Keeping the blogosphere posted on the goings on of the world of submarines since late 2004... and mocking and belittling general foolishness wherever it may be found. Idaho's first and foremost submarine blog. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me; don't call me at home.)
It's a few weeks old, but here's a Navy NewsStand picture of USS Ohio (SSGN 726) in the Hood Canal last month:
If you download the high-res version here, you'll be able to clearly see both of the Dry Deck Shelters. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about the SSGN conversion to point out any other obvious changes from a normal T-hull, but maybe some of my readers can.
posted by Bubblehead at 12:04 AM
I'm Joel Kennedy -- a married, 50-something year old retired submarine officer and esophageal cancer survivor with three kids who has finally made the transition to civilian life. Politically, I'm a Radical Moderate. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me. Don't call me at home.)
6 Comments:
I have been involved in the conversion project, from the combat system aspect, for the past two years, and have seen many details of the entire conversion project.
Other than the Dry Deck Shelter, much of the changes aren't readily apparent topside - they're mostly below decks.
11/16/2006 7:44 AM
The most visible change topside (other than the dry deck shelter), is the wider topside section just aft of the sail. On a normal 726, the topside superstructure that encloses the outer missile tube hatches is rounded and faired from the sail, all the way aft. On the topside of the SSGNs, the superstructure is several feet wider in the beam for the first four or six tubes.
The reason for it is to accomodate the DDS. Without the DDS installed, it's really apparent, and reminds me almost of the boxy missile tube superstructure of a Russian Delta (but not quite as boxy!)
11/16/2006 8:09 AM
Seems that we have increased our underwater deployment capability quite a bit. Wonder if we are building something somewhere?
11/16/2006 8:34 AM
Sort of in the "not shown here" category: the Navy is pursuing a photonics mast fit-out for the SSGNs, but there are apparently not installed yet.
Ref: http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2004/05-May/12-May-2004/FBO-00583297.htm
11/16/2006 5:13 PM
I am pretty sure this will be how we see the SSGNs, most commonly deployed with 2 DDS. To be honest I think when we don't see 2 DDS, that is when it will be interesting.
The DDS covers the lock out, plus three, four, five, and six, meaning those will be used only for internal storage.
Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten have the mods for supporting payload other than MAC, so those will be for the ASW, MIW, or additional SOF kits.
If I recall, nine and ten have additional access hatches, so they would be best suited for payload deployment that may require personel to access the tubes.
While the 154 tom load is appealing for those looking to rain hell on the bad guy, when it is said and done, at full payload the SSGN will likely never carry more than 98, all in the MACs housed in eleven through twenty-four.
11/17/2006 11:59 AM
I think the wider superstructure was to accommodate the now-canceled ASDS mini-sub. A very large portion of the SEAL-related design work driven by the ASDS. I wonder what will happen to the single one that was built.
Just from a speed/fuel aspect, I would expect DDSs to be forward deployed for the Pac boats, and removed at the end of a deployment cycle (2-crew) for the next boat. That is quite a bit of drag that is only needed in-theater - or transport it in a C-17.
Items like a photonics mast are part of the normal submarine updates (funding-wise), just like a SSN, not part of the SSGN budget.
11/17/2006 1:28 PM
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