American Littoral Submarine

[Bureaucromancer]

So there's not really much new here, but I like the concept so I'm posting it more for that than artistic value. It's really just my idea of a modernized Barbel class. Aside from actually building them for quiet running I've dropped in a pump jet and x-fins to try and make the thing more suitable for littoral operations. Also replaced the periscopes with the photonics masts from the Virginia class.

I figure that there would probably be room for a diver lockout chamber aft of the fin after crew size reductions with modern levels of automation, but don't have a good sense of the internal configuration of the Barbels. That leads me to the only particularly specific question I have, do people think squeezing in a fuel cell based air independent propulsion system would be realistic with this hull?

Questions, comments, thoughts?

[TimothyC]

While the drawing is alright, the concept is a bit flawed. Barbel's hull was built around a set of systems ranging from engines to sonar, to AC. A new American SSK is liable to not look anything like Barbel at all.

That said, (and this bears repeating) the drawing does look good.

[erik_t]

I'll give some thought to this. As a starting point, the magazine capacity is going to be very small. In the littorals, do you need Harpoon at all? Of course this leads into the usual question, what is the mission for this boat? Where will she operate (in a geopolitical sense)? How does she get there from US bases?

[TimothyC]

I'll give some thought to this. As a starting point, the magazine capacity is going to be very small. In the littorals, do you need Harpoon at all? Of course this leads into the usual question, what is the mission for this boat? Where will she operate (in a geopolitical sense)? How does she get there from US bases?

Well UGM-84 might give you a short range land attack ability, but the range and the fact that you are an SSK might make shooting cruise missiles not the best idea in the world.

[klagldsf]

It's a cute concept, but the USN already has a "littoral submarine," it's called SSN-774 Virginia.

[squizzy]

Very nice to see someone looking at a diesel/Electric submarine concept for use in the Littoral role for the USN. But I do agree with TimothyCs comment about that it would look allot different then using Barbels hull design. Remember Barbel was a 50s design built submarine and was well ahead of its time in hull design, propulsion, electronics/sensors and weaponery for SSKs at the time. But times have changed allot since then and with the age of sub launched guided missile, fuel cell/AIP and computer designing software it could look anywhere from a scaled down version of the current Virginia Class SSN or possibly similar to the latest German, Japanese and Swedish Diesel/Electric designs and yes with the UGMs and Fuel cell/AIP technology added to the hull as you mentioned earlier.

It's a cute concept, but the USN already has a "littoral submarine," it's called SSN-774 Virginia.

Very true in all aspects! But when it comes to price per unit cost both in construction and operating it as well as potential export sales to other American aligned/friendly countries this could become a different ball game though you have to add in the cost of reintroducing as some would call past technology back into service as the USN hasn't operated a frontline SSK since 1989/1990. This will be a interesting thread!

[Thiel]

It's a cute concept, but the USN already has a "littoral submarine," it's called SSN-774 Virginia.

You wouldn't want to bring it into the Baltics though. Nuke boast are all well and good, but at some point their sheer size becomes a hindrance.

[Colombamike]

It's a cute concept, but the USN already has a "littoral submarine," it's called SSN-774 Virginia.

LOL, A BIG JOKE
A Virginia SSN can operate (underwater) in shallow-waters (- than 20/25 meters)
The answer is: NOT

A Virginia SSN was too big to be named "a littoral submarine".
The only littoral capability was:
- Tomahawk capability (for deep strike)
- Special ops (for intelligence & so)
- Sonar and others sensors (for sea-bed survey, anti-mine...)

[Colombamike]

Questions, comments, thoughts?

Yep:
- Your drawing look relatively good but "a newer SSK on older 1950's style hull".
- Your hull look too thinner (too cramped), not enought widder/large

Some "way" for a newer US SSK (in term of design)
French SMX (highly-modular)
http://www.lepoint.fr/images/2010/06/04 ... x_3201.jpg
Future swedish A-26 design
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/images/stor ... ms-A26.jpg
Spanish S-80 design
http://media.defenseindustrydaily.com/i ... ept_lg.jpg

[klagldsf]

It's a cute concept, but the USN already has a "littoral submarine," it's called SSN-774 Virginia.

LOL, A BIG JOKE

So you know more about this sub then the guys who designed and commissioned it, then?