US Navy Preparing for Next-Generation Attack Submarine SSN(X) Decisions in 2024

[Onkel Neal]

Lots of interesting naval news topics lately, here's one:

Navy Preparing for Next-Generation Attack Submarine SSN(X) Decisions in 2024

Though the Virginia-class attack submarine program (SSN-774) is still going strong, delivering boats ahead of schedule and below original cost estimates, the Navy needs to start planning the next generation of attack submarines soon, according to the program executive office for submarines.

PEO Subs executive director George Drakeley said last week at the annual Naval Submarine League symposium that an analysis of alternatives for the next-generation sub, or SSN(X), would take place in 2024.

To prepare for that milestone, PEO Subs has created a future capabilities group to begin studying what the operating environment might look like in the 2050 timeframe, what technologies submarines would require to be successful in that environment, and what enablers the research and development community can start working on now to set up the future program for success, he said.

“We’re already putting together a team to look at, what does the future submarine after Virginia need to look like? This is looking forward just as the Ohio Replacement Program is looking forward, but it’s important that we do this now,” Drakeley said.

“We need to identify the technologies that we’re going to need out in the future years in the attack submarine business. … This is going to be a submarine that will have to be better integrated with [unmanned underwater vehicles] and other sensors and other capabilities that we maybe haven’t even thought of yet.”

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Here's another, although a bit informal, I think it mirrors a lot of thoughts I have had about the Seawolf vs Virginia class.

The Seawolf Submarine – As A New Cold War Heats Up Did The USA Stop Production Too Soon?

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/27/th...#ixzz3pyTtBR17

The Seawolf was intended to be a response to the Akula and Sierra classes – and it is arguably the best submarine to ever prowl the ocean depths. With eight torpedo tubes, and the ability to hold 50 weapons (any mixture of Tomahawk cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, or Mk 48 torpedoes), it packed a lot more firepower than any previous American submarine. It also used HY-100 steel, which allowed it to dive deeper, and made it tougher, than any previous American submarine.

The first 12 submarines were slated to cost $33.6 billion – or about $2.8 billion per submarine, and as many as 29 were planned. But when the Berlin Wall fell, interest in Seawolf quickly did so as well. The class was halted at three units, and the Navy began development on a new submarine that became the Virginia-class which was, in essence, a warmed over Los Angeles hull with some Seawolf technology.

[ikalugin]

It is no brainer really - hard kill counter torps, unmaned vehicles, distributed super large aperture sonar, new powerplant, retun to the alfa class sized crews due to automation.

Then there are optional things such as composite hull.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

It is no brainer really - hard kill counter torps, unmaned vehicles, distributed super large aperture sonar, new powerplant, retun to the alfa class sized crews due to automation.

Then there are optional things such as composite hull.

What do you mean by "hard kill" ?

Some more info about the VPM:
http://news.usni.org/2013/11/04/navy...design-concept

http://news.usni.org/2015/04/22/hasc...v-attack-boats



I wonder what the downsides are to stretching the Virginia class another 70 feet? Would it degrade performance? Trying to get too much from a single platform?