Week 5 Pro Knowledge

I.         Mission Definition – The mission of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) is to deny the enemy effective use of the undersea environment.  Denying the effective use is not necessarily destroying the enemy’s platforms.  Denying the enemy sea control or the capability to prosecute offensive undersea warfare can be accomplished through various active and passive maneuvers.

 

II.       History

A.       1st American attempt at subs: Turtle in 1776

B.       1st American sub attack: CSS Hunley sunk Union ship in the Civil War (it sunk itself afterwards)

C.       1st commissioned US sub: USS Holland (SS-1)

D.       1st practical use: WWI

1.        German U-boats nearly starved UK by sinking so many convoys

E.       WWII: German U-boats still effective in Atlantic; US successful in Pacific, but lost 52 subs (“still on patrol”)

F.       Design

1.        Early

a.        Diesel Engines on surface

b.        Electric engines underwater

c.        Batteries ran out quickly; had to resurface and recharge with diesel engines

2.        1950s

a.        Admiral Rickover directed 1st SSN: USS Nautilus (SSN-571)

b.        SSBNs (“Boomers”) developed too

 

III.     Mission Capabilities

A.       Submarine Numbers

1.        Cold War: 100 SSN / 35 SSBN

2.        Now: 60 SSN / 18 SSBN

3.        Russia: almost 200

4.        Third-World Countries: ~250 total

B.       Submarine Focus

1.        Tactical Strike, surveillance, special forces delivery and recovery in addition to traditional roles

2.        Most Important Job: Deterrence

C.       Types of Submarine Operations

1.        Peacetime Ops – support US defense agenda through flexible forward presence

a.        Deployments

b.        Combined Exercises and Operations

c.        Port Visits

d.        Military-to-military relations

2.        Surveillance / Intelligence / Reconnaissance – transmitting real-time info, collecting intelligence; unseen eyes & ears of the task group

3.        Special Operations – inserting small forces when surprise essential; collecting tactical intelligence

4.        Precision Strike – Tomahawk  cruise miles, accurate to 650mi

5.        Sea Denial – denies access to high risk areas

6.        Deterrence

a.        SSBN – nuclear deterrence

b.        SSN – deterrence through ability to exert pressure with minimal risk to US lives

 

IV.     Tactical Terms

A.       Submarine Operations

1.        Protective – defend surface ships … predict enemy sub’s:

a.        position where it could intercept surface ships

b.        ability to harm battle group

2.        Offensive – sink or rout enemy

B.       Submarine Stealth Advantages – Covertness, Surprise, Survivability, Total offense, Uncertainty, Non-provocative

1.        “CSSTUN” à Could Sue Slap Terrible Uncle Ned?  …  :o)

C.       Capabilities of Sub-Hunting Assets:

 

Platform

Strengths

Weaknesses (Difficult to…)

Submarine

Good acoustic sensors

Mk48 ADCAP

Stealthy

“In the medium” (in normal operating environment [ie underwater for a submarine])

Contact underwater (for order changes)

Surface Vessel

Many weapons, sensors

Command, control, communications capability

Can coordinate with aircraft

Detect subs

Aircraft

Speed to get on station

Large radar coverage (detect snorkels)

Safe from subs

Short on station patrol time

Small weapons load

 

 

V.       Basic Overview of Platforms

A.       SS (K) – Submarine (K = Coastal)

1.        “Conventional boats”

2.        Diesel and electric propulsion

3.        Most widespread type of submarine

B.       SSN – Nuclear-powered Attack Submarine

1.        Much more endurance and power than SSK

2.        Do not need to resurface or snorkel to charge batteries

3.        Food and weapons limit endurance (rather than fuel)

C.       SSG(N) – Guided (Cruise) Missile Submarines (Nuclear)

1.        Offspring of SS, SSN

2.        Carry missiles designed to attack surface ships or lands targets

3.        Used primarily by Russia, China; US has SSGN conversion program

D.       SSBN – Ballistic Missile Submarines

1.        Not designed to engage vessels; has torpedo tubes for self-defense

2.        Used by: US, UK, France, China, Russia

 

VI.     Weapons

A.       Mk48 ADCAP Torpedo

1.        Principal US heavyweight torpedo

2.        21” diameter, 4000 lb, 650 lb warhead, 55 knots, 35000 yards

3.        A hit will sink almost any ship

4.        Pre-programmed search, active seeker head

5.        Can also be controlled by manual guidance wire

B.       Mk46 Torpedo

1.        12.75” diameter lightweight used by many navies

2.        Used by helos, aircraft, surface ships

3.        Smaller warhead, shorter range than ADCAP

C.       Mk50 Torpedo

1.        Successor to Mk46

2.        Similar weight and dimensions so launchable from Mk46 torpedo tube

3.        Faster, Quieter

4.        Operates deeper

5.        Shaped charge warhead – Better tracking and detection sensors, less easily fooled by countermeasures

D.       UGM-109 Tomahawk (Ship to Ground Missile)

1.        Launched from 21” torpedo tube or VLS on LA Class Subs

E.       Mk67 SLMM (Submarine Launched Mobile Mine)

1.        Modified Mk37

2.        Used to mine inaccessible or enemy territory

3.        Self-propelled (so sub doesn’t have to enter area to plant mine)

4.        Detonated by magnetic, acoustic, and/or pressure

F.       Trident C4/D5 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile)

1.        Long-range ballistic missiles on Ohio Class SSBNs

2.        Each missile has Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs) (multiple warheads)

 

VII.   Platform Equipment and Capabilities: Sonar Equipment

A.       Active Sonar – sends out ping, listens for reflection of sound

B.       Passive Sonar – listens for sound from machinery, flow noise, propeller cavitations

C.       Hull-Mounted Arrays – optimized for low frequency (travel longer in water); all over ship to triangulate target à position/speed from great ranges

D.       Towed Array – hydrophones dragged behind on a wire; pick up more sensitive sound; target position is ambiguous

E.       Wide Aperture Array (WAA) – large panels on Seawolf, Virginia, and 3 688-class subs; electronically scanned sonar; comparable to AEGIS

1.        Highly sensitive over hull of ship; passive ranging out to range of the Mk48; more accurate & quicker than sonar (detects ships/subs)

F.       Sonobuoys – low-cost, short life, acoustic system; dropped by aircraft; info sent back to aircraft; used for localization phase* of USW

*(localization phase is when the submarine is in the area and in position).

VIII. Etiquette: Quarterdeck Etiquette and Saluting

A.       Quarterdeck Etiquette

1.        All personnel salute colors and then OOD between 0800 and sunset when leaving, reverse order when boarding

a.        Say to OOD when boarding: “I report my return aboard, sir” / “Request permission to come aboard, sir” (Officer / Enlisted)

b.        Say to OOD when leaving: “I have permission to go ashore” / “Request permission to go ashore” (Officer / Enlisted)

2.        Always be in Uniform of the Day unless crossing as duties may require

3.        No loitering

B.       Saluting

1.        Only when covered or under arms and in uniform

2.        Salute superior in civilian clothes and those who cannot return the salute

3.        Salute at 6-12 paces and exchange a greeting

4.        Overtaking superior à “By your leave, sir” + salute abreast à “Carry On”

5.        Salute before and after conversation

6.        Stand and salute uncased colors & standards, and the flag during the anthem, colors ceremonies