"I must confess that my imagination refuses to see any sort of submarine doing anything but suffocating its crew and floundering at sea."
-- H. G. Wells
By Alex P. Vidal
GROTON, Connecticut -- United States Navy submarines have developed by leaps and bounds.
US Navy now have three major types of submarines: ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines and cruise missile submarines.
From the conventional diesel-fueled submersible, all combatant submarines are nuclear-powered, according to retired Fil-Am Navyman Reynaldo Amuan, who accompanied this writer in a tour of the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine, here December 5.
The current force is composed of 1. Ohio class (18 in commission) – 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), 4 guided missile submarines (SSGNs); 2. Virginia class (11 in commission, 5 under construction, 2 on order) – fast attack submarines; 3. Seawolf class (3 in commission) – attack submarines; and Los Angeles class (43 in commission, 2 in reserve) – attack submarines
Ballistic subs have a single, strategic mission: carrying nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Attack submarines have several tactical missions, including sinking ships and subs, launching cruise missiles, and gathering intelligence.
AGGRESSIVE
As part of an "aggressive move" to counter and address Russian and Chinese submarine expansion, the US Navy wants to build more attack submarines "at a faster pace than currently planned."
The Navy and its industrial partners have the ability to build 2 Virginia-class submarines per year once production of the Ohio Replacement Program nuclear-armed submarines begins in the 2020s, says The National Interest quoting a former Navy Director of Undersea Warfare.
The current status-quo effort to build two Virginia-Class boat per year, however, will reportedly drop to one as construction of the Ohio Replacement Program, or ORP, begins in the early 2020s.
The Navy has reportedly completed a special analysis of strategic imperatives and industrial base capacity on the issue which has been submitted to Congress for review.
SHORTFALL
Navy leaders have consistently talked about an expected submarine shortfall in the mid 2020s and that more attack submarines were needed to strengthen the fleet and keep stay in front of near-peer rivals such as Russia and China, disclosed The National Interest.
Addressing the US Navy submarine shortage is now reportedly of critical or growing importance given China's growing ability to hit the United States with a nuclear-armed missile.
"The Navy, naturally, seeks to maintain its considerable technological advantage in the undersea domain, something which could increasingly be challenged in coming years," it added.
