New Empire
26-09-2004, 16:52
OOC: Well, while the books seem to be pretty realistic in terms of tech, this is the only one that really poses a question... Is the Snarc feasible for 2010-2020?
SSNR-1 "SNARC"
http://www.ussdevilfish.com/snarc.jpg
Design
The Snarc class is the most advanced submarine or unmanned vehicle ever to exist. The vessel has accomadations for 20, but is capable of performing ASW/ASuW warfare on it's own. There is no conning tower on the SSNR, no rudders. The vessel is controlled by it's unique hydroelastic tail design, giving it torpedo like manuverability. The vessel weighs in at 8,000 tons, but carries a huge amount of weaponry. The skin of the Snarc is made out of fiber composites and polymers for sound dampening. This is over a thick hull of carbon ceramics and alumina casing, allowing the Snarc to reach a crush depth of around 4.5km. It also has a double hull, reinforced keel, and a reinforced titanium frame. The vessel has an array of modern damage control systems (NBC, pressure control, many bulkheads, so on, so forth), and additional armor to important systems or facilities throughout the vessel.
Powerplant
The boat is powered by a Guenther PB8CS Nuclear Pebblebed Reactor, powering a special hybrid propulsor. The propulsor sheath contains a single 6 bladed propeller. However, it also has a water pumpjet, with MHD assistance. The unique thing about this arrangement is that the propeller can link to the sonar, and match approximate the background flow to a degree, compensating for the 'black hole' created by MHD. The maximum speed for this vessel is about 50 knots, but this is rarely used outside of sea trials. Two 'azipod' miniwaterjets are mounted near the bowplanes for manuvering in ports or making quick evasion manuvers.
Armarment
The Snarc has no crew, and as such it has a large weapons module.660mm Torpdoes
The Snarc is unique because instead of an autoloader, it's tubes are prepacked, with two torpedoes per tube. There are six 660mm torpedo tubes, with 100 660mm torpedoes. The Snarc can reload much faster than any other sub, all it has to do is push up a new torpedo or rotate to a fresh container.
1000mm Torpedoes
The inner 10 tubes of the Snarc's weapons module are 1000mm (1 meter!) diamter tubes, capable of holding 10 Vortex or Tsunami supertorpedoes, or 20 Whirlpool Light Supertorpedoes. However, the VLS is also capable of holding the 1000mm weapons.
VLS
The Snarc has a 24 tube 1000mm VLS, capable of holding tactical dual loads, or lager single loads.
ASHUM
A MkX Adaptable High-Speed Undersea Munitions retractable turret is mounted on each side of the hull with a streamlined cover. When torpedoes have been fired, this gun fires 30mm supercavitating kinetic kill rounds.
Sensors, Systems, and Countermeasures
The SSNR has a large spherical passive array with a low frequency passive array structure surrounding it. A truncated active array is mounted under it. This, the SBSY-4, has a range of about 65nm. The SBOG-9 Hull Mounted Sonar system also has an 65nm range, and provides extended coverage of the area. A STBX-20 Towed Array provides a 175nm range of detection. The system is reinforced, so it can be dropped into the thermocline to extend the range. Thanks to massive computing power, the Snarc can use Ambient Sonar, the equivalent of LPI. L/SQS-15 Naval LIDAR provides silent active search capability. All sonar systems have their own supercomputers designed for pattern recognition and enhancement.
SAN/BPS-8 Surface Search Radar with a 200 mile range is used for the detection of enemy aircraft, and has Taiwanese NPI programming. A SAN/BPS-19 Fire Control and navigation radar is also mounted.
The Orca utilizes the new SCM-1 "SeAthena", as the crews have dubbed it, for defense against torpedo. Powered by a supercomputer, "SeAthena" works like it's aerial counterpart by analyzing incoming signals, and sending out signals to make the user appear to be somewhere else. SCM-1 listens in on a torpedo's ping cycle, and activates several transmitters. The computer calculates what the signal would sound like coming from a different location (usually closer to the torpedo so the thing detonates prematurely), and factors in distortion. It sends the signal at the proper time, based on the torpedo range and bearing.
The boat mounts two Photonic masts instead of periscopes, SAN/BVS-2 model.
20 "Loudmoth" noisemakers are mounted for sonar jamming. 8 "Mimic" Advanced decoys can be mounted, 20 knot capable noisemakers that are designed to provide more in depth decoy work. Four 'Minnow' USVs can be used for reconissance, and are controlled via fiberoptic line, and have a rechargeable battery or power cable back to the sub.
The computer used for the SSNR is a marvel of engineering, a carbon nanotube 10,000 times smaller than a silicon circuit. The process to make these computers is very expensive, however, it yields incredibly powerful results. The MkXXXIX Combat Intelligence System is specifically designed for submarine use, and the layout mimics that of the human nervous system, with 'eyes' and 'ears', and sections of the computer to interpert information from them. The reason carbon computers were chosen rather than silicon supercomputers was because of the fact that the submarine is very independent by nature. It must be able to make decisions quickly, and it must also have the associative pattern recognition of a good Sonar officer. It must know the complex tactics of submarine warfare.
While there are only four on sea trials, the UCSNE Navy has big plans should the design and the computer turn out well.
SSNR-1 "SNARC"
http://www.ussdevilfish.com/snarc.jpg
Design
The Snarc class is the most advanced submarine or unmanned vehicle ever to exist. The vessel has accomadations for 20, but is capable of performing ASW/ASuW warfare on it's own. There is no conning tower on the SSNR, no rudders. The vessel is controlled by it's unique hydroelastic tail design, giving it torpedo like manuverability. The vessel weighs in at 8,000 tons, but carries a huge amount of weaponry. The skin of the Snarc is made out of fiber composites and polymers for sound dampening. This is over a thick hull of carbon ceramics and alumina casing, allowing the Snarc to reach a crush depth of around 4.5km. It also has a double hull, reinforced keel, and a reinforced titanium frame. The vessel has an array of modern damage control systems (NBC, pressure control, many bulkheads, so on, so forth), and additional armor to important systems or facilities throughout the vessel.
Powerplant
The boat is powered by a Guenther PB8CS Nuclear Pebblebed Reactor, powering a special hybrid propulsor. The propulsor sheath contains a single 6 bladed propeller. However, it also has a water pumpjet, with MHD assistance. The unique thing about this arrangement is that the propeller can link to the sonar, and match approximate the background flow to a degree, compensating for the 'black hole' created by MHD. The maximum speed for this vessel is about 50 knots, but this is rarely used outside of sea trials. Two 'azipod' miniwaterjets are mounted near the bowplanes for manuvering in ports or making quick evasion manuvers.
Armarment
The Snarc has no crew, and as such it has a large weapons module.660mm Torpdoes
The Snarc is unique because instead of an autoloader, it's tubes are prepacked, with two torpedoes per tube. There are six 660mm torpedo tubes, with 100 660mm torpedoes. The Snarc can reload much faster than any other sub, all it has to do is push up a new torpedo or rotate to a fresh container.
1000mm Torpedoes
The inner 10 tubes of the Snarc's weapons module are 1000mm (1 meter!) diamter tubes, capable of holding 10 Vortex or Tsunami supertorpedoes, or 20 Whirlpool Light Supertorpedoes. However, the VLS is also capable of holding the 1000mm weapons.
VLS
The Snarc has a 24 tube 1000mm VLS, capable of holding tactical dual loads, or lager single loads.
ASHUM
A MkX Adaptable High-Speed Undersea Munitions retractable turret is mounted on each side of the hull with a streamlined cover. When torpedoes have been fired, this gun fires 30mm supercavitating kinetic kill rounds.
Sensors, Systems, and Countermeasures
The SSNR has a large spherical passive array with a low frequency passive array structure surrounding it. A truncated active array is mounted under it. This, the SBSY-4, has a range of about 65nm. The SBOG-9 Hull Mounted Sonar system also has an 65nm range, and provides extended coverage of the area. A STBX-20 Towed Array provides a 175nm range of detection. The system is reinforced, so it can be dropped into the thermocline to extend the range. Thanks to massive computing power, the Snarc can use Ambient Sonar, the equivalent of LPI. L/SQS-15 Naval LIDAR provides silent active search capability. All sonar systems have their own supercomputers designed for pattern recognition and enhancement.
SAN/BPS-8 Surface Search Radar with a 200 mile range is used for the detection of enemy aircraft, and has Taiwanese NPI programming. A SAN/BPS-19 Fire Control and navigation radar is also mounted.
The Orca utilizes the new SCM-1 "SeAthena", as the crews have dubbed it, for defense against torpedo. Powered by a supercomputer, "SeAthena" works like it's aerial counterpart by analyzing incoming signals, and sending out signals to make the user appear to be somewhere else. SCM-1 listens in on a torpedo's ping cycle, and activates several transmitters. The computer calculates what the signal would sound like coming from a different location (usually closer to the torpedo so the thing detonates prematurely), and factors in distortion. It sends the signal at the proper time, based on the torpedo range and bearing.
The boat mounts two Photonic masts instead of periscopes, SAN/BVS-2 model.
20 "Loudmoth" noisemakers are mounted for sonar jamming. 8 "Mimic" Advanced decoys can be mounted, 20 knot capable noisemakers that are designed to provide more in depth decoy work. Four 'Minnow' USVs can be used for reconissance, and are controlled via fiberoptic line, and have a rechargeable battery or power cable back to the sub.
The computer used for the SSNR is a marvel of engineering, a carbon nanotube 10,000 times smaller than a silicon circuit. The process to make these computers is very expensive, however, it yields incredibly powerful results. The MkXXXIX Combat Intelligence System is specifically designed for submarine use, and the layout mimics that of the human nervous system, with 'eyes' and 'ears', and sections of the computer to interpert information from them. The reason carbon computers were chosen rather than silicon supercomputers was because of the fact that the submarine is very independent by nature. It must be able to make decisions quickly, and it must also have the associative pattern recognition of a good Sonar officer. It must know the complex tactics of submarine warfare.
While there are only four on sea trials, the UCSNE Navy has big plans should the design and the computer turn out well.