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SSN
- Fleet Submarines
The Trafalgar class
of submarines incorporate the most advanced propulsion systems,
sonar and navigation equipment available to the Royal Navy,
and its sonar equipment is considered to be one of the finest
units in the world navies.
The Trafalgar class,
in common with other operational submarines in the Royal Navy,
is covered by hundreds of rubber squares which help to reduce
noise and sonar feedback. A more recent experiment has led to
some of these tiles being painted various shades of blue as
camouflage! However it is not as strange as it may seem as
recent tests have shown that although SSNs are becoming
quieter when they need to operate near to the surface (e.g.
for covert surveillance, or to land special forces) it is
possible for an aircraft to see a submarine. The shades of
blue are supposed to help the SSN blend into the sea (which
away from the coasts of Britain is actually of various shades
of green and blue and not the black so common in Britain's
sea-side!)
The SSN's primary
role is as a hunter-killer, either against other submarines or
surface vessels. However, they have two other combat roles:
the laying of mines, and land-attack. Although no Trafalgar
class submarine has yet been fitted with TLAM, the Royal Navy
has stated that all its SSNs will be TLAM capable. This means
that the Trafalgar class vessels will eventually be
retrofitted with this powerful and very capable weapon.
SSNs have a unique
ability to operate independently. Their nuclear powerplants
ensure that they could, if they so wished, run under the
surface permanently. The only limitation on the duration of
their patrols would be stocks of food and water. However with
careful planning RAS would be possible and this would allow
the SSN to remain on patrol. Such meetings could be
pre-arranged and so the amount of time the SSN would have to
remain off-station for would be heavily reduced.
It is likely that
SSNs will become more important as many powers are taking to
submarines as a method of controlling the seas. With the
demise of the USSR, Russia has developed a business in selling
its submarines, and their technology. Iran has recently taken
some Kilo class submarines, and it is rumoured that China has
been given access to such technology.
The Kilo class
submarines (which are also SSNs) are highly advanced and
difficult to detect. To many countries, SSNs are a relatively
cheap way of getting control over their seas. The Falkland's
war showed that the mere threat of an SSN operating in an area
of water can be enough to prevent a task-group going in. Some
have suggested that SSNs are the new "capital ships"
of the fleet: because they have the best chance of sinking a
substantial portion of a taskgroup. A submarine is capable of
striking at ships without betraying its presence.
The best way of
countering this threat is to use another SSN in its classic
"hunter-killer" approach. It is usual to send at
least one SSN in ahead of a task group to help ensure that the
waters are sanitised. (At least two SSNs are sent out with a
United States Carrier Battle Group) Although the Royal Navy
has some of the best ASW equipment in the world, the role of
the SSN as a "cleanser" remains vital as it allows
the surface vessels to concentrate on other tasks.
The Trafalgar class
will continue in service for a considerable period of time:
they are capable of being easily retro-fitted with the latest
technology and so they should be able to remain effective
units. In the medium term they will be joined by the new
Astute class which was originally to be designated as a batch
II Trafalgar class. However the alterations that have taken
place has led to the decision being made that in reality it is
more than an improved batch but a totally new class. When this
class joins the fleet, the Royal Navy will have a very
powerful, modern, SSN fleet. The Royal Navy has a reputation
for having the best-trained submariners in the world (something
that even the super-patriotic Tom Clancy admitted in his
excellent book Submarine) and the Trafalgar class helps ensure
that they have some of the best equipment at their disposal.
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