Minimum crew to operate a sub?

ikalugin · 12-07-17, 04:07 PM

Reactor controls?

Maintenance/repairs?

Shifts?

Life support (cooking/medical)?

The smallest crew on a proper (non midget) SSN that I remember was that of Alfa, with 29 (later 32) men on board. However Alfas was not intended for at-sea internal maintenance so your patrol may be fairly short. Alfa had 8 man shifts.

speed150mph · 12-10-17, 03:02 PM

I tend to agree with ikalugin. Your looking at way more then 6. Depends on how far away this island paradise of yours is, you may be able to cut the stores people, cooks, janitorial.

But to sail an SSN your going to still need a full reactor watch, crew handling the propulsion and auxiliary machinery. I'm the control room your going to need a navigator, and I believe that in the LA class that you had a helmsman and two planes man. You will need someone at the ballast controls.

The thing is that american naval doctrine is very much crew intensive on ships and subs. That's why the crew size on an American submarine is so large. You may be able to get away with a handful of men on a Russian submarine Because they incorporated far more automation in their sub designs then western subs. If you take a look at the crew of a Russian sub a fair number of that crew is officers.

Mr Quatro · 12-11-17, 05:54 PM

Don't forget port and starboard watches plus weapons in case you run into trouble on the way to paradise would come in handy.

Actually in port a sub always has at least a one watch crew on hand for getting underway with or without the rest of the crew.

12-07-17, 04:07 PM	#1
ikalugin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Moscow, Russia Posts: 3,212 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Reactor controls? Maintenance/repairs? Shifts? Life support (cooking/medical)? The smallest crew on a proper (non midget) SSN that I remember was that of Alfa, with 29 (later 32) men on board. However Alfas was not intended for at-sea internal maintenance so your patrol may be fairly short. Alfa had 8 man shifts. __________________ Grumpy as always.

12-10-17, 03:02 PM	#2
speed150mph Electrician's Mate Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 132 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	I tend to agree with ikalugin. Your looking at way more then 6. Depends on how far away this island paradise of yours is, you may be able to cut the stores people, cooks, janitorial. But to sail an SSN your going to still need a full reactor watch, crew handling the propulsion and auxiliary machinery. I'm the control room your going to need a navigator, and I believe that in the LA class that you had a helmsman and two planes man. You will need someone at the ballast controls. The thing is that american naval doctrine is very much crew intensive on ships and subs. That's why the crew size on an American submarine is so large. You may be able to get away with a handful of men on a Russian submarine Because they incorporated far more automation in their sub designs then western subs. If you take a look at the crew of a Russian sub a fair number of that crew is officers. __________________ Americans make better submarines? No my friend, Russia makes better submarines, Americans just make better computers

12-11-17, 05:54 PM	#3
Mr Quatro Navy Seal Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 6,772 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Don't forget port and starboard watches plus weapons in case you run into trouble on the way to paradise would come in handy. Actually in port a sub always has at least a one watch crew on hand for getting underway with or without the rest of the crew. __________________ pla•teau noun a relatively stable level, period, or condition a level of attainment or achievement Lord help me get to the next plateau ..