The US in the late 60’s and early 70’s set about a replacement SSN to follow on from the Permit and Surgeon classes. It was an interesting design with masts and periscopes and bridge structure that would fold flush with the hull – about 4,800 tons submerged. It was based around the S5G nuclear power plant which would have given it a speed og 30knts plus.
Instead of the CONFORM design US navy proceeded with SSN-688 the Los Angeles class
I have a photo somewhere in a magazine or book – will try and find it and post it. Unless any one out there can post a photo first. Would be nice nice to find out about its dimensions.
By: Ja Worsley - 2nd April 2005 at 17:06
Modernday technologies could make this design work now, imagine if one got into the gulf, very interesting, I’d like to know more please!
By: zajcev - 20th March 2005 at 08:48
Jazz, take a look at book:
Cold War Submarines by Polmar/Moore. There are few pages related to CONFORM design and also few pics (one from them is posted in this thread) 😉
BTW, its very good book.
Cheers
Ivan
By: JAZZ - 20th March 2005 at 00:37
Speed V silence
Certainly raising the masts and periscopes will add extra noise. One of the objectives of the hull design was speed, but also in a closed down configuration with bridge and masts under cover of closely fitted hatches the submarine would move much more siliently through the water without the addition of a large sail.
Operationally submarines would rely on passive sonar and locating technologies – any submarine captain dislikes coming to periscope deapth as there is a greater risk that they will be detected. It is also the time that submarines will travel slowly – why ? beacuse you don’t want to leave a large tell-tale wake behind the periscope. Once a periscope is up – then simply the quastion of noise would be if the sail and extended periscope makes more noise than a slightly taller periscope?
By: fightingirish - 19th March 2005 at 23:40
bet that would have made loads of noise raising those periscopes etc under water…….
Yes, not also the raising but also the noise of water around the big open hatches.
By: coanda - 19th March 2005 at 23:08
bet that would have made loads of noise raising those periscopes etc under water…….
By: JAZZ - 19th March 2005 at 21:51
CONFORM- hull design picture
CONFORM hull design
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March 19, 2005 at 2:40 am