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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…

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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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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 may delay that schedule – and cost India more. Meanwhile, a Reuters artice illustrates growing official acknowledgement of the deal…

• The ATV Program: Background
• Events and Reports [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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The all-nuclear
Task Force One, 1964
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There was a time when USS Enterprise was the most famous ship in the world. It still is, but these days, most people think of the fictional starship rather than the world’s first nuclear-powered carrier. The real USS Enterprise was commissioned in 1961, which means that its long career of service must soon draw to a close. In April 2008, a $453.3 million contract covered the ship’s Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability for maintenance and upgrades.

That will keep “the Big E” going for a few more years. By 2014, however, USS Enterprise is scheduled to fade into history, replaced by the first ship [CVN 78] of the Gerald R. Ford Class. This time, there will be no reruns or syndication deals. When the end comes, plans and facilities for permanently decommissioning the ship and dealing with its 8 nuclear reactors will need to be ready…

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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 may be 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 will soon become an all-nuclear fleet with the retirement of the USS Kitty Hawk [CV 63], and FY 2008-09 spending legislation 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. All contracts noted here are awarded by The US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, and that completion date or other additional information are provided for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts as a matter of official policy. Other contracts related to maintenance, however, may show completion dates.

The latest item raises the total over the month of October 2008 to more than $1.4 billion…

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CVN 70: Homecoming
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In November 2005, Northrop Grumman Newport News in Newport News, VA was awarded a $1.94 billion cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for accomplishment of the FY 2006 mid-life refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the Nimitz Class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The ship was commissioned in 1982, and this effort shall provide for the accomplishment of the overhaul, alterations, repair, maintenance, and refueling of CVN 70 and its nuclear reactor plants to ensure continued safe operation of the ship. According to GlobalSecurity.org, the Carl Vinson is scheduled to remain in service until 2032.

It’s interesting to note that the US DoD comptroller’s “Program Acquisition Costs by Weapon System” document lists split-funding of the CVN 70 RCOH over FY 2006-2007, with a total cost of $2.89 billion. So, how does this $1 billion discrepancy resolve itself? And what about all those contracts before FY 2006? DID has answers…

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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 is a next-generation radar contract for CVN-78…

• 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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MV Beluga SkySails
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“USA Broadening Conservation Focus to Weapons Systems” discussed a number of items, including April 2006 testimony from Ronald O’Rourke [PDF] of the Congressional Research Service, which looked at the rising cost of fuel and its implications for the US Navy. One of the most interesting possibilities discussed was the return of high-tech sailing ships, which used sails or even kites made of advanced materials in order to harness wind power as an assist to the engines, offsetting fuel costs.

That concept is no longer speculation – the US Navy’s Military Sealift command has just chartered one.

The 400-foot long MV Beluga SkySails departed Newport, Wales on Oct 5/08 after the first of 3 European port calls to load U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force cargo, before the ship’s month-long voyage to the United States. It’s the world’s first operational cargo ship to use a giant, computer-controlled sky sail that can rise 100 or more yards into the air, thanks to a novel technology from the German firm SkySails GmbH of Hamburg, Germany that adds efficiency, but prevents issues like ship heeling in strong winds.

The ship’s novel technology was not an explicit factor in the award, but the operating company estimates that the sky sail can reduce fuel costs by 20 – 30%, or roughly $1,600 per day. If so, that would be an important competitive edge when pricing the charter bid. MSC release | MarineLog.

Mk.V launches ScanEagle
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Western Branch Diesel, Inc. in Portsmouth, VA received a $10.2 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity requirements contract. They will perform maintenance services, engine overhaul, and repair of the MK V Special Operations Crafts’ MTU 12V396TE94 diesel engines. The Mk V is a fast insertion/extraction boat used by Navy SEALs, and there are reports of these 82 foot long boats reaching over 60 mph/ 100 km/h in smooth seas. They take a real beating in rough surf, however, and so do their operators. Beyond these kinds of maintenance contracts, therefore, the Navy is experimenting with composite versions of the boat, while also testing systems like Stiletto with its special M-hull.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, VA (80%) and Norfolk, VA (20%), and is expected to be complete by March 2013. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with 3 offers received by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division in Panama City, FL (N61331-08-D-0018).