SSN Barracuda cutaway
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In December 2006, France’s Defence Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and nuclear energy group Areva-TA. The contract’s total value could be as high as EUR 7.9 billion, and it is set up as an initial EUR 1.0-1.4 billion contract (reports vary), followed by 6 options (tranches conditionnelles) to cover development, production and through-life support during their first years of operational service.

The companies will supply 6 SSN Barracuda submarines between 2016-2027. The latest development is an order for the 2nd boat…

• Replacing the Rubis: The Barracuda Class SSN
• The Barracuda SSN Program
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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Basic Nuclear Propulsion
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Several navies around the world currently use nuclear propulsion in at least some ships and submarines: The USA has had an all-nuclear submarine fleet for over 50 years, a policy that dates back to Adm. Hyman Rickover. Britain’s sale of its SSK Upholder Class to Canada (as the problem-plagued Victoria Class) has made them an all-nuclear submarine fleet as well. China, France and Russia all use naval nuclear propulsion within mixed submarine fleets, India is currently working to join this club via its SSN program, and Brazil is about to launch a program of its own. On the surface, France’s problem-plagued aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle joins Russia’s Kirov Class cruisers. Across the ocean, America’s aircraft carriers became an all-nuclear fleet with the retirement of the USS Kitty Hawk [CV 63], and FY 2008-09 spending legislation has been is pushing the US Navy to use nuclear power in its future CG (X) cruisers and new amphibious ship classes.

The saga of the Charles de Gaulle serves as a reminder that adapting nuclear propulsion technology to the small spaces of a submarine, or fitting them to a surface warship, is no trivial feat. Much can go wrong, even in nations that have used nuclear naval propulsion for some time. On the flip side, advances in design can offer significant benefits. The new nuclear plants in America’s Virginia Class and Seawolf Class fast attack subs, Britain’s new Astute Class fast attack submarines, and the USA’s forthcoming CVN-78 Gerald R. Ford Class aircraft carriers, offer designs that will save billions over the life of each ship by eliminating the standard mid-life reactor refueling.

This Spotlight article currently covers related American nuclear propulsion industrial base contracts since the beginning of FY 2006. The latest item is a small components contract…

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SSN Akula Class
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According to GlobalSecurity.org, India’s ATV (advanced technology vessel) program to build a nuclear-powered submarine began in 1974, and became a serious effort in 1985. The Federation of American Scientists’ December 1996 document “The Indian Strategic Nuclear Submarine Project: An Open Literature Analysis” remains one of the best single open sources on India’s program. Unfortunately, it was compiled over a decade ago and has become rather dated.

Meanwhile, even if one omits the problem-plagued Type 091 Han Class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) and old, updated-Romeo Type 035 Ming Class SSKs, China’s attack sub force is still projected at about 30 subs by 2010, including 4 Type 093 Shang Class SSN nuclear powered attack subs and 8 Kilo (Project 636) & Advanced Kilo Class (Project 877) diesel-electric SSKs. In contrast, India is likely to have just 10-16 Scorpene, Kilo, and Type 209 Class SSKs of its own by that time, plus any nuclear fast attack submarines in its service.

More and more sources were claiming that the Akula Class boat INS Chakra would be operational as a training vessel by 2009. But a deadly accident during K-152 Nerpa’s sea trials has delayed the project. Now, a Russian official is promising delivery of the Nerpa by the end of 2009, and Russia’s government may have side-steped another damaging contract renegotiation with India…

• The ATV Program: Background
• Events and Reports [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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O’Higgins Class
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Brazil and France has signed an agreement that involves the construction of 4 diesel-electric submarines (SSK), plus assistance in developing and fielding the non-nuclear parts of 1 nuclear fast attack submarine (SSN). Key specifics, such as the presence or absence of Air Independent Propulsion technologies, have yet to be made public, but the terms of the release strongly suggest that AIP technologies will be used. Reports regarding the submarine deal’s value are conflicting, but a figure of around EUR 6 billion can be derived by subtracting the EUR 1.9 billion Eurocopter deal from the reports of a EUR 8 billion umbrella agreement.

Brazil is not alone in looking to modernize its submarine fleet. On the west side of the continent, Chile now fields DCNS/Navantia’s new SSK Scorpene Class as the O’Higgins Class. Brazil’s neighbor Venezuela is also looking to boost its sub fleet, but plans to use Russia’s SSK Kilo Class instead. Brazil’s submarines are seen as a key part of the country’s new national armaments and defense strategy, which was released on Dec 18/08. It places a higher priority on protection of Brazil’s offshore energy reserves, and sees submarines as key players in that effort. See: AP report | Estrategia Nacional de Defesa [Portuguese].

New releases add some clarity regarding DCNS and Odebrecht’s submarine joint venture, but could the global credit crunch jeopardize it? Now, there’s word that financing may be secure, but the report leaves other questions unanswered….

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USA’s Nimitz Class &
UK’s Invincible Class
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Some nations have aircraft carriers. The USA has super-carriers. The French Charles De Gaulle Class nuclear carriers displace about 43,000t. India’s new Vikramaditya/ Admiral Gorshkov Class will have a similar displacement. The future British CVF Queen Elizabeth Class and related French PA2 Project are expected to displace about 65,000t (British) – 74,000t (French), while the British Invincible Class carriers that participated in the Falklands War weigh in at around 22,000t. Invincible actually compares well to Italy’s new Cavour Class (27,000t), and Spain’s Principe de Asturias Class (17,000t). The USA’s Nimitz Class and CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class, in contrast, fall in the 90,000t-105,000t range. Hence the unofficial designation “super-carriers”. Just one of these ships packs a more potent air force than many nations.

Nimitz Class cutaway
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As the successor to the 102,000 ton Nimitz Class super-carriers, the CVN-21 program aims to increase aircraft sortie generation rates by 20%, increase survivability to better handle future threats, require fewer sailors, and have depot maintenance requirements that could support an increase of up to 25% in operational availability. The combination of a new design nuclear propulsion plant and an improved electric plant are expected to provide 2-3 times the electrical generation capacity of previous carriers, which in turn enables systems like an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS, replacing steam-driven catapults), Advanced Arresting Gear, and a new integrated warfare system that will leverage advances in open systems architecture. Other CVN-21 features include an enhanced flight deck, improved weapons handling and aircraft servicing efficiency, and a flexible island arrangement allowing for future technology insertion. See this graphic for more details.

DID’s CVN-21 FOCUS Article offers a detailed look at a number of the program’s key innovations, as well as a list of relevant contract awards and events. The latest news involves the GAO’s assessment of the program, coupled with contract awards for, and significant concerns about, its revolutionary EMALS catapults…

• CVN-21: Improvements and Innovations [updated]
• Transitional Carrier: CV 77, USS George H.W. Bush
• CVN-21 Class: Contract Awards & Key Events [updated]
• CVN-21: Other Related Contracts and Events
• CVN-21 Class: Additional Readings and Sources
  
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Naval LM2500
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India’s Business Times:

“If the United States ranks near the bottom amongst India’s defence suppliers, Washington’s penchant for imposing sanctions and restrictions has much to do with it. Now, the US appears to have shot itself in the foot again. The Indian Navy chose to power its indigenously designed, cutting-edge stealth warship, the INS Shivalik, with gas turbines from American company General Electric (GE). But even as the Shivalik readies for sea trials, the US State Department has ordered GE to stop all work.”

In July 2006, “India Orders 3 More Krivak III/Talwar Class Frigates” covered a $1.1 billion Indian order. The Krivak III Class is the basis for several current and future Indian Navy designs. These include the initial 1997 order, the “modified Krivak III” order placed in 2006, India’s “Project 17” Shivalik Class frigates, and a “Project 17A” that could either extend Indian modifications of the Krivak IIIs once again, or adopt an entirely different base platform.

Shivalik Class frigates are larger than the Talwar Class, and feature additional shaping and design changes to lower their radar and infared signatures. They also adopted a popular American turbine for combat propulsion, in hopes of improving operational reliability. Those engines are now sowing grave doubts about a different kind of reliability. As the saying goes, there is now good news, and bad news…

• Seeing Red: Red Tape, Redline Schedules & Red Ink
• Project 17: INS Shivalik et. al.
• Ongoing Developments [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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SSBN Vanguard Class
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Britain’s 16,000t Vanguard Class nuclear missile submarine HMS Vigilant (S30) has been moved into Plymouth for a GBP 300 million (currently $422 million) overhaul that will take about 42 months to complete. At it’s peak, it’s expected to sustain 1,000 dockyard jobs, and another 1,000 jobs across industry.

That’s a long time, and a lot of people, but adding a new nuclear reactor core is no simple task. The new core is derived from the design used in Britain’s Astute Class fast attack submarines, and it will never need refueling again. This is a trend in modern naval nuclear power plants; America’s Seawolf ad Virginia Class fast attack submarines, and its forthcoming Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, also have new reactor designs that eliminate costly mid-life refueling.

Babcock’s work will go beyond the reactor swap-out, to include improvements to the accommodation and mess (kitchen/dining) areas, and revalidation of the submarine’s safety systems. HMS Vigilant is expected to return to the fleet in 2012. UK MoD | Babcock International.

Sohn Won-Yil & Nimitz
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Jan 8/08: HDW’s parent firm ThyssenKrupp announces that South Korea’s DAPA procurement agency has signed a contract for contract for 6 “material packages” used to build Class 214 submarines. These packages consist of unassembled submarine parts and partial assemblies, which are integrated in the purchasing country to “manufacture” the item in question. ThyssenKrupp refuses all comment regarding costs.

South Korea ordered its first 3 KSS-II/ Type 214 boats in 2000, which were assembled by Hyundai Heavy Industries. DAPA has selected Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to build the first boat from batch 2, and will send out another set of tenders for the 5th U-214 boat in 2009.

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Virginia Block I-II
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“Virginia Block III: The Revised Bow” explains the program history and cost targets for the USA’s future Virginia Class nuclear submarine fleet, while detailing the new “six shooter” bow design.

Now Christmas has come early for General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation in Groton, CT, thanks to a $14.011 billion fixed-price incentive multi-year contract. Working with their partner Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, the firm will be the lead contractor for 8 new Virginia Class submarines, as the Navy orders SSN 784 – SSN 791 between FY 2009 – FY 2013. The USS North Dakota [SSN 784] will be the first fielded example of the new Virginia Class Block III configuration, which has been redesigned in ways that improve its flexibility while reducing its costs…

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CVN-71, Indian Ocean
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The USS Theodore Roosevelt [CVN 71] was built by Northrop Grumman’s Newport News sector. Commissioned on October 25, 1986, CVN 71 is expected to remain in service until 2036. As it approaches its mid-life stage, however, the wear begins to show. Instead of putting a ramp on its flight deck, buying it a nice red car, and pairing it with much younger ships, the US government has begun preparing instead for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of CVN 71 and its reactor plants.

the USS Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to arrive at the Newport News shipyard in 2009 to begin its RCOH, and Northrop Grumman has valued the planning phase alone at $558 million. So what exactly is a RCOH, and how expensive is it likely to get before all is said and done?

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