America's Killer Next-Gen Submarine with a Weird-Looking Stern

it's 2045 and beneath the waves of the American Coast as the waters heat up with conflict reminiscent of 100 years before a group of Colombia class submarines the world's most advanced submarine mooves silently but with purpose suddenly intelligence comes in a rival nation has launched a surprise assault and one of the colombias is the closest asset already in position unseen and ready with a command the submarine adjust its course utilizing her pesta resist stance and x-shaped Stone for Rapid agile maneuvering through underwater terrain that would challenge any other vessel in moments they're in position the captain gives the order and Columbia's missile tubes come to life once held in reserve for a moment everyone hoped would never come with America at a Crossroads the skies had the vigilance of strategic bombers on the ground an array of landbased missiles stands ready to respond at a moment's notice but America's one true Powerhouse Guardian lies in the ocean steps in January 2024 the US Navy opened the new year with a bang when during the first week of the year the spotlight was on the delivery of the stern section of the first Columbia class submarine to General Dynamic electric boat the Journey of this critical piece covered 400 miles aboard the Holland barge from Virginia to Rhode Island it marked a pivotal step in the construction of the first of her class the USS District of Columbia set to spearhead a fleet meant to renew the backbone of America's maritime might as soon as images of the submarine Stern section were released they captured the attention of military technology enthusiasts and experts across various online platforms notably it wasn't just any Stern this was an x-shaped design submarines maneuver underwater using engines for forward movement and a Rudder for side to side steering they adjust depth using diving planes at the front and back of the vessel traditional Subs use a cruciform design with horizontal and vertical planes controlled by a few rods for basic Maneuvers but the Columbia class adopts an x-shaped Stern offering enhanced control with four separate planes each with its own Rod allowing simultaneous pitch and yaw adjustment the design was pioneered by the Swedish kookum Shipyard and Swedish Navy where the x-shaped stern operated exceedingly well in the notoriously difficult to navigate Baltic Waters this Choice diverges from the traditional configuration seen in Contemporary American submarines as if the first one designed for a US submarine in six decades with the us as albacore featuring it all the way back in the 1960s this design once complex but made feasible with modern Computing allows for more precise movements and now the x-shaped stern is being adopted by many Global Powers however the choice is not merely aesthetic but is filled with benefits and hints at what the United States Navy believes is the short-term future of undersea Warfare there are some physical benefits to the x-shaped stern first without a long Rudder below there's a smaller chance of it hitting the seab bottom while it also allows easier access from swimmer delivery vehicles or sdvs from entering or exiting the sub's dry deck shelter diverging from traditional designs the x-shaped stern on submarines integrates four independently controlled planes this unique Arrangement facilitates enhanced agility and Precision in underwater navigation by offering Superior control over vertical and horizontal movements improving maneuverability and reducing hydrodynamic drag the design also reduces the chance of an accidental dive allowing faster speeds at lower depths with the other configuration if the stern plates lost hydraulic power the weight of the yolked planes could cause them to reposition causing a jam that could send a sub into a full dive below Cruise depth Stern plane Jam is one of the major theories of the tragic USS Thresher submarine disaster that in 1963 resulted in her loss in all 129 crew members during deep diving tests to top it all off it is also crucial for stealth by reducing the submarine's noise signature crucial for evading detection the xep stern optimizes water flow around the propulsor minimizing turbulence and sound a vital element for maintaining the element of surprise and ensuring operational security and hostile environments if a submarine cannot be seen or heard it can't be found attacked or destroyed with these state-of-the-art capabilities designers are set to ensure the Columbia class is survivable throughout its 40-year lifespan and remain ready if necessary for the precise delivery of nuclear warheads by the United States Navy the Columbia class is an upcoming type of subsurface ballistic nuclear or ssbn the first of the type being built by the United States Navy since the 1990s when finished the Columbia class currently under construction by General Dynamics electric boat will be the world's most advanced ssbn and at 2,810 tons and a length of 500 80 ft the largest submarine ever built by the American Navy each submarine will be fitted with 16 tubes for launching trient 2 D5 ballistic missiles starting with the ninth model they will come with an even more upgraded ballistic missile the D5 le2 a joint American and British effort being promoted as the most advanced ballistic missile across the globe the D5 Al 2 is capable of striking several targets simultaneously and features a celestially aided initial navigation system ensuring Precision without relying on GPS according to both navies working together will result in savings of hundreds of millions of dollars notably instead of traditional mechanical systems these submarines convert nuclear-generated energy directly into electricity to power and electric propulsion motor offering quieter operation and potentially greater efficiency with this the Columbia submarines will be able to sail at speeds in excess of 20 knots and operate at depths of around 800 ft the Columbia class will take over the main role of Submarine presence in the United States Navy strategic nuclear force as it is set to replace the Ohio class of ballistic missile submarines or Boomers which are nearing the end of the service lives and set to be decommissioned one per year beginning in the late 2020s following a thorough study of how many submarines would be needed for the United States strategic nuclear force the Navy has a total of 12 submarines planned with construction of the lead boat beginning all the way back in 2021 the ballistic missile submarines are part of the United States nuclear Triad which also consists of landbased missiles and strategic bombers has an integral three prong Strategic Defense to ensure National Security through deterrents out of all three submarines are deemed the most stealthy and also the most capable of survival if faced with a potential nuclear disaster within the Triad the submarine's mission is to keep its position a secret while actively seeking out and engaging enemy targets with its strategic ballistic missile platform the US na powerful submarine Fleet possesses around 70% of the nation's operational nuclear deterrent Arsenal which makes vessels like the Columbia class a vital asset for American Security and they have the price tag to prove it according to the United States Navy's chief of Naval operations Admiral Michael gde the future of warfare is submarine based because of this the Columbia class is designed to be the largest and most complex submarine ever procured by the service with a planned budget of 132 $2 million overall it is also one of the largest projects of the entire us armed forces in recent years second only to the F35 Joint Strike Fighter while the Navy initially planned to produce the first of her class in a record 78 months delays with its design quality and materials made the shortened timeline impossible still the 2024 photographs of the vessel's x-shaped stern marked a step in the right direction because the Ohio class which dates all the way back to the Cold War will be in retiring in the late 2020s the Navy wants the first Columbia class to be ready for patrol by the fourth quarter of 2030 currently there are rumors of extending the life of some of the later Ohio class submarines in order to leave more wiggle room in this schedule this tight timeline coupled with the class's importance within the nuclear Triad has made the Navy put this project at the top of their list impacting the production and development of their projects in favor of this one however considering the uptick of geopolitical instability across the globe sustaining America's nuclear deterrent is vital and the scheduled introduction of the Colombia class is more critical And Timely than ever with a four decade long planned service life the United States Navy is prepping the vessels with all features possible for potential future conflicts as the largest submarine the service has ever created and with this unique x-shaped Stern in addition to the world's greatest weapons the Columbia class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines are a worthy replacement for the current Ohio class ssbn and Boomers

Channel: Dark Tech

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Id: lzi68zROWQs

Length: 9min 5sec (545 seconds)

Published: Fri May 10 2024