Week 4 Pro Knowledge

I.         Mission Definition – The mission of Undersea Warfare (USW) is to deny the enemy effective use of the undersea environment and the capability to prosecute offensive undersea warfare. This can be accomplished through various active and passive means that do not necessarily entail destroying the enemy’s platforms.

 

II.       History

A.       1st American attempt at subs: Turtle in 1776

B.       1st American sub attack: CSS Hunley sunk Union ship in the Civil War (it sunk itself afterwards)

C.       1st commissioned US sub: USS Holland (SS-1)

D.       1st practical use: WWI – German U-boats nearly starved UK by sinking so many convoys

E.       WWII: US lost 59 subs (“eternal patrol” [41 to enemy action])

F.       Only 2 subs lost since WWII: USS Scorpion (SSN-589), USS Thresher (SSN-593)

G.       Design

1.        Diesel Engines on surface and electric engines underwater

2.        Batteries ran out quickly; had to resurface and recharge with diesel engines

3.        1950s: Admiral Rickover directed 1st SSN: USS Nautilus (SSN-571)

 

III.     Operations

A.       Types of Submarine Operations

1.        Peacetime Ops – support US defense agenda through flexible forward presence

a.        Deployments, Combined Exercises and Operations, Port Visits, Military-to-military relations

2.        Surveillance / Intelligence / Reconnaissance – transmit real-time info, collect intel; unseen eyes & ears

3.        Special Operations – inserting small forces when surprise essential; collecting tactical intelligence

4.        Precision Strike – Tomahawk  cruise miles, accurate to 650mi

5.        Sea Denial – denies access to high risk areas

6.        Deterrence – SSBN – nuclear deterrence (14 active today); SSN – exert pressure with minimal risk (54 active today)

 

IV.     Abilities

A.       Stealth – gives 5 advantages: Covertness, Surprise, Survivability, Total offense, Uncertainty, Non-provocative

B.       Endurance – can remain on station for months without support

C.       Firepower – diverse weapons which allow them to attack land and sea targets

D.       Mobility – can maintain high speed for years

 

Platform

Strength

Weakness

Submarine

- Stealthy; “In the medium”

- MK-48 ADCAP

- Good acoustic sensors

- Difficult to contact underwater

 

Surface Vessel

- Large payload

- Command, control, and communications capability

- Can coordinate with aircraft

- Difficult to detect subs

- vulnerable to subs

 

Aircraft

- Speed

- Large radar coverage

- Not vulnerable to subs

- Low on station time

- Small payload

 

 

V.       Basic Overview of Platforms

A.       SS (K) – Submarine (K = Coastal)

1.        “Conventional boats”

2.        Diesel and electric propulsion

3.        Most widespread type of sub

B.       SSN – Nuclear-powered Attack Submarine

1.        Much more endurance and power than SSK

2.        Do not need to resurface or snorkel to charge batteries

3.        Food and weapons limit endurance (rather than fuel)

a.        Virginia Class is first sub designed since the Cold War; littoral warfare, ISR, insertion, and mission reconfigurable modules

C.       SSG(N) – Guided (Cruise) Missile Submarines (Nuclear)

1.        Carry missiles designed to attack surface ships or lands targets

2.        Used primarily by Russia, China; US has SSGN conversion program

a.        First 4 Ohio SSBNs are being converted

b.        Will carry 154 tomahawks, 60 spec forces, 2 Adv. Seal Delivery Vehicles

D.       SSBN – Ballistic Missile Submarines

1.        Not designed to engage vessels; has torpedo tubes for self-defense

2.        Used by: US, UK, France, China, Russia

 

 

VI.     Weapons

A.       Mk48 ADCAP Torpedo

1.        Principal US heavyweight torpedo

2.        21” diameter, 4000 lb, 650 lb warhead, 55 knots, 35000 yards

3.        Pre-programmed search, active seeker head (or manual guidance wire)

4.        “Break the back” of its target (blows up underneath it; air pocket forms; ship’s keel snaps)

B.       Mk50 Torpedo

1.        Successor to Mk46; Faster, Quieter, Deeper

2.        Similar weight and dimensions so launchable from Mk46 torpedo tube

3.        Shaped charge warhead – Better tracking and detection sensors, less easily fooled by countermeasures

C.       UGM-109 Tomahawk (Ship to Ground Missile)

1.        Launched from 21” torpedo tube or VLS on LA Class Subs

D.       Mk67 SLMM (Submarine Launched Mobile Mine)

1.        Used to mine inaccessible or enemy territory

2.        Self-propelled (so sub doesn’t have to enter area to plant mine)

E.       Trident C4/D5 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile)

1.        Long-range ballistic missiles on Ohio Class SSBNs

2.        Each missile has Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs) (multiple warheads)

 

VII.   Platforms

Name

SSN-688 and 688i Los Angeles-class Attack Sub

SSN-21 Seawolf-class Attack Sub

Visual ID

 

 

12 Vertical Launch Tubes in the bow

Wake will cover hull when U/W

No tapered front of sail

Larger than 688

Tapered sail  & Bow Planes

Mission

ASW/SUW/Sea Denial/ISR/Strike/Mining/Spec Ops

Same as 688 except no mining

Weapons     

Mk48, 67; UGM-109

Same as 688

Capabilities

Can fire UGM from VLS torpedo tubes

Special mast to conduct ISR

Can fire UGMs from torp tubes

Crew

13 O, 121 E

14 O; 126 E

Power

S6G

S9G

Len & Beam

360’ & 33’

453’ & 40’

          

 

Name

SSN-726 Virginia-class Attack Sub

SSBN-726 Ohio-class Ballistic Missile Sub

Visual ID

Larger than 688, smaller than 21

Tapered sail and bow planes

Large “turtleback”

Hull stays dry on surface

Mission

Same as 688

Primary:  Deterrence

Secondary: ASW/SUW/Sea Denial/ISR

Weapons        

Same as 688

Trident II D5 SLBM

MK 48 ADCAP

Capabilities

Can fire UGM from VLS torpedo tubes

Modules can be replaced based on mission reqs

Carries up to 24 SLBMs.  Large platform allows for spec ops.

Crew

14 O 120 E

15 O, 140 E

Power

S9W

S8G

Len & Beam

377’ & 34’

560’ & 42’