real life question about the Virginias and Seawolfs

[GrayFox]

I have read somewhere that the Seawolf class SSN is quieter than the Virginia class.

I was wondering if it was true or not.

And if it is quieter do you think the budget cut on the new SSN class responsible for the virginia not being quieter?

[Henson]

You'll never know.

[SeaQueen]

Originally Posted by Henson

You'll never know.

I was wondering how long it'd take someone to say something like that.

[Henson]

For future reference, inquiries like that are viewed with suspicion, even in friendly forums like this one. Sometimes it's better to wonder at the truth than to get an answer over the open internet.

The reality? I don't know either. I haven't had any reason to know yet. The kernel of logic that resides in my soul, however, suspects that sound silencing technology has probably advanced substantially in the last decade.

The answer to that question is always more complicated than not, because it also includes variables such as operating lineups and speed. I'm willing to bet that a 688 at AA1 is quieter than a Collins at flank.

[ASWnut101]

I remember watching a show about this subject and it said that the Virginia would be quieter when running very slow, but the Seawolf would still have a higher Tactical Speed.....

[SeaQueen]

Originally Posted by Henson

Sometimes it's better to wonder at the truth than to get an answer over the open internet.

I always think it's more fun to watch people try to answer them and debate it. They're often wrong, but it's always fun to see the way these things are arrived at.

The answer to that question is always more complicated than not, because it also includes variables such as operating lineups and speed. I'm willing to bet that a 688 at AA1 is quieter than a Collins at flank.

It also depends on the frequency of the sounds and the environment in which the submarine is operating. One submarine might have a higher SL at one particular frequency but if that one is lower than the cutoff frequency of the duct in which the two submarines we're comparing are in, then the one's noise might just get soaked up into the ocean, while the other suffers minimal transmission loss for tens of miles.

Sometimes I think people don't always understand the nuances of what they're really asking. Comparing sonar performance can be like comparing fine wines...

[Henson]

Originally Posted by SeaQueen

Comparing sonar performance can be like comparing fine wines...

Great image. It's an apt comparison. Usually the people doing the comparing (be it wine or sonar) have no idea what they're talking about.

I prefer to tell you up front: I don't know. Sonar is not my thing, and sound transmission is not my area of expertise or interest. What I am interested in is relative motion and the tactical application of all of the science behind sonar (ie what is my torpedo going to acquire and why).