RE: Cold War Database 1946-1979 Platform Requests
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:29 am
Hi all notes have been noted
ORIGINAL: Broncepulido
My results on the Skate-class research some time ago. For me the most distictive point is an increment in speed after the reactor power increase probably on the earlier overhauls (from 6600shp (Conway's) or 7300 shp ("Cold War Submarines") S3W in SSN-578 and SSN-583 and the same reactor with different arrangement S4W in SSN-579 and SSN-584).
Skate-class submerged speed 12/1957-1962: 18 knots (this value is reflected in more "serious" books, but I think is the original speed value, it can reflect the 6600 shp power).
Skate-class submerged speed 1963-6/1989: 22 knots (value reflected for years on many books, or as "20+ knots", it can reflect the 7300 shp power).
Some sources:
Notes of autor Jim Christley"informed guesses" in the four page of Osprey's New Vanguard number 138 "US Nuclear Submarines - the fast attack", 2007: speed 15/18 (clearly previously to the reactor replacement), test depth 700 ft. Also with Mk14, Mk16 and Mk37 torpedoes originally (perhaps also Mk27, Mk35 and Mk45 ASTOR (1963-1976).
On Norman Friedman's "US Submarines from 1945", Naval Institute Press 1994: submarine data page 243, speed 15,5/18, test depth 700 ft (probably Christley get his data here).
6x533mm Mk56 bow tubes with 18 long torpedoes.
2x533mm Mk57 stern tubes (sometimes calles "countermeasures tubes") with 4 short torpedoes (as Mk37).
Original sonars: active SQS-4 Mod 1, passive BQR-2B (with BQS-4, added 1963?), later added mine-detection sonar BQS-8, also with SS-2 surface search radar (later BPS-12), torpedo Warner QXB-3 to be replaced with WLR-2 (very probably also DUUG-1 Velox, employed on all the US SSNs to Sturgeon-class inclusive), BLR-1, AS-371 and WLR-3 DF system (ESM), and BRA-34 radio mast (page 128).
On Norman Polmar "Cold War Submarines", Brassey's 2004: page 70, the same speed values of 15,5/18 knots and 700 ft deep.
On navsource.org http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08578.htm 23 knots surfaced and 18+ knots submerged!
About the speed increase is only my "informed guess", but I will persist on the trail ...