Naval capabilities
A Virginia-class submarine, designed to limit acoustic and magnetic signature emissions, making it more difficult to locate.
targets before they even had time to react. More broadly, the SSN(X)s will probably be quieter than their predecessors, all the better to attack enemy vessels without being spotted. Like the 52 attack submarines already in the US repertoire, they’ll partly achieve this stealthiness by relying on nuclear reactors.
Aside from boasting practically unlimited range,
nuclear-powered submarines are also much quieter than diesel alternatives – the lack of nuclear- powered vessels in the Franco-Australian deal might explain why Canberra reneged on the offer. At the same time, the future vessels could come with even more sophisticated equipment. Though both Clark and Sutton both emphasise that the idea is still very much under development, that could extend to so-called ‘sailless’ features. This essentially means the SSN(X) would dispense with the ‘sail’ – or ‘fin’ – normally sticking out at the top. That would make them even more discrete and aerodynamic – though would also mean the crew wouldn’t have an easy way of leaving the vessel above the waterline.
Dire straits
Whatever the SSN(X) ultimately becomes, its role in the future of US naval operations is clearer. Sutton says it’ll be “a vital element” of US strategy, both in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere. Clark concurs, especially when it comes to the question of China. If tensions in the Taiwan Strait ever boil over, he says submarines like the SSN(X)s would be crucial in sinking Chinese troop transports before they ever reached Taipei. That’s doubly true given Chinese attempts to combat the effectiveness of the US’s existing fleet. Among other things, Beijing plans to put sensors at strategic chokepoints on the ocean floor, aiming to catch the Virginias before they can do any damage (or anyway gain useful information on Chinese troop movements). That’s bolstered by patrol aircraft and warships –
and even low-orbit satellites specifically designed for spotting enemy vessels underwater. The existing Virginia-class submarines can probably dodge some of these traps already, particularly given how they’re designed. Built to limit the emission of acoustic and magnetic signatures, they’re already hard to spot. Even so, the SSN(X) are likely to be even quieter, only confirming the US’s status as the predominant sea power in the Pacific. And if anything, the importance of these vessels to Washington planners can be seen in the fact that they’re avowedly bipartisan. Unlike practically everything else in the US today, investment in future submarines has been supported by the last three administrations, including that of Donald Trump.
“The SSN(X) baseline design is expected to capitalise on the acoustic and sensor performance, operational availability, and speed and payload capacities of Virginia, Columbia, and Seawolf-class submarines.”
Rear Admiral Douglas Perry, US Navy
Beyond things like sailless design, meanwhile, there’s a possibility that the submarines of tomorrow will include even more outlandish kit. One of the most curious is automation, whereby submarines patrol the depths but are piloted by crew somewhere else. Sutton is careful to warn that “we are a long way from seeing uncrewed submarines replacing” manned vessels – but does say they could soon conduct missions closer to shore, with regular attack submarines acting as “mother” to a brood of torpedo-armed kids. Assuming they finally arrive, perhaps President Biden should consider offering a few to his Gallic friends across the sea. A second submarine snub is surely more than even this oldest of alliances could bear. ●
Defence & Security Systems International /
www.defence-and-security.com
52 Forbes 29
The number of attack submarines currently possessed by the US.
Chief Petty Officer Amanda Gray / US Navy
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