Is the US Navy Getting Ready to Build the Most 'Stealth' Submarine Ever?

Kris Osborn

Security,

The Navy hopes emerging "quieting" technologies will make its new nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines the stealthiest that ever existed.

The Navy’s new nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines will incorporate a stealthy “X”-shaped stern and noise-reducing electric drive technology as a way to try to engineer the quietest and least-detectable submarine in the history of the world, senior service officials said. 

The emerging Ohio Replacement Program ballistic missile submarines, designed to patrol the undersea domain performing a crucial strategic deterrence missions, is slated to be operational by the 2030s and serve through the 2080s.

As a result, senior Navy developers are taking specific measures to integrate emerging and next-generation quieting technologies in the hopes that the secretive homeland-protecting weapons systems remain undetectable as global undersea technologies advance.

“If I am noisy I am not going to live very long. We are pushing the boundary of how to minimize our own signature while having a better ability to detect an adversary signature. We are improving in both,” Rear Adm. Charles Richard, Director of UnderSea Warfare, told Scout Warrior in an interview.

Many experts have argued that the US undersea technological advantage is rapidly being threatened by Russian and Chinese advances, leading the Navy to pursue new avenues for “acoustic superiority.” In particular, newer undersea detection technologies may make is much more difficult to elude detection.

Naturally, assuring that its location remains undiscovered is essential to the undersea strategic deterrence mission, as a nuclear-armed submarine would need to be able to hold enemy territory at risk in the event on an unexpected catastrophic first nuclear strike on the US.

(This first appeared in Scout Warrior here.)

Developers emphasize that many of the stealthy innovations now being integrated into the new submarine platforms are not able to be discussed – but they do stress that the new boats will be able to address emerging threats stretching all the way through the 2080s.

“X”-Shaped Stern:

One key innovation is a current move toward use of a new “X”-shaped stern on the Ohio Replacement submarines to replace an existing cross-shape now on Ohio-class boats. The new shape both improves maneuverability and improves quieting technologies for the submarine, Richard said.