SSN Seawolf, Connecticut, Jimmy Carter maximum speed

Gents, if there is one thing you should take with a pinch of salt in the UNCLAS world of published statistics it is speed and range values given for warships!.

Jonesy, I think, or I would hope, that most of us are aware of that. True performance figures are still classified when it comes to cutting edge submerged forces. However, the Soviet subs in question, especially the Alfa have been tracked doing incredible submerged speeds, in fact speeds that sent shivers through NATO at the time. If I recall, the Alfa’s vaunted speed helped spawn the development of the American Mk.48 ADCAP and Mk.50 LW torpedos, and the British Spearfish too I think? While it is true to say that what we see in the UNCLASSIFIED world are probably at best estimates, it is also true to say that some subs have INDEED achieved speeds in excess of 40knts submerged and could have, with experimental reactors like the old liquid metal-cooled type, sustained that speed for some time.

Indian,

You’d be greatly suprised then!. Deploying a surface force any great distance at speed means, at minimum, scheduling UNREP capability to replenish bunkers after the speed run. Only after that kind of evolution is complete do you have an effective military force on station. If there is no UNREP available…well………….!

SSN’s on the other hand are, obviously, unlimited by such pedestrian concerns as fuelling limitations and tend to store up for high-endurance deployment by default. They are, therefore, by nature perfectly suited to short-notice rapid deployments and, with increasingly sophisticated ESM/CESM kit embarked these days and an increasing precision land-attack capability, are being seen now as primary theatre-entry systems.

Transoceanic sprints by SSN’s are not uncommon now and won’t be decreasing in frequency any time in the near future!.

the ‘leading’ SSNs are said to have a ‘quiet speed’ of 20-25 knots.
and they can all dive plenty deep.

blazing sprints are seldom used methinks.

Gents, if there is one thing you should take with a pinch of salt in the UNCLAS world of published statistics it is speed and range values given for warships!.

Those figures, if obtained accurately by an adversary, would give away a SIGNIFICANT tactical advantage to that adversary. There is little chance therefore you will see anything verging on reality therefore.

Whilst it is true that western SSN’s do discretion over pace it must be remembered that speed runs, for rapid deployment, are one of the primary advantages of the nuclear Fleet submarine. No SSN navy, barring perhaps the French historically, would allow the performance advantage of those boats to be compromised too heavily. It is too significant a capability to be wasted.

That PAPA may have been timed at 44knts and claim some form of record, but, that was a one-off hull and the Russians may have seen some more advantage in the PR of that claim than the letting slip of tactical data on one ‘white elephant’. That is, of course, dependent on the fact that the PAPA could actually maintain its 44knts for a practical timespan without blowing its reactor out the stern!!!.

There’s not much thats magical ’bout 40knts on the clock.

Whlie 44.7 knots might be an “official” record, the Alfa class was generally acknowledged to be faster than that …

Isn’t max tactical/quiet speed 20 knots?

Probably Google, but I was saying that at 40kts the 2nd generation Papa class SSGN is probably going to make more noise than the SEA WOLF at the same speed.

The Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) is 12,158 tons submerged while SSN-21 and SSN-22 are 9,137 tons submerged. It is extended 100 feet aft of the sail to accomodate the Multi-Mission Platform.

Isn’t max tactical/quiet speed 20 knots?

Jane’s Fighting ships states that the max. speed of SSN-21,22 is 39 knots. SSN-23 is heavier and has the same reactor so it should be slower.
There were rumors that the Seawolf had exceeded the highest speed ever by a manned submersible,44+knots by the Papa type SSGN

In 1970 and 44.7kts was the official record. But I bet the modern day Sea Wolf class is a HELL of lot quiter at 40kts than the Papa class at the same speed!

And there were so many doubters who voiced their worries that propulsors wouldn’t produce the speeds that traditional screws did…

Its longer and heavier than the first two of the class. Designed for more special ops missions…………………………i.e. Navy Seals 😀

Why is SSN-23 heavier?