The U.S. Navy Needs to Build More Attack Subs

GaryKC wrote: When I mention I spent February 1974 underwater, folks look a me.......funny (funnier)

It must have been tough on a boat that had TWO crews.

My shipmates in our one crew and I likely spent north of 70% of 1974 underwater.... and every third night abroad when not at sea. And of course did not split our inport workdays with another crew!


Edited by SaltiDawg - 29 Sep 2017 at 8:37pm

Dr. Stan wrote: Anybody else remember the 41 for Freedom?

Vaguely.


Edited by 610ET - 29 Sep 2017 at 1:50pm

Why not just pull out the plans for the old "B Girls" with HY100 hulls, modern AIP propulsion, new upgraded batteries, and upgrade the electronics and some of the other systems and contract Portsmouth [PNS] to build a couple or three in the next couple of months. I'll bet not only would they get them done on time, but the cost will be a small fraction of one SSN.

Bob wrote: Fortunately, there is a solution.

Yes there is. Buy AIP diesel subs from Germany or Sweden. Do Not develop them or build them in the US. NavSea would Engineer them to death, the shipyards and unions would blow the price out of this world. Nope, foreign built at a lower cost and just as effective, and a quality product.

There will be a potential problem locating enough individuals both willing and qualified to crew these additional boats. From limited contact with serving members, admittedly only three all from different boats, the one thing they each expressed was an unwillingness among younger crew members to be deployed and out of touch. Of course that could be limited, but the three are unrelated, and represent E6 rates.