Taiwan must acquire submarines to head off China blockade: minister

[armage]

Do you have any more specs on the Virginias?

 

[gf0012-aust]

Do you have any more specs on the Virginias?

yes, but nothing that can be put on the internet.

 

[Pathfinder-X]

According to the article in FAS, the Virginia is a more affordable version of Seawolf.

Virginia is intended to be a submarine comparable in most respects to its immediate predecessor - the Seawolf - but in a more affordable configuration. The missions of Virginia include Covert Strike Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Covert Intelligence Collection/Surveillance, Covert Indication and Warning and Electronic Warfare, Anti-Surface Ship Warfare, Special Warfare, Covert Mine Warfare, and Battle Group Support. The SSN 774 was christened on August 16, 2003, and is undergoing dockside outfitting and testing. Virginia will start builder’s trials in 2004.

Specifications

Length: 360 feet (110 meters) 353 feet (108 meters) 377 ft. (115 m)
Beam: 33 feet (10 meters) 40 ft. (12.2 m) 34 ft. (10.4 m)
Submerged displacement (long tons): 6,900 9,100 7,800
Submerged speed: 25+knots 25+knots 25+knots
Depth: 800+ ft. (250 m) 800+ ft. (250 m) 800+ ft. (250 m)
Weapons
Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes x x x
Tomahawk cruise missiles x x x
Mk60 Captor mines x x x
Advanced mobile mines x x x
Unmanned underwater vehicles -- -- x

Contractors General Dynamics Electric Boat Division [lead design authority]
Newport News Shipbuilding
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems (Combat System)
Raytheon Electronics Systems (Combat System)
Power Plant One S9G pressurized water reactor
??,000 shp [early units]
One Transformational Technology Core (TTC) pressurized water reactor
??,000 shp [later units]

one shaft with pumpjet propulsor
Improved Performance Machinery Program Phase III
one secondary propulsion submerged motor
Displacement 7,800 tons submerged
Length 377 feet
Draft 32 feet
Beam 34 feet
Speed 25+ knots submerged
Depth Greater than 800 feet
Horizontal Tubes Four 21" Torpedo Tubes
Vertical Tubes 12 Vertical Launch System Tubes
Weapons 38 weapons, including:
Vertical Launch System Tomahawk Cruise Missiles
Mk 48 ADCAP Heavyweight Torpedoes
Advanced Mobile Mines
Unmanned Undersea Vehicles

Special Warfare Dry Deck Shelter
Advanced SEAL Delivery System
Sonars Spherical active/passive arrays
Light Weight Wide Aperture Arrays
TB-16, TB-29, and future towed arrays
High-frequency chin and sail arrays

Countermeasures 1 internal launcher (reloadable 2-barrel)
14 external launchers
Crew 113 officers and men
Total Program 30 systems
Total program cost (TY$) $67034M
Average unit cost (TY$) $2110M

Status Full-rate production 1QFY07

 

[gf0012-aust]

According to the article in FAS, the Virginia is a more affordable version of Seawolf.

I can quite clearly tell you that data available on the internet about the Virginias is incredibly basic, some of it is deliberately wrong.

The issue of affordability is coloured by the following:
production volume
they can't "afford" to not have it as it is a generational leap - even over the Seawolf
The Seawolf was only a low production run - 3 vessels doesn't allow any economies of scale to be realised (of any note)
Costs were saved on the Virginias as the sub class was completely designed on computer - not one paper blueprint was used in its design stages. - Hence it saved considerable time and money over conventional design methodologies.

 

[XEROX]

gf0012 i started a very good thread regarding the seawolf class

http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/defencetopic3360.html

in addition to the Virginia class of subs, do you have info on the NSSN Class submarine

 

[turin]

in addition to the Virginia class of subs, do you have info on the NSSN Class submarine

Actually as far as I know the Virginia is identical with NSSN. The latter name was simply the project designation until the name Virginia was chosen for the first ship.

@gf0012-aust:

Back to topic: do you got any new info concerning the SSK deal for Taiwan? Is the reconstruction of Barbel class SSK still the solution or at least a likely option? Havent heard much within the last two or three months.

 

[gf0012-aust]

@gf0012-aust:

Back to topic: do you got any new info concerning the SSK deal for Taiwan? Is the reconstruction of Barbel class SSK still the solution or at least a likely option? Havent heard much within the last two or three months.

Not really, all I got was that the US believes it's in a position to build a conventional of type (no specifics given) and that it has always been up to the Taiwanese.

Most people I spoke to said that if Taiwan said yes, then they had ways of providing vessels - which is interesting in itself as there are obviously some subs that we know can't be offered.

 

[corsair7772]

http://www.shima.demon.co.uk/viboat.htm

The Virginia seems to be the same as the UKs future SSN.

http://www.shima.demon.co.uk/asboat.htm

I dont think PLAN subs stand a chance against ASW air elements flying of the taiwanese coast and from KId destroyers and all. In "Red Storm Rising" one american frigate alon e with its helicopters and P-3 support sinks 2 foxtrots, 1 november and "captures" 1 Charlie while escorting a merchant convoy. Far from subs becoming a threat it was actually the strike aircraft which did the most damage. PLAN should seriously consider this before ignoring its aviation in favour of subs.