SSN 21 Seawolf
IOC: 1997
Total Production: 3
Total Program's Cost: USD$6.3 billion
SSN 23 Jimmy Carter
IOC: 2005
Production: 1
Unitary Cost: USD$3.2 billion
Also Known As
MMP
Origin
United States of America
Contractor/s
General Dynamics
Family Members
SSN 21 Seawolf
Guided Missiles:
RGM-84D Harpoon
Tactical Tomahawk
Tomahawk Block II
Tomahawk Block III
Torpedoes:
Mark 48 ADCAP
Aircraft, Vehicles & Crafts:
ASDS
Sensors & Communications:
A-RCI
AN/BPS-16
TB-29
Protection Systems:
AN/BYG-1
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Description:
The SSN 21 Seawolf attack submarines were designed to be the quietest, fastest and most heavily armed vessels in the world. They can operate in any scenario against any threat, with mission and growth capabilities that far exceed Los Angeles-class submarines. They are enabled to successfully operate from underneath the Artic icepack to littoral environment. They perform attack, surveillance, intelligence, special warfare, cruise missile strike, mine warfare, anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW).
The SSN 21 Seawolf-class was planned for the the replacement of current Los Angeles-class submarines, but the US Navy discontinued the Seawolf-class due to its high acquisition costs ($2 billion per submarine) reducing the total number of submarines to be procured to only three.
The third and final Seawolf-class submarine, the SSN 23 named Jimmy Carter after the 39th president of the United States, was modified to accommodate advanced technology for naval special warfare, tactical surveillance and mine warfare operations. The USS Jimmy Carter will be able to deploy and recover various payloads, manned undersea vehicles, and unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV) without having to use torpedo tubes.
The SSN 23 is the most advanced submarine in the Seawolf class having enough built-in flexibility to prevail in any given combat scenario against any threat, from beneath artic ice to shallow water near shore. It will be commissioned in 2005 joining the US Pacific Fleet and becoming the most heavily armed nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine ever. Cruise missiles, mines, torpedoes, UUVs, surveillance sensors, naval special warfare forces and more assets will deploy aboard this ship.
It features a 100-foot (30+ meters) hull extension added to accommodate further payloads that will be used to test US Navy's new generation weaponry while retaining her swift and silent characteristics. This hull extension and its ability to carry additional sensors and undersea vehicles make USS Jimmy Carter the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP).
On November 19, 2004, the Jimmy Carter completed alpha sea trials which included a range of submarine and propulsion plant operations, submerging for the first time, and high-speed runs on the surface and submerged to demonstrate that the ship's propulsion plant is fully mission capable. General Dynamics delivered USS Jimmy Carter to the US Navy on December 22, 2004.
The submarine (SSN 23) was finally commissioned on February 19, 2005, following a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. The cost of the Jimmy Carter was established at around $3.2 billion making her one of the most expensive ships owned by the US Navy. According to intelligence sources it can tap undersea fiber-optic cables and eavesdrop the communications passing through them, in addition to the awesome capabilities of the ship made public by the Navy.
In November 2005 USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) nuclear-powered submarine arrived at Naval Base Kitsap replacing USS Parche (SSN 683) which was decommissioned October 2004.
Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 134
Number of Weapons: 50
Dimensions: Height 10.7 m, Length 138 m, Width 12.2 m
Weights: Max Weight 12,139 t, Min Weight 8,060 t
Performance: Max Operating Depth 500 m (1,640 ft), Service Life 30 yr, Top Speed 18 mps (35 kt)
Power: Power 52,000 shp
Other: Torpedo Tubes 8
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United States of America / 1 