USN commissions new attack sub USS Virginia

well…there are other stupids miths about the subs, like that famous “crazy ivan” maneuver (that the russian navy has denied) i mean whats the problem of hunter sub to keep persecuting the bomer sub???? it canot also make an 180º turn behind the bomer???? :rolleyes: the better tactic is an quiet inmersion ( in which russian subs had certain advantage)
, that invention was the pretext of the sub collision, that in fact was the result of tactics betwen russian-american sub, the rusian entering in patrol speed (quiet) an the american deaf sonar subs -at medium/high speed- hurried to the zone of the last contact, sometimes this finished in a collision, i canot think that as much people have believed that stupidity, all for the american supremacy (btw im not supporting the ruskis -to hell with both (american-rusians), i just dont like that arrogant propaganda) 😎

I am sure Bin laden was/is a excellent skipper! I mean what boy hasnt tried to skip stones on water :O

this is just the armed forces getting in on the act in all the frenzy, they would be better served to use the money to employ more “intelligence men” (differs from men with intelligence as the “iraq can bomb us within 40min” claim has proven.)

I don’t see these subs are directly effective against AQ or OBL type terrorists unless they start to camp along the coast.

No, these subs are there (other than a normal SSN type hunterkiller mission) for crawling around NK, China and Iran’s coasts.

But least we forget how the US and its analyst dosent forget to brag about the fact that how quite the US subs are and how they could hear a Russian subs from miles apart without the russian not even being aware of the fact that they are being tracked etc etc the story goes on.

The bad reputation of the russian subs (ssbn) in fact was by the tactics, the requierements were diferent between american- russian subs, the 60-70s russians subs just ran like hell (fast and noisly) trough the north sea at high power (thats the reason of more fast ssbn) to -believe or not- reduce the probability of detection (runing in patrol speed until reach the missile range at such distance is simply stupid),the tactic basicaly was good, the commanders knew that all the nato navy was behind the sub in the first stage but reaching patrol areas (or near) the subs were quiet in secure places.

Is funny when the people starts with the “walkers secrets”, and the russians “feared” by those revelations changed their tactics :rolleyes: , but in the 80s yankes subs even were near of the american coast :rolleyes: , even considering turn that subs in ssn :rolleyes: :rolleyes: , other funy “fact” was that the russian subs retireded to their secure “bastions”, but those “experts” dont considered the missile technology advances :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

thats debatible, subs tactics and tech are very, very more complex than “the hunt of the red october”, anyway thats for another thread.

True Indeed thats sub tactics are very different and complicated , But least we forget how the US and its analyst dosent forget to brag about the fact that how quite the US subs are and how they could hear a Russian subs from miles apart without the russian not even being aware of the fact that they are being tracked etc etc the story goes on.
Yes long time no news about Severodvinsk whats happening , yes borei is coming up very well , i guees its their prioirity for ssbn rather than SSN
Or its just that they are happy with their Akula-2/3 and they believe that they have acquired the parity required.

Well that surprise noise level start -oficially- with the victor3 class (but the yankees class in fact were quiet subs) there are an huge propaganda-interpretations in this topic

Akulas give LA SSNs a good run for their money .. weapons loadout a starting point..

and their noise levels came “as a surprise” to the west. (www.globalsecurity.org)

With 2 hulls now complete for the SSBN Borey, where is the Severodvinsk??

True , but the US subs are more silent and more capable than its Russian counterpart ,

thats debatible, subs tactics and tech are very, very more complex than “the hunt of the red october”, anyway thats for another thread.

hmm, the problem is, when you do encounter a terrorist that IS an excellent skipper…
Does SeaWolf have VLS?

I am sure Bin laden was/is a excellent skipper! I mean what boy hasnt tried to skip stones on water :O

this is just the armed forces getting in on the act in all the frenzy, they would be better served to use the money to employ more “intelligence men” (differs from men with intelligence as the “iraq can bomb us within 40min” claim has proven.)

hmm, the problem is, when you do encounter a terrorist that IS an excellent skipper…
Does SeaWolf have VLS?

The next weapon the US is going to use in the fight on terror is the newly developed Death Star space battle fortress….. :rolleyes:

The Virginia is the Seawolf, but cheaper. It is not as fast, but it can manuver better in littorals because it is much smaller. The sensor suite is almost identical. Both subs have max tactical speed(speed at which they can run and still remain undetected) of 25 knots, which is leaps and bounds above the 688 boats who go about 8 knots. Another major difference is that the Seawolves carry a combo of 50 ADCAP/Tomahawk/Harpoons + VLS tubes. The Virginia carries half that load.

hmm… two operational areas comes to mind. Crawling around in the Yellow Sea and the Hormuz, ESM and SIGINT gear up.

War on terror, hardly, since terrorists havent shown themselves to be excellent skippers (the last one blew his boat up!). On the other hand, certain ahem… states in those regions have nasty toys and isnt really friendly to their immediate neighbours, even nominal allies.

US subs will never be as slick looking as the Russian Akulas/Severodvinsks

True , but the US subs are more silent and more capable than its Russian counterpart , How does the virginia compare with SeaWolf in terms of sliencing and weapons package , whats the latest we have on Severodvinsk

US subs will never be as slick looking as the Russian Akulas/Severodvinsks

The SSN774’s real value on the WOT will be its intel gathering abilities close to “areas of interest” and its SOF insertion/extraction abilities.

For everything else, there’s Tom Blk IVs and ADCAPs 🙂

well the smart smugglers are best caught with a simple OPV armed with a boarding party, a few HMGs, a 3″ gun and a helicopter.

not everything needs the Tom Clancy flavour 🙂

every govt in such “troubled” regions is co-operating in the
war on terror. some have taken it to extent of shooting up poor illegal migrants and parade them as “al-qaeda” to score brownie points 😡

All from USN website:

http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18255

041018-N-2820Z-002 Naval Station Norfolk, Va. (Oct. 18, 2004) – The Navy’s newest attack submarine, PCU Virginia (SSN 774), pulls into port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., in preparation for her commissioning on October 23, 2004. Virginia is the Navy’s only major combatant ready to join the fleet that was designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind and embodies the war fighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Andy Zask (RELEASED)

http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18256

041018-N-2820Z-003 Naval Station Norfolk, Va. (Oct. 18, 2004) – The Navy’s newest attack submarine, PCU Virginia (SSN 774), pulls into port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., in preparation for her commissioning on October 23, 2004. Virginia is the Navy’s only major combatant ready to join the fleet that was designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind and embodies the war fighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Andy Zask (RELEASED)

http://www.news.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=18254

041018-N-2820Z-001 Naval Station Norfolk, Va. (Oct. 18, 2004) – The Navy’s newest attack submarine, PCU Virginia (SSN 774), pulls into port at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., in preparation for her commissioning on October 23, 2004. Virginia is the Navy’s only major combatant ready to join the fleet that was designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind and embodies the war fighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist Seaman Andy Zask (RELEASED)

Its vague certainly but, strictly by the letter of what was written, the claim is accurate.

The new boats greater littoral optimisation will give the USN improved capabilities in covert COMINT surveillance and as a covert insertion platform for SpecFor teams.

An SSN also makes for a tremendously effective platform for shadowing ‘suspect’ merchant vessels – shipping still being the widely preferred method for weapons smuggling etc. A smart smuggler could try and chart a course through shallows/cluttered littorals to try and shake a pursuer if he where to believe one might be present. Obviously improved shallow water performance will make a Virginia much harder to lose than a 688 or T-class.

These may seem like marginal missions for such an expensive platform, but, with the SSNs inherent high, unsupported, endurance they can be very, very useful theatre surveillance assets.

Of course the ability to lob a couple of TACTOM’s downrange at short notice is quite a handy card to have up ones sleeve as well!.

Just because the USA is fighting a war on terror today doesn’t mean the USA will not be fighting a conventional war tomorrow that will acquire new attack submarines.

Ah, but they said in the article, ‘ “We cannot ever blink. We cannot ever flinch. We cannot yield,” said Warner, a former Navy secretary. “This ship will very definitely play a role in that war on terror.” ‘

and

The $2.2 billion nuclear-powered USS Virginia differs from other submarines because it can not only roam the ocean depths but also get close to shore in shallow water, which Navy officials say is important in fighting terrorism.

I doubt that the Virginia will be able to play a better war on terror than say, the existing Seawolf or 688 boats.

Just because the USA is fighting a war on terror today doesn’t mean the USA will not be fighting a conventional war tomorrow that will acquire new attack submarines.