CGI submarine I knocked up, ideas wanted

[ETR3(SS)]

Originally Posted by Axeman3d

OK, here's my attempt at a quick SSN design. It's not pretty or cool looking, but it makes sense to me. US subs have been getting slower, heavier and more shallow diving over the past 40 years, so i decided it was time to reverse that trend.

Orly? Heavier? Yes they have because they have gotten larger. Slower? No, overall speed increased as new classes with more powerful reactor plants were produced. Shallow depths? Here the trend changes with the 688 having its max diving depth reduced to save on weight, but this also made it faster in return. The trend changes back with the Seawolf being made of HY 100 steel. But I like the subs your making, very cool!

[Axeman3d]

My reading had made me think that from the Skipjack onwards, US SSNs got larger with no real increase in reactor power, so each successive class was more accomplished and stealthy, but a knot or two slower. Then when you hit the Los Angeles they also go backwards on depth to save cash and you end up with a quieter, slower, shallower diving sub. I dont think there's a lot in it, but until the hugely expensive Seawolf it's all backwards. On the Soviet side the only thing they didn't compromise on in their designs was speed and diving depth.

[ETR3(SS)]

Originally Posted by Axeman3d

My reading had made me think that from the Skipjack onwards, US SSNs got larger with no real increase in reactor power, so each successive class was more accomplished and stealthy, but a knot or two slower. Then when you hit the Los Angeles they also go backwards on depth to save cash and you end up with a quieter, slower, shallower diving sub. I dont think there's a lot in it, but until the hugely expensive Seawolf it's all backwards. On the Soviet side the only thing they didn't compromise on in their designs was speed and diving depth.

Skipjack, Permit, and Sturgeon all used the S5W reactor plant giving them equal power. The speed variance between the three is up for debate. Honestly we don't know how fast each boat could go, but I've heard of the Skipjack going as fast as 40kts. So if that speed were true then certainly Permit and Sturgeon would be slower but not only due to more weight, they also were fitted with a different screw. One with it's focus more on stealth than raw speed. So my response stating that speed increased was based more on a 688-Skipjack speed comparison. The Permit could dive deeper than the Skipjack because it was the first boat made out of HY-80. Same with the Sturgeon, only it lost speed compared to the Permit due to it being larger. The 688 could still go deeper than a Skipjack but could also go faster again. So diving depth increases relative to that of the Skipjack. And then came Seawolf and like all things 80's (big hair) it came with a big price tag.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Axeman3d

Well, I got a bit of stick on some forums for not making a futuristic enough submarine, so I tried again. This time I went deliberately a little overboard on the shape, and I've incorporated a few ideas which seem to be gaining credence. Here's the pics of the work in progress...





Here's my thinking. At the front we have some fancy sonars and passive listening, then immediately behind that would be the bouyancy tank. From there to the conning tower will be weapons bays for modular systems and launchers which can be quickly reloaded or replaced to suit the mission. There are no standard torpedo tubes as such, everything is located in the launch bays.

At the rear you have the habital spaces and a nice platform for special forces to work from. You could moor habitats or SDS style subs no problem, and using helicopters would be easier too. At the rear you have the azipods for steering, fully steerable in X and Y access for thrust vectoring. Each contains several electrically driven impellers in a shaped tube to use pressure to assist in stopping the formation of bubbles which cause cavitation noise. At the rear of the pod an external housing funnels 'clean' water around the wake to further reduce turbulence and noise.

Anything you think I've done completely wrong, bearing in mind I'm just making this stuff up?

Looks nice but I don't like it because of its shape, seems incorrect for a submarine (the Mystic class DSRV was actually built out of three spheres encased in a large sewer pipe), remember a sphere is the optimal shape for a submarine. A square hull will have different amounts of pressure at different points causing a hull failure.

[Axeman3d]

After looking at the shape of the Astute class, I decided to throw out the classic sewer pipe and just make an interesting shape. I went for width rather than height so that I could fit the most vertical launch modular weapons systems for the smallest overall size, and to make piggy-back systems much easier to accomodate. My thinking was that it should be a littoral combat ship, designed for cruise missile and SpecOps missions, as well as the classic anti-ship role. Hence the modularity and azipod steering for improved manoueverability.

A sphere might be the best shape to resist pressure, but not the best for a usable submarine. The elongated body of revolution is probably the best in terms of speed, stealth and decent pressure resistance, which is why I chose it for my SSN. The current round ended sewer pipe shape popular with US subs is a compromised version of that to make it easier to fit habitable spaces inside, without the constantly changing width of the more efficient shape leaving gaps everywhere.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Axeman3d

After looking at the shape of the Astute class, I decided to throw out the classic sewer pipe and just make an interesting shape. I went for width rather than height so that I could fit the most vertical launch modular weapons systems for the smallest overall size, and to make piggy-back systems much easier to accomodate. My thinking was that it should be a littoral combat ship, designed for cruise missile and SpecOps missions, as well as the classic anti-ship role. Hence the modularity and azipod steering for improved manoueverability.

That squared bow on the Astute is not part of the pressure hull so it can have that shape.

A sphere might be the best shape to resist pressure, but not the best for a usable submarine. The elongated body of revolution is probably the best in terms of speed, stealth and decent pressure resistance, which is why I chose it for my SSN. The current round ended sewer pipe shape popular with US subs is a compromised version of that to make it easier to fit habitable spaces inside, without the constantly changing width of the more efficient shape leaving gaps everywhere.

Well someone could make a more hydrodynamic outer hull built around a pressure resistant spheres or cylinders. If you look at a Russian sub Speed and Stealth are functions of the machinery and outer hull while the pressure resistance is a function of the inner hull.

[Axeman3d]

So what you're sayiing is, the external shape doesn't really matter.

If it were to be a particularly deep diving sub I'd worry more about shape, but this is purely meant to be a weapons and spec op platform for littoral waters.

[ETR3(SS)]

Speaking from experience, a large flat deck is a very bad thing to have when in shallow water. Numerous times we've been sucked up to the surface while at a shallow depth. What happens is when near the surface the wave action across that flat deck creates a suction and so pulls the submarine upwards, the larger the flat area the larger the suction force. Just a bit of submarine knowledge I'd thought to share, not trying to stifle your imagination or anything.

[Axeman3d]

You're quite right, I can see how that would happen in any kind of decent swell. It's not something I had considered. Another rethink needed I think.

[Schwieger]

Well, it does have modern technology on it, so I'm sure what we're worring about can be countered

[Axeman3d]

You're right, i could slap on another few thrusters or azipods to give it much more control. However, if i can sort it with a reshape I would be better doing that.

[Axeman3d]

Well, here's another attempt at a more futuristic sub. It has containerised weapon systems in the unmanned fore section, which can be swapped out at any time for other mission packs or weapons systems. Reloading would involve unplugging the empty and plugging in a new one, with the reloading of the packs being done ashore at your leisure. You could also have a dry dock or wet garage for minisubs, with a link to the inhabited rear section via a tunnel link.

I have yet to work out how I will propel this thing, I'm going to try a couple of ideas for this. Here's how it looks so far, length about 140m at this point. The weapons packs were based on 25 x Tomahawk missiles at 6.5m long (with boosters) and .52m wide. The body is much more hydrodynamic this time, less flat along the top and more futuristic looking for added effect.

[TLAM Strike]

Very nice, looks like something that might do battle with the SeaQuest DSV.

Maybe add a pair of sea water intakes forward and a pair of exhausts aft for a pair of MHD.

[Axeman3d]

Yeah, thats the next move for this one.

[XabbaRus]

Cool

I was talking to Neal about having a sub design contest.

Something real too aprat from building the thing.

Have a set of specs and a team designs a sub. Best sub wins.