Halibut Hangar

On this day in history the United States purchased its first submarine, the Plunger-class, USS Holland SS-1, for $150K. The purchase is widely celebrated as the beginning of America's submarine Navy, April 11, 1900.

Today's, Virginia-class, America's newest submarine, designated USS North Carolina SSN-777, costs upwards of $2.5 billion dollars¹.

Halibut sailors who attend this years reunion in Groton New London, Connecticut and visit the Submarine Museum will notice two circles, one inside the other at its entrance. The inner ring represents the beam (diameter) of the Holland (≈9 foot)—the outer ring represents the beam of the Ohio-class submarine (≈40 beam).

Submariners know that a submarine's hull diameter is primarily a function of its power requirements (horsepower to the shaft), which is a function of the nuclear power plant's power density. While larger beam can represent submarine progress (more horsepower means greater sustained speeds) a smaller beam and greater power density represents better progress.

It is not insignificant that our new Virginia-class submarine has a small beam (≈34 feet), greater power density, quieter pump jet propulsion, life-time core, greater depth, greater speed, and improved acoustic isolation—a submarine designer's tour de force—our young and future designers must deliver even better performance at a much lower cost.

This year the National Convention of US Submarine Veterans of World War II will be held in Houston, Texas, on September 1-7, 2008. POC: Jeff Morris, jeffnsue[type appropriate symbol]mindspring.com for more information.

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1. The average submarine costs are expected to decline as the learning curve flattens and more Virginia-class submarines are built. The current production rate is one Virginia-class submarine per year.