why aren’t they a different class? Two reasons: bureaucracy and innovation New submarine classes have to undergo extensive testing and validation in order to be put into production. By implementing incremental changes and improvements in the design (and not just in the production process) the Navy is able to get better submarines out of shipyards and into the water much more quickly than would otherwise be possible. A secondary benefit to the “incremental change” strategy are the lessons learned that would presumably be incorporated into the Columbia-class design. The Columbia-class is a planned twelve-hull design that would be the America’s most advanced nuclear- propelled design once they enter the water, likely in 2027. Hooper explains that the downside of incorporating incremental changes is that it hampers new ideas: “the time-consuming and expensive bureaucratic requirements that face new programs may discourage innovation and incentivize the Navy to keep older platforms in service longer than is prudent.” Put bluntly, the Pentagon’s pathological fear of a “new start” may encourage the development of sub-optimal solutions to avoid testing and trials requirements inherent in a “new platform.” In order to work around the Navy—the Navy—is not renaming the class, but “blocking” the tweaked variants. Smart. Starting next year I have decided that I will no longer mail any hard copies of the TRIM PUMP. This one and one more will be the last hard copies. The TRIM PUMP can be obtained on my website http://www.wildbill631g.com/ or emailed to you. Email me at [email protected] Last Typhoon: Can The World’s Largest Even if it only has one missile tube ready there is no denying that the giant submarine is still active. It frequently Submarine Still Destroy The World? joins other Russian Navy vessels on exercises. And it has H I Sutton, Forbes, August 23 been observed at a weapons pier specially designed for The Russian Navy’s Typhoon Class is the undisputed king loading and unloading nuclear missiles. of submarine designs. It is much larger than anything else So whether or not Dmitry Donskoy currently carries part of ever built. For context, the 33,800-ton monster is almost Russia’s nuclear deterrent, it seems that it could if called twice as large as the U.S. Navy’s Ohio Class ballistic upon. Possibly some modernization work would be missile sub. And while no submarine is immune to required if not all of the missile tubes are currently active. criticism, it is regarded as an engineering marvel even If so (and it seems likely), then it could involve major among Western analysts. But despite its fame, renovations. But that is not to say it couldn’t be done. Like immortalized in Tom Clancy’s The Hunt For Red October, so many aspects of the Russian Navy submarine fleet, we there is a mystery. Open-source analysts appear uncertain are kept guessing. about the armament and capabilities of the last remaining Typhoon, TK-208 Dmitry Donskoy. Is it equipped with a full load-out of ballistic missiles? If so Defense bills include money for two this single submarine packs enough firepower to obliterate Virginia-class subs any country. Or is it just a test bed used for trials, armed Mike Gooding, 13newsnow.com, August 25 with a single missile? Said another way, we don’t actually NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Back in February, the know whether Dmitry Donskoy still packs the nuclear Trump administration proposed funding only one of the punch it once did. And that also means that we do not know Virginia-class fast-attack nuclear-powered submarines in for sure how many fully operational ballistic missile fiscal year 2021. submarines Russia has. The plan represented a 50 percent cut from last As originally built, the Typhoon Class were armed with year's budget, a departure from long-standing military twenty R-39 ‘Rif’ intercontinental ballistic missiles. These plans to build two of the subs per year, and would not massive missiles, known to NATO as the SS-N-20 have been good news for Newport News Shipbuilding. Sturgeon, were about 53 feet long and nearly 8 feet across. The House version of the National Defense Again for comparison, that is much larger than the Trident- Authorization Act, passed in July, would authorize $6.8 II missiles carried by equivalent U.S. Navy and Royal Navy boats. It was partly because the missiles were so huge billion for two Virginia-class submarines. The Senate that the submarine to carry them had to be the world’s version includes $4.6 billion for the two subs. largest. "It's a jobs and livelihood thing for so many The R-39 missiles were solid fueled, meaning that the people here in Hampton Roads, in addition to being rocket motor used a solid block of propellant instead of critical to our national defense," said Rep. Elaine Luria liquid propellants. Western submarine-launched missiles (D-Va, 2nd District), who is a member of the House also use solid propellants (some other Russian ones are Armed Services Committee. liquid fueled) and it is widely considered safer than liquids. But there is still a possibility that President But it does have one relevant drawback. The solid fuel has Donald J.Trump could veto the entire NDAA over his a shelf life after which it becomes too unreliable. For the objection to a provision in it that would require the Typhoons, the missiles expired about 20 years ago. And Army to rename 10 bases which are named for due to the end of the Cold War, Russia decided not to Confederate figures from the Civil War. spend the many millions needed to replace the motors. At Luria says a veto of the bill -- which includes a the same time the improved R-39M missile was abandoned. three percent pay raise for the troops and which has The Typhoons were slowly withdrawn from service, and passed for 60 consecutive years -- would be a big now only Dmitry Donskoy remains. mistake. Dmitry Donskoy is now armed with the more modern "This is is the bill that funds our military. It provides the RSM-56 Bulava missile that replaced the R-39M project. resources for our national defense. So, it's shocking if he This has a range of around 5,000 miles and can rain down 6 would consider vetoing that legislation." or more MIRVs (multiple independently targetable reentry Luria added she supports changing the base vehicles). But it is unclear whether all of her missile tubes were modernized to carry the new missile. name. Officially, per the Russian Ministry of Defense website (in "They are commemorating a past that is not America's Russian), it has a capability for 20 of the missiles. But there finest hour," she said. have been persistent rumors that only one or two tubes Three of the bases -- Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, and were upgraded to allow it to act as a test bed. The Fort A.P. Hill -- are located in Virginia. difference to the Russian Ministry of Defense information In the end, it may not matter what President may reflect their status under New START (Strategic Arms Trump thinks, because the initial bills passed out of both Reduction Treaty). Under this all of the tubes have to be the House and Senate with bipartisan, veto-proof counted even if not used. majorities. own infrastructure. Pawling believes that “by 2040 external What The Ultimate Submarine carriage of XLUUVs would be likely.

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