The Trim Pump Publication of Ussvi Nebraska Base July 2020
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THE TRIM PUMP PUBLICATION OF USSVI NEBRASKA BASE JULY 2020 The Trim Pump can now be found at http://www.wildbill631g.com/ US Navy commissions its last Block III transmit information by quantum communications across Virginia submarine thirty meters of “turbulent” water. The researchers were able to send 72 kilobits of data per second—or the David B. Larter , Defense News .com April 9 WASHINGTON — The last of the U.S. Navy’s eight Block III equivalent of 4,600 characters per second. Although the Virginia-class submarines has joined the fleet, according to method has been used to send and receive data through a Navy news release. water in the past, it has been used across calm water and The attack submarine Delaware didn’t have its formal not necessarily water representative of a real-world marine commissioning ceremony because of the ongoing environment. coronavirus outbreak, but it will nonetheless start getting Quantum communications is the practical ready to enter the deployment rotation. application of quantum theory to create a super-secure The Block III replaced 12 vertical launch tubes for means of communication. With current digital data Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles with two larger 87-inch transmission methods, it is possible for a third party to diameter tubes able to fire larger payloads, each housing hack an exchange of data without being detected. The six TLAMs. nature of quantum communications makes it possible to The first Block IV, the attack submarine Vermont, is slated to be commissioned later this month. The Block IV subs know immediately if hackers are trying to compromise a primarily add reliability features to the boat that should secure data stream. increase its life span. Quantum communications would be—at least for The Block V, which was awarded last year, adds acoustics now—pretty slow. Although 4,600 characters per second upgrades. Eight of the boats will have the Virginia Payload sounds like a lot, sending ordinary words in binary 0s and Module. The VPM is designed to triple the Tomahawk 1s balloons their size considerably. The word “Hello” in cruise missile capacity of the Virginia-class subs, a move binary becomes designed to offset the pending retirement of the Ohio-class “0100100001100101011011000110110001101111000011 guided-missile subs, which have a 154-Tomahawk 0100001010” at a total of 56 characters. This article so far capacity. Each Virginia Payload Module sub will have a 40- amounts to 19,656 characters in binary, or about 5 seconds Tomahawk loadout. of quantum communications at the current rate of data ************************************************** transmission. Quantum Communication Could Make U.S. Subs But one group that could especially use this new Even More Deadly quantum communications technology: nuclear Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics Online, April 23 submariners. The U.S. Navy operates 14 Ohio-class ballistic University researchers have discovered that missile submarines, with at least five to six at sea at any quantum communications are possible with submerged given time. A typical deterrent patrol lasts an average of 70 objects in turbulent water. The revelation means it might days, during which time the submarines do their best to someday be possible for the National Command Authority hide in the vastness of the world’s oceans and await orders to use quantum communications to securely communicate to fire their missiles. with underwater submarines, particularly those that make An Ohio-class submarine at sea is America’s ace in up part of the nuclear triad. the hole, ensuring that hundreds of nuclear warheads can According to IEEE Spectrum, researchers at the survive a surprise nuclear attack on the U.S. The idea is that University of Ottawa have demonstrated their ability to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 FROM PAGE ONE Navy Targets Sub-Launched Hypersonic Test this strategy deters an enemy from launching an attack By Mid 2020s in the first place. All of this makes secure, reliable Paul McCleary, Breaking Defense.com, April 10 communications with submarines extremely important. WASHINGTON: The Navy plans to test its A third party that could read messages between the developmental hypersonic missile from a submarine by “boomers” at sea and the Pentagon could determine the mid-2020s, and is pushing the burgeoning program their position and sink them. through a series of static tests this year to demonstrate Quantum communications is far from technologies as it gears up to equipping its Virginia- broadband-level bandwidth, but it is enough to send class submarines with the weapon. “Our goal is to have an early capability in the mid ‘20s,” simple, coded messages to submarines at sea. China is said Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director of the Navy’s also reportedly looking into quantum communications Strategic Systems Programs. “We’re trying to take a to communicate with its submarines, and other methodical approach to this, as we work through this to undersea nuclear powers will likely follow suit. make sure we get it right.” The weapon is being developed through a ********************************************* unique partnership between the Navy and Army, in Thought of the Week which the Army buys the glide body for both services, while the Navy buys the rocket booster. After rounds of "Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way joint tests, like the successful launch last month, each that everybody believes he got the biggest piece." service will customize the missile for its own particular --- Sherry Rothfield needs: the Army plans to field a battery of four truck- borne launchers in 2023 while the Navy will take a few more years to work out the more complicated design ********************************************* specifications of a sea-launched version set to fly from Gabriel came to the Lord and said, "I have to Virginia-class submarines. talk to you. We have some Sub Sailors up here who arc Late last month, the two services launched their causing problems. They're swinging on the pearly gates. Common Hypersonic Glide Body from the Pacific Missile my horn is missing, breakfast SOS is all over their robes, Range in Hawaii. It was the second successful test of the they're racing the chariots, and they're wearing dixie C-HGB, about a year-and-a-half after the first test in cups and piss cutters instead of their halos. They refuse October 2017. to keep the ladder to heaven clean. There are beer cans For the rest of this year, the Navy is doubling all over the place. Some of them are walking around down on its boosters, conducting a series of static fire with just one wing." tests to collect data before another test firing. “We’ve been crawling. Now we’re starting to walk where we’re The Lord said, "Sub Sailors are Submariners, going to get the booster design done — we’re going to Gabriel. Heaven is home to all my children. If you want static test this year — and then we will start to truly, to know about real problems, call the Devil." truly run,” Wolfe said. The Devil answered the phone, "Hello? Hold on a In the fiscal 2021 budget request, the Navy minute." The Devil returned to the phone, "O.K., I'm asked for $1 billion to fund work on the Conventional back. What can I do for you?" Prompt Strike program. Budget documents said the Gabriel replied, "I just want to know what kind of program will “enable precise and timely strike problems you're having down there." capability in contested environments across surface and The Devil said, "Hold on again. I need to check sub-surface platforms.” It targeted fiscal 2028 for on something." fielding on a Virginia-class submarine with Virginia After about 5 minutes the Devil returned to the Payload Module. Placing the weapon on Virginia subs would allow the US phone and said. "I'm back. Now what was the to strike any target anywhere on the planet within question?" minutes, giving the Navy an unprecedented quick-strike Gabriel said, "What kind of problems are you punch that would help in contested environments having down there?" around the first island chain in the Pacific, where the The Devil said, "Man. I don't believe this....Hold Chinese buildup has most concerned the US and its on." This time the Devil was gone 15 minutes. He allies. returned and said "I'm sorry Gabriel, I can't talk right The Virginia Payload Module gives the now. Those damn A-Gangers have put out my fire and submarines space for 28 additional missile tubes, for a are trying to install air conditioning." total of 40 missiles per boat. The additional missile tubes will help the Navy fill part of the gap that will be left when the four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines begin leaving the fleet in the mid-2020s. Report on the Columbia-class Nuclear • the potential impact of the Columbia-class program on funding that will be available for other Navy programs, Ballistic Missile Submarine Program including other shipbuilding programs; and Staff, USNI, May 20 • potential industrial-base challenges of building both The Columbia (SSBN-826) class program is a program to Columbia-class boats and Virginia-class attack submarines design and build a class of 12 new ballistic missile (SSNs) at the same time. submarines (SSBNs) to replace the Navy’s current force of ********************************************* 14 aging Ohio-class SSBNs. The Navy has identified the Have You Heard? Columbia-class program as the Navy’s top priority program. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia- class boat in FY2021. Research and development work on Words the program has been underway for several years, and 1. The meaning of opaque is unclear.