USS Jimmy Carter (the "F/A-22" of submarines)

yes you are correct about the tiles primarily for outside sonar returns. And also the shockmounting internally. Also many of the compartments have insulating/sound dampning internally against the hulls. These features along with the tiles outside will also reduce the vibrations and sound from getting outside the hulls.
I,ve watched them install this stuff on 688 class boats ..and Virginias too.
Saw the Jimmy Carter in a drydock about a month ago..we could not get a tour on her..to bad..it would have been intresting.

Thanks ,
Orangetom

Originally posted by orangetom1999
If you know where one of these multi nozzle fountains are at ..suggest the most curious of you go and watch one for about a hour and think about what is said here on this post.
Orangetom

Any hints on the inlet?
Any hints on the...errr...energy transfer/motive device/witchma-call-it's ?
Any hints as to whether there are passive devices like shrouds, baffles, vanes, etc in the jet?

Thanks. I admit what you've described surprised me a bit.

This 'water in - water out' idea sounds like an impeller you find on a jet ski!

thanks orange once agian

a good question is: are they going to upgrade the boomer or go with a new class?

Since the Ohio class are getting a bit little grey in the whiskers.

It will be a while, they are still quite modern ships, and they were built to last. They are still, IIRC, reputed to be among the quietest submarines ever built. The first four are being retired as SLBM subs and being converted to SSGN's - cruise missile/spec ops subs with up to 154 Tomahawks.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
Wow, didn't know about this.

It sounds exactly like the fictional drive in The Hunt for Red October!

Cool

About the name, Carter served on a submarine...I think that's the only reason he got a ship named after him.

[edit on 8/4/2005 by djohnsto77]

Actually, it was Jimmy Carter who started the US down the path of smart, precision guided munititions and a bunch of other military technological improvements which are now core military capabilities. His vision was to make the U.S. military orders of magnatudes more effective than any other on the planet. So contrary to popular belief, Prez Carter probably derserves a super sub or an aircraft carrier named after him. However, I do believe that since he was a sub-mariner it is most appropriate.

Originally posted by CaptAvatarActually, it was Jimmy Carter who started the US down the path of smart, precision guided munititions and a bunch of other military technological improvements which are now core military capabilities.

To suggest that Jimmy Carter was in any way "pro-military" is unsupportable. On attaining office he clearly stated that his main policy goal was nuclear disarmament - total nuclear disarmament.

He was unceremoniously booted out of office by a President who really did support the military, and made a better job of running the economy too.

Calling this sub the Jimmy Carter is like naming a church after Monica Lewinsky.

ok, pity... The best submarine is The USS seawolf...

Look up a concept or operating principle on the web called Laminar Flow.

At work we use a type of hydraulic powered magnetic base
drill called a Laminar drill. They come in different sizes for different jobs ..obviously, but the intresting thing about them is that when they are running you dont hear any fluid running through the hydraulic lines. You hear the pumps but not the fluid. They are very nice drills.

One of the sites I looked up was pump jet fountains...under that heading. You will find the term used there Laminar Flow. They are really cool water fountains to watch. Fascinating.
As I stated ..this is not a new principle ..it has just been taken much further in this application. That is all I will say on it.

As to a new class of boomers coming out..I dont think so. They are keeping a certain number of boomers active by treaty but the bulk of them are not being used in that role anymore. A certain amount of them are in Navy Shipyards being converted to a type of arsenal ship. the Trident missle tubes are each being converted to carry a certain number of Tomahawk Cruise missles.
Someone got it right when they said that they were built to last. They are very expensive boats to build and the Navy is reluctant to scrap them without finding some other way to make use of them. Also as stated in a earlier post..at the time of their construction ..they were the very definition of quiet.
Remember something else about Fast Attack Boats. All new Fast Attack boats carry the Tomahawk Cruise Missle in vertical launch missle tubes in the bow. These missles carry assorted warheads, from conventional to "special". This feature has cut down on the need for the large boomer type boats. It has also significantly changed the roles of the Fast Attack boats.
As to the Sea Wolf's being the best of the boats..of this type...that is debatable. They are however ..very specifically mission /oriented in particular...the USS Jimmy Carter ....obviously.
Remember...in spite of costs...they are working on upgrades to current designs and also the next generation of boats.

Thanks for some great questions.
Orangetom

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
ok, pity... The best submarine is The USS seawolf...

Didnt that have a mutiny ?

they HATED the sub that much?!

Originally posted by M6D
they HATED the sub that much?!

Lol no its a book...

Originally posted by Winchester Ranger T
[To suggest that Jimmy Carter was in any way "pro-military" is unsupportable. On attaining office he clearly stated that his main policy goal was nuclear disarmament - total nuclear disarmament.

Actually I thought Carter was a disaster as a president, but being soft on defence was alot of spin etc. Yes Reagan did embark on a build up, but alot of what he funded was started in the Carter administration. From the Stealth fighter, the B1-A (Yes i know he canceled it, but that was in responce to the avent of the stealth fighter) etc etc. So he was not as soft on defence as many hae thought, and this is coming from a Reagan supporter.

Carter was actually a very good president. He did care about the people. Remeber the hostages that were taken during his adminstration? He was on the phone trying to get them out to the very last minute of his adminstration.

Originally posted by orangetom1999
Look up a concept or operating principle on the web called Laminar Flow.

I know what laminar flow is. I did all the requisit courses when I got my degree. You didn't answer any of my questions. Just trying to fill in the
gaps.

At work we use a type of hydraulic powered magnetic base
drill called a Laminar drill. They come in different sizes for different jobs ..obviously, but the intresting thing about them is that when they are running you dont hear any fluid running through the hydraulic lines. You hear the pumps but not the fluid. They are very nice drills.

Waterjet cutters. Never actually seen one in real life. Heard all kinds of good things about them. What's your experience with them? Compared to a standard milling machine, say.

Exactly, you'll get noise from whatever is moving the water, engine machinery (which will be damped onboard subs) and maybe from the inlet of the pumpjet. I'm a bit surprised at your example of a fountain. The pumpjet explanation I got used a very different analogy.

Bye.

Actually ..no the laminar drill is not a water cutter..it is a hydraulically powered magnetic base drill in various sizes. It uses standard tool steel drill bits though some special drills and cutters can fit into it.

As to the specifics of your questions. Yes I read the questions. No I am afraid I cannot go into details on it. Hence the lack of reply in this arena.

The water fountain analogy is a crude one but as appropriate as can be made under the circumstances along with the description of the Laminar drill.

My apologies if this is insufficient.
Orangetom

Originally posted by Winchester Ranger T
The original poster asked - "Is the USS Jimmy Carter the F/A-22 of submarines".

I would say yes:

1. It's over-priced
2. We aren't building many of them
3. The brass are trying to invent new roles for it.
4. It's named after one of America's worst ever Presidents

Oh sorry, that last one only applies to the Seawolf unless they re-name the F/A - 22 to Dubya.

1. Building just one of anything is going to be expensive. There were only 3 seawolf hulls and this is a special one off version with an extra 100+ft of special equipment. There is no economy of scale going for it.

2. Only need 1.

3. It's the same role other boats have filled for the past 30 years.
USS Parche just decommissioned, it was over 30 years old. This was a needed replacement. It will give 20+ years of black ops service. These "development" boats are cutting edge and earn more Presidential Unit Citations than just about any other military unit anywhere. They routinely deploy to sea around 300 days a year.

I don't think the Ohio class SSBN is going anywhere. I know the D5 missle program is supposed to last until at least the early 2020s. They just did major overhauls to the older hulls and the newer vessels in the class are still probably the quietest sub in the world at slow speeds

Originally posted by Winchester Ranger T

Originally posted by CaptAvatarActually, it was Jimmy Carter who started the US down the path of smart, precision guided munititions and a bunch of other military technological improvements which are now core military capabilities.

To suggest that Jimmy Carter was in any way "pro-military" is unsupportable. On attaining office he clearly stated that his main policy goal was nuclear disarmament - total nuclear disarmament.

He was unceremoniously booted out of office by a President who really did support the military, and made a better job of running the economy too.

Calling this sub the Jimmy Carter is like naming a church after Monica Lewinsky.

LOL, he was facing the worst US economy since the great depression! Nothing he did had anything to do with it. The bill for the Vietnam war came due during his presidency. Sure he made some mistakes, but NOBODY knew what to do! He had to cut back the US military. But what he DID do was make sure that even though it would have to be smaller, it was still going to be able to kick anybody elses but, i.e., be more effective per troop than ever before. Anyway, what you posted is just an opinion, an uninformed one at that.

Here is a quote from an online source:

We should not forget that it was Mr. Carter who began the great anti-Soviet military buildup generally attributed to his successor. Mr. Carter would have built 200 MX missiles; Ronald Reagan meekly accepted 50. Mr. Carter imposed the grain embargo on the Soviet Union; Mr. Reagan lifted it. Mr. Carter kept Americans out of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Mr. Carter sent weapons to the Afghanis. Mr. Carter's National Security Council, not Mr. Reagan's, stated the goal of forcefully changing the character of Nicaragua's Sandinista regime.



[edit on 7-8-2005 by CaptAvatar]

by the way guys, my earlier comment was a joke for anyone who did not understand! sorry, for any confusion.

As I recall ..the US Navy has had a number of one of a kind boats and ships in service. Very mission specific.
I believe there was in service at one time a nuclear submarine whose main engine was a huge electric motor. The Reactor was used to power steam powered electric generators. This was a experiment in quiet running. I dont recall the name of the boat but they didnt build many of them. It was successful as far as quiet but couldnt get up the speed of a steam propelled boat.
A number of mission specific special ops boats also.. I believe Parche was mentioned and also Halibut. As I recall Parche was a Sturgeon class or 637 class boat extensively modified. This is not a new phenomonon, one of a kind boats.
So the Jimmy Carter is not a new phenomonon. It is just new technologys and know how applied to a olde problem solving buisness.

Thanks,
Orangetom