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SS News Daily for 21DEC05
Since 12-21-05
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Photo: USS OHIO successfully completes sea trials
(U.S. Navy Photo by Rick Chaffee, PSNS & IMF)
USS OHIO successfully completes sea trials
By Team Submarine Public Affairs, 20 December 2005
From Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs, Navy Newsstand, 20 Dec 05
By Gillian Flaccus, Associated Press (Army Times), 20 Dec 05
Dolphin Prepares for Shallow Water Research
By Joseph Caballero, Military.com, 20 Dec 05
Fort Frances Times, 20 Dec 05
Washington Times, December 21, 2005
Associated Press, 21 Dec 05
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Photo: USS OHIO successfully completes sea trials
(U.S. Navy Photo by Rick Chaffee, PSNS & IMF)
USS OHIO (SSGN 726) returns to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washingon, after completing sea trials on December 19. USS OHIO is the first SSBN to complete conversion to SSGN. (U.S. Navy Photo by Rick Chaffee, PSNS & IMF)
USS OHIO successfully completes sea trials
By Team Submarine Public Affairs, 20 December 2005
Washington, D.C. - USS OHIO (SSGN 726), the Navy’s first modern guided missile submarine, took a significant step towards rejoining the Fleet on 19 December 2005, when it arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., with a broom atop its sail to signify its clean sweep of the ship’s initial sea trials.
The OHIO’s Commanding Officer, Commander Michael Cockey, expressed satisfaction with the ship’s performance and noted its great potential. “It’s great to be completing an arduous overhaul and conversion period and moving on to demonstrating the tremendous capability this ship brings to the Fleet. The OHIO crew will be pioneers in tactics and employment of this amazing class of ships.”
“SSGNs will provide us with one of the most capable and versatile strike options in the Navy,” said Rear. Adm. William Hilarides, Program Executive Officer for Submarines. “We are eager to have OHIO and her sister ships rejoin the Fleet.”
OHIO is the first of four fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to be converted into SSGNs. Prior to the conversion process, each boat unloaded its complement of TRIDENT Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles. Twenty-two of the twenty-four missile tubes on each boat are being retrofitted to carry up to seven TOMAHAWK cruise missiles, for a maximum load out of 154 missiles per boat. The remaining two tubes are being converted into Lock-in / Lock-out chambers for use by Special Operations Forces (SOF). Each SSGN will be able to carry and support up to 66 Special Operation Forces for an extended period of time. These ships will have a specialized planning area, physical fitness equipment, and laser shooting ranges for use by the Operators. Further, SSGNs will be able to carry two Advanced SEAL Delivery Systems, two Dry deck Shelters, or one of each using the lock-in / lock-out chambers as their docking sites.
“The ability to carry a large Special Operations Force, coupled with its TOMAHAWK strike capability and inherent stealth characteristics make SSGN a unique and powerful platform for combatant commanders to carry out a variety of missions,” said Capt. David Norris, SSGN Program Manager (PMS 398).
In addition to the strike capabilities of SSGNs, the submarines will also have improved Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance equipment, enhancing their ability to carry out clandestine operations.
Due to its size and layout, SSGNs offer expanded living and training space for embarked SOF. This space includes increased bunk capacity as well as improved training and physical conditioning areas that allow the SOF operators to maintain their high operating capacity.
Another advantage of SSGNs’ size will be its ability to carry an increased payload. In the future, this capacity will allow for the launch and recovery of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs). As new capabilities and equipment are developed, they can be inserted relatively easily into SSGNs thanks to its Open Architecture computing systems and the related ability to rapidly integrate new technologies and payloads. SSGN can also offer significant opportunities to serve as a test platform to develop future weapons, sensors, and operational concepts. “The added payload capacity of the SSGNs gives us mission flexibility and future capability options unlike anything we have ever had,” added Capt. Norris.
The SSGN conversion program is the first truly transformational program in the Navy. President George W. Bush made reference to it in his May 2001 commencement address to the U.S. Naval Academy, and since then the program will go from the first boat entering the shipyard to the last boat being delivered back to the Fleet in less than five years. SSGN embodies a new level of adaptable warfare that is suited for today’s security environment.
The three other submarines undergoing the SSGN conversion process - USS MICHIGAN (SSGN 727), FLORIDA (SSGN 728), and GEORGIA (SSGN 729) - are all slated to rejoin the Fleet by 2007.
Swedish Submarine Continues to Play Important Role in Joint Training
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Swedish submarine HMS
Gotland participated in a Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) Dec. 6-16 with
Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Strike
Group, off the coast of Southern California.
According to Swedish Liaison Officer Lt. Cmdr. Peter Ostbring, Gotland and her
crew played a number of roles during the joint exercise, which mutually
benefited the U.S. and Swedish navies by enhancing overall anti-submarine
warfare (ASW) proficiencies and further strengthening the relationship between
the two countries.
“Initially, [Gotland] was acting as an opposing force, and in the middle of the
exercise, she acted as a green (friendly force) submarine, like a third country
in a coalition doing intelligence and reconnaissance missions for the strike
group," he said. "Later, she returned to being an opposing force."
Gotland’s crew has participated in several exercises like this since the
one-year, bilateral training efforts between the Swedish navy and U.S. Navy
began in San Diego last June.
Gotland normally acts as an opposing force during training exercises against
carrier and expeditionary strike groups, naval air patrols and other forces,
playing a key role in enhancing the U.S. Navy’s ASW capabilities.
“We are deployed here for at least one year and will conduct up to 160 training
days at sea, supporting strike groups, individual ships and rescue submarines,
and participating in the tests and development of new equipment,” Ostbring said.
“The main purpose of adding the third dimension of a small, conventional
submarine into these exercises is to help to enhance the U.S. Navy’s
capabilities of detecting small submarines close to shore, and at the same time,
we are getting better at operating both with and against large ships that we are
not used to operating with,” he added.
A small number of U.S. Navy personnel routinely embark as riders and observers
aboard Gotland and, in turn, the U.S. Navy also provides embarks aboard U.S.
Navy vessels to Swedish Sailors. These embarks allow them a firsthand look at
the day-to-day operations of a ship at sea.
Ostbring had the unique opportunity to participate in one of these embarks
during this recent exercise, and said he was impressed with the overall
operations on the carrier.
“I’ve never been on an aircraft carrier before, and when the captain asked me
what my impression was, I could only think of one word - cool,” Ostbring said.
“It’s a really big ship with a lot of people - very efficient, very nice crew.
Of course, seeing some of the things I’ve never seen before, like flight
operations at sea and observing the DESERON (destroyer squadron) staff and how
they coordinate the protection of the carrier, opened my eyes to see what a
carrier is and what happens on board,” he added.
Over the next several months, Gotland will continue training with the U.S.
fleet, focusing on integrated ASW exercises that enable all components of the
Navy’s ASW forces - air, surface and subsurface - to test and assess their
tactics, doctrine and ASW education. Likewise, Gotland will continue to gain
training experience and enhance interoperability while participating in
exercises with U.S. forces.
Working together, the United States and Sweden are fostering multinational
interoperability to combat security threats.
By Gillian Flaccus, Associated Press (Army Times), 20 Dec 05
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A federal judge agreed Monday to postpone the trial of two brothers who are accused of attempting to forward U.S. military secrets to China after noting the huge amount of evidence that must still be shared with defense attorneys.
U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney ordered a hearing in two months to review how well attorneys are cooperating on sharing crucial evidence, much of which is in Chinese.
U.S. defense technology engineer Chi Mak, 65, his younger brother, Tai Wang Mak, and Chi Mak’s wife, Rebecca Laiwah Chiu, were indicted on a charge of being unregistered agents for China. All have pleaded not guilty; Chiu is free on $300,000 bond.
Investigators allege that Chi Mak took computer disks from Anaheim-based defense contractor Power Paragon, where he worked on a sensitive research project involving propulsion systems for Navy warships, and took steps to send the information to China.
Chi Mak, who is a U.S. citizen, allegedly passed the information to his brother, who then encrypted or helped encrypt the files and loaded them onto a computer disk, according to prosecutors.
Tai Mak, 56, a legal U.S. resident from China, and his wife, Fuk Heung Li, were arrested Oct. 28 at Los Angeles International Airport as they prepared to travel to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China, allegedly with an encrypted disk. Li was not indicted in the case.
On Monday, defense attorneys outlined for the judge what they called serious challenges they will face in preparing for trial.
Defense attorneys will not have clearance to view the classified files being cited by prosecutors for at least six weeks. Once they have clearance, they must view the files in one of two secure rooms that will be outfitted for that purpose in Santa Ana and Los Angeles, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors have more than 30 boxes of evidence that include 20,000 taped phone calls, 3,000 hours of conversations picked up by hidden microphones and thousands of e-mails - and almost all that evidence is in Mandarin or Cantonese, said Stanley Greenberg, Chiu’s attorney.
John Early, attorney for Tai Mak, said he was concerned because the federal government had indicated his client would not be allowed to review many documents that will be used as evidence against him because he’s not a U.S. citizen. Those documents have a classified or “NO FORN” stamp, meaning they can’t be shared with non-U.S. agencies.
Carney said he would only intervene if prosecutors weren’t able to convince officials in Washington, D.C., to give Tai Mak a temporary clearance.
“I am going to have to have an incredibly compelling reason why a defendant can’t see a document,” Carney said. “It just doesn’t make sense.”
Carney didn’t immediately set a new trial date because Chi Mak wasn’t in court Monday. He was unable to attend because of a lockdown at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, where he is now being held.
Prosecutors have said previously that authorities recovered from the disk restricted documents on the DD(X) destroyer, an advanced technology warship. They also allege that they found two lists in Chinese asking Chi Mak to get documents about submarine torpedo technology, electromagnetic artillery systems, weapon standardization, early warning technology to detect incoming missiles and defenses against nuclear attack.
Authorities allege Chi Mak has been feeding information to China since 1983, including highly sensitive information about radar power distribution systems on Aegis warships.
Dolphin Prepares for Shallow Water Research
By Joseph Caballero, Military.com, 20 Dec 05
USS DOLPHIN - The crew of the auxiliary research submarine USS Dolphin (AGSS 555) returned to San Diego Dec. 15, wrapping up a three-day underway in preparation for shallow-water acoustic torpedo testing scheduled to take place in early 2006.
The torpedo testing will involve the submergence of Dolphin in shallow waters to near-bottom depths, at which point Dolphin will become the target of unarmed torpedoes.
“We’re ideal for this test because we are small enough and have certain equipment like underwater cameras that let us get very close to the bottom,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Vlattas, executive officer and navigator.
In shallow water, targets are harder for submarines to hit because noise and reverberation off the sea floor limit the ability of torpedoes to pick out their target. The Navy’s goal in the experiment is to help develop a more capable torpedo armed with a more advanced sonar system.
During its underway period, the crew conducted numerous drills involving various systems aboard in connection with the tests.
“As a crew, we need to prepare ourselves,” said Vlattas. “That involves understanding fine ship controls and systems that will be necessary for near-bottom operations. We also need to be perfect when it comes to damage control and firefighting.”
Though Dolphin, commissioned in the late 1960s, is one of the oldest submarines and the only diesel-electric boat in service with the U.S. Navy, it has been at the forefront of submarine technology research. With a crew of less than 50 Sailors, Dolphin is also smaller than its nuclear-powered counterparts.
“Though we are not a warfighting vessel, our mission is just as valuable,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (SS) Jeff Riffle, medical department representative aboard Dolphin. "We research and test the equipment the warfighting subs will use."
Dolphin can maintain more extensive on-board laboratory facilities than other deep-diving submarines. It can carry scientific payloads of more than 12 tons and take them to an unmatched recorded depth of more than 3,000 feet.
Dolphin was conducting similar acoustic torpedo experiments in May 2002 when its sail's side door failed to maintain a watertight seal, resulting in the flooding of the ship, which damaged electrical devices aboard. After the incident, Dolphin’s crew and the Navy repaired and upgraded the boat.
“We changed a lot of the physical construction of the boat to ensure that situation can’t happen again,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SS) Michael A. Shaw, who has been on Dolphin since the accident. “We paid a lot of attention to fixing old problems and rewriting procedures to prevent new problems from arising.”
According to Cmdr. Andrew C. Wilde, commanding officer of Dolphin, the crew must adapt to new changes because they operate a unique submarine.
“Every other submarine in the fleet gains from hundreds of years of experience. We have to write our own procedures and can’t depend on others,” said Wilde, referring to the new equipment Dolphin tests. "We have to be diligent and make sure they work and the ship is safe."
Wilde took command of the ship in November and said that as a new commanding officer, he must rely on his crew.
“When a new crew member steps on this boat, everything is new,” said Wilde. “After a month, I already have a tremendous amount of confidence in these Sailors. They do their job with initiative and enthusiasm. The Navy would have a hard time operating without them.”
Prime Minister Paul Martin says the federal government will take the “necessary measures” to stop American submarines from passing through Canada’s Arctic waters.
He offered no specifics, but cast a wary glance at reports that at least one U.S. military submarine recently had patrolled the Arctic and likely passed through Canadian waters.
The prime minister repeatedly has drawn attention to his differences with the United States as part of a re-election strategy designed to benefit his Liberal party.
But he chose his words carefully when asked whether Canada would accept U.S. subs under its coastal waters.
“No,” Martin replied.
“Arctic waters are Canadian waters, and Canadian waters are sovereign waters. Canada will defend its sovereignty,” he pledged.
He used stronger language-but offered no additional details-when asked in French how Canada would stop such incursions. “We will take the necessary measures,” he replied.
The comments came after news an American nuclear submarine, the USS Charlotte, visited the North Pole last month, and likely passed through Canadian waters in the process.
U.S.-Canada relations have become an issue in the election campaign, as Martin has lobbed verbal grenades across the border over issues such as U.S. duties on softwood lumber and American reluctance to sign on to the Kyoto protocol on climate change.
Last week, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins, struck back, warning that U.S.-bashing is a “slippery slope” that Canadian politicians should not embark upon.
The Conservative defence critic, retired general Gordon O’Connor, said the apparent breach of Canadian sovereignty by a U.S. submarine betrays the phoniness of Martin’s war of words with the United States.
“The Liberals have failed to enforce our sovereignty and increase security in the north,” said O’Connor.
“The Liberal government has been undermining Canada’s sovereignty over our northern territory and its vast natural resources by failing to properly defend the far north.”
O’Connor demanded to know what, exactly, the Liberal government is doing about the issue, and asked how many other unauthorized voyages by foreign naval vessels have occurred in Canadian territorial waters without Ottawa’s permission or knowledge.
SEOUL -- North Korea plans to build light-water atomic reactors and develop two other reactors that can produce large amounts of fissile material to boost its nuclear deterrent, official press sources said yesterday.
Six-country talks to try to end North Korea's nuclear-weapons programs have stalled. Diplomats said the latest comment from the North's official Korean Central News Agency could complicate an already difficult negotiating process.
Pyongyang previously had not said that it planned to build relatively proliferation-resistant light-water reactors, but had threatened to resume work on two graphite-moderated reactors, which can produce large amounts of material for atomic bombs, said a South Korean Foreign Ministry official.
"There have never been any plans for North Korea to build [light-water reactors] on their own," the official said.
TOGETHER at last! That is the stage reached with the giant hull sections of Barrow’s first Astute class nuclear submarine, the future HMS Astute.
As the picture shows the successful shipping inside of the two level Command Deck module in November has allowed the sub’s body to be closed up.
The final part of the giant pressure hull, the front end section, was moved up to be joined with the rest of the body of the hunter-killer sub.
The boat is the first of a hoped for fleet of at least seven.
Welding operations to join the giant sections were expected to be completed later this week before the Christmas holiday.
BAE says the growing success of the Astute programme was driving a sense of optimism across the yard.
In 2005 the teams working on Astute Boat 1 - which is due to be launched in 2007 - have consistently delivered key stages of the project ahead of schedule.
Their successes include:
The main propulsion machinery package - was shipped 40 days early in June 2005.
The bridge fin and casings - were shipped 22 weeks early in October 2005.
The command deck module - was shipped five weeks ahead of schedule, to be slid into place inside the part-completed hull in November 2005.
The final welding of the pressure hull will be finished now, six weeks early.
The Astute class is designed for a range of roles including support to Vanguard Class submarines, ballistic missiles subs, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, surveillance and intelligence gathering, and land attack using Tomahawk missiles. Barrow’s submarines workers, including office staff, are capping a successful year with an extra payday on Wednesday.
They will get a £1,600 bonus pay - about £1,072 after tax - in time to ensure a merry Christmas.
Associated Press, 21 Dec 05
MOSCOW - Russia successfully test-launched a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday for the first time under water, the navy said.
The Bulava, a solid fuel missile, blasted off from the nuclear submarine Dmitry Donskoy in the White Sea and hit its designated target in the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, chief naval spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo told The Associated Press.
"This is the second test-firing of the new generation missile Bulava and the first underwater launch of the missile," he said.
Russia's navy is to get two newly equipped nuclear submarines in 2006, armed with the new Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, the navy commander said in April. The missiles have a range of 5,000 miles.
Each submarine will be equipped with 12 missiles, the Interfax news agency reported.
In December last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin encouraged the Defense Ministry to keep up production of new strategic missile systems, a process slowed in the past by a shortage of funds.