SSN: A Strategy Guide to Submarine Warfare Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  Foreword

  Introduction

  The Silent Service

  Building the Boats

  The Boat: A Tour of USS Miami (SSN-755)

  The British Boats: A Tour of HMS Triumph (S-93)

  Roles and Missions

  The End of History: Submarines in the Post-Cold War World

  Other People’s Submarines

  Glossary

  Bibliography

  “Takes readers deeper than they’ve ever gone inside a nuclear submarine.” —Kirkus Reviews

  A rare glimpse inside

  a Los Angeles-class (SSN-688) nuclear submarine . . .

  with Tom Clancy as your guide.

  Only the author of The Hunt for Red October could capture the reality of life aboard a nuclear submarine. Only a writer of Mr. Clancy’s magnitude could obtain security clearance for information, diagrams, and photographs to offer the public a true insider’s view. Now, every civilian can enter this top-secret world and experience the drama and excitement of this stunning technological achievement . . . the weapons, the procedures, the people themselves . . . the startling facts behind the fiction that made Tom Clancy a #1 bestselling author.

  ALSO INCLUDES MATERIAL ON SEAWOLF-AND

  VIRGINIA-CLASS SUBMARINES

  SUBMARINE

  includes:

  • Exclusive photographs, illustrations, and diagrams

  • Mock war scenarios and weapons-launch procedures

  • An inside look at life on board, from captain to crew, from training exercises to operations

  • The fascinating history and evolution of submarines

  PLUS: Tom Clancy’s controversial views on

  submariner tactics and training methods

  Most Berkley Books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs.

  For details, write: Special Markets, The Berkley Publishing Group, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  Novels by Tom Clancy

  THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

  RED STORM RISING

  PATRIOT GAMES

  THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN

  CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

  THE SUM OF ALL FEARS

  WITHOUT REMORSE

  DEBT OF HONOR

  EXECUTIVE ORDERS

  RAINBOW SIX

  THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON

  SSN: STRATEGIES OF SUBMARINE WARFARE

  Nonfiction

  SUBMARINE: A GUIDED TOUR INSIDE A NUCLEAR WARSHIP

  ARMORED CAV: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

  FIGHTER WING: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIR FORCE COMBAT WING

  MARINE: A GUIDED TOUR OF A MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT

  AIRBORNE: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRBORNE TASK FORCE

  CARRIER: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER

  SPECIAL FORCES: A GUIDED TOUR OF U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES

  INTO THE STORM: A STUDY IN COMMAND

  (written with General Fred Franks)

  EVERY MAN A TIGER

  (written with General Charles Horner)

  SHADOW WARRIORS: INSIDE THE SPECIAL FORCES

  (written with General Charles Stiner, Ret., and Tony Koltz)

  Created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: MIRROR IMAGE

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: GAMES OF STATE

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: ACTS OF WAR

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: BALANCE OF POWER

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: STATE OF SIEGE

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: DIVIDE AND CONQUER

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: LINE OF CONTROL

  TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: MISSION OF HONOR

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: HIDDEN AGENDAS

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: NIGHT MOVES

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: BREAKING POINT

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: POINT OF IMPACT

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: CYBERNATION

  TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: STATE OF WAR

  Created by Tom Clancy and Martin Greenberg

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: POLITIKA

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: RUTHLESS.COM

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: SHADOW WATCH

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: BIO-STRIKE

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: COLD WAR

  TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: CUTTING EDGE

  A Berkley Book

  Published by The Berkley Publishing Group

  A division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street

  New York, New York 10014

  The views and opinions expressed in this book are entirely those of the author,

  and do not necessarily correspond with those of any corporation, navy, or government

  organization of any country.

  Copyright © 1993, 2002 by Jack Ryan Enterprises, Ltd.

  Published by arrangement with Jack Ryan Enterprises, Ltd.

  All rights reserved.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other

  means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please

  purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage

  electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  BERKLEY and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley trade paperback edition / November 1993

  Berkley revised mass-market edition / January 2002

  Berkley revised trade paperback edition / May 2003

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Clancy, Tom, 1947-

  Submarine : a guided tour inside a nuclear warship / Tom Clancy ; written with

  John Gresham.—Berkley rev. trade pbk. ed.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-00258-2

  1. Nuclear submarines. I. Gresham, John. II. Title.

  V857.5.C55 2003

  623.8’2574—dc21

  2002044074

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  The author gratefully acknowledges permission for use of the following materials:

  Photographs provided by the British Royal Navy, © British Crown copyright 1993/MOD, reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Britanic Majesty’s Stationery Office; all rights reserved;

  Photographs provided by the News Photo Division of the United States Navy; all rights reserved;

  Photographs provided by John D. Gresham; all rights reserved;

  Photographs provided by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation; all rights reserved;

  Foreword courtesy of R. F. Bacon, copyright © 1993 by R. F. Bacon; all rights reserved.

  This book is dedicated to

  the families, friends, and loved ones of submariners,

  who return that love, as well as their love of God and country,

  by going down into the sea in steel boats.

  Acknowledgments

  There is a popular quote that says “Failure is an orphan . . . but success has many fathers.” If this book a
nd the series that it starts turn out to be a success, it will be due to the vision and support of a great many people throughout the defense and publishing communities. First there is the team that helped me put it together. In the fall of 1987, I was introduced to a defense systems analyst named John D. Gresham. Over the years, we have had many lively discussions, and while we may not always agree, the disagreements always were thoughtful and insightful. Thus, I was pleased when John agreed to work with me as a researcher and consultant on this project. Backing up John and me was Martin H. Greenberg, the series editor. Marty’s support in conceiving this book and the series, as well as his guidance of the entire project, have been vital. Laura Alpher, the series illustrator, created the wonderful drawings that reside in these pages. Thanks also go to Lieutenant Commander Christopher Carlson, USNR, Brian Hewitt, Cindi Woodrum, Diana Patin, and Rosalind Greenberg for their tireless work in all the things that make this book what it is.

  When we started this book, popular opinion around the Pentagon was that it could not be done. If any one person changed that, it was Vice Admiral Roger Bacon, USN (Ret.). As OP-02, he was instrumental in opening up the submarine community to the press and the public for the first time since nuclear subs started operating. Our special thanks go to him. In addition, Rear Admiral Thomas Ryan, USN (N-87), as well as Rear Admirals Fred Gustavson, USN, and Raymond Jones, USN, all provided high-level support. Lieutenants Jeff Durand and Nick Connally did yeoman work and tolerated dozens of ill-timed phone calls. In the Office of Navy Information, Lieutenants Don Thomas and Bob Ross just kept finding ways to make it happen. Special thanks to Russ Egnor, Pat Toombs, Chief Petty Officer Jay David-son, and the staff of the Navy Still Photo Branch for all their tolerance and support.

  Up at Groton, Connecticut, we want to thank Lieutenant Commander Ruth Noonan, USN, of the SUBGRU-2 public affairs office for her guidance during our visit. All around the base at Groton, the operators of the various trainers are to be thanked for allowing us to take part in a number of training exercises. Thanks also should go to the personnel and students of the submarine school. Also at Groton, we wish to thank Commander Larry Davis, USN, and the crew of the USS Groton, who opened their boat up to us, despite its being torn open for modifications and weapons loading. And to Commander Houston K. Jones, USN, and his crew on USS Miami, we pay the compliment of calling you “razors.” From one side of the Atlantic to the other, those you have faced in exercises have only one thing to say: “Who were those guys?” Thanks also to the crews of USS Greenling and USS Gato for sharing their valuable training periods with us.

  One of the great pleasures of doing this book was the opportunity to rekindle our friendship with the fine folks of Her Majesty’s Navy. Rear Admiral Paul Fere, RN, and Commodore Roger Lane-Nott, RN, are to be thanked for their sponsorship of our project. Here in America, our way was paved by Rear Admiral Hoddinott, RN, Commander Nick Harris, RN, and Leading WRENs Tracey Barber and Sarah Clarke. At the Ministry of Defence, Commanders Ian Hewitt, RN, and Duncan Fergeson, RN, helped get us to the many places we visited. Mr. Ambrose Moore of the fleet public relations office in Northwood is to be thanked for his services as tour guide to bases in the U.K. We would also like to extend our thanks to the crew of HMS Repulse, who allowed us a brief visit into the world of the SSBN force. And finally, our warmest thanks go to Commander David Vaughan, RN, and the crew of HMS Triumph for their courtesy and friendship over several visits. Her Majesty can be proud of David and his men, for they have the same stout hearts as Drake, Nelson, and Vian.

  Up in New York, our thanks to Robert Gottlieb and the staff at William Morris. And at Berkley Books, we owe a special debt to our editor, John Talbot. Thanks also to Roger Cooper for his patience and support of our work. Our personal thanks go to old friends Captains Doug LittleJohns, RN, and James Perowne, RN. Thanks also to Ron Thunman, Joe Metcalf, and Carlisle Trost for sharing their wisdom and experiences. And to Ned Beach, who taught us all to “run silent . . . and run deep.” And lastly, our love to our families and friends, who tolerate our time away from them, so that we might tell our stories to the world.

  Foreword

  The transformation of Tom Clancy’s wonderful fictional account of submarining in The Hunt for Red October to the reality of actual modern nuclear submarine capabilities and operations is long overdue. Now he brings a unique account of the nuclear-powered submarine, a vital component of naval power, to the public for the first time. This book explains the world of undersea warfare, from how people live within a steel tube for months at a time, to the many arrows a submarine puts in the quiver of national military power.

  Twice in this century submarine warfare has threatened the existence of major powers. Submarines have always been a flexible and adaptable national asset, capable of many roles and missions. The submarines of World War I and II had some inherent stealth and could submerge to conduct attacks, but this property was limited by a lack of sustained power while under the sea’s surface. The advent of nuclear propulsion made the submarine a truly stealthy platform. A so-called stealth aircraft can still be seen by the naked eye. A nuclear-powered submarine is truly invisible and not readily detectable. It is the original stealth machine and can remain undetected indefinitely. From this enduring covertness springs the awesome power of the modern submarine. Through the advances of ballistic and cruise missile technology the strategic nuclear deterrence mission and land attack capability have become an integral part of this military power. For decades the principal mission of a submarine has been to sink ships and submarines. Today, the nuclear-powered submarine’s ability to affect events on land is one of its dominant features.

  With Tom Clancy as our tour guide, let us view the submarine’s history, its missions, the people and their families, the training, the boat itself with all its compartments and systems, and consider what these can do. If you spend years on the bridge of a submarine, as I have, you will notice how the dolphins that “ride” the crest of the exhilaratingly beautiful bow wave along the tear-shaped submarine hull do so at different positions for different classes or shapes of submarines. Why? I have always wondered. This tour you are about to take will come close to answering such questions, which are inherent to the mystique of a submarine.

  I may not agree with all of the points present herein, but I do believe that upon completion of your tour you will understand why the submarine is the only naval platform that combines stealth, surprise, survivability, mobility, and endurance in a single unit. The employment of these characteristics provides a nation with a formidable maritime power, which should be understood by the public.

  —Vice Admiral Roger Bacon, USN

  Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Undersea Warfare

  January 1993

  Introduction

  Submarine. The very word implies stealth and deadliness. Of all the conventional weapons used by the world’s armed forces these days, none is more effective or dangerous than the nuclear attack submarine (SSN). Since its creation in the United States some forty years ago, the SSN has become the most feared weapon in the oceans of the world. The modern SSN is a stealth platform with 70 percent of the world’s surface under which to hide, its endurance determined not by fuel but by the amount of food that may be crammed into the hull, and its operational limitations determined more by the skill of the commander and crew than by external factors.

  Understanding the capabilities of the modern nuclear-powered attack submarine requires a certain sophistication on the part of both a potential adversary and a visitor. Visually, a submarine is the least impressive of physical artifacts. Its hull does not bristle with weapons and sensors as do surface warships, and for one to see its imposing bulk, it must be in drydock. On those rare moments when a submarine is visible, this most lethal of ships appears no more threatening than a huge sea turtle. Yet despite that, the true capabilities of the modern SSN are most easily understood in terms of myth or the modern equivalent, a science fiction movie. Here is a creatu
re that, like Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” appears when it wishes, destroys what it wishes, and disappears immediately to strike again when it wishes. Defense against such a threat requires constant vigilance, and even then, this will be ineffective much of the time. Thus the real impact of the nuclear submarine is as much psychological as physical.

  In April 1982, the Monday after Argentina’s seizure of the Falkland Islands, I happened to have lunch with a submarine officer and so got my first hint of what an SSN could do. The Royal Navy, my friend told me, would very soon declare that one of its boats was in the area of the disputed rocks. No one would be able to dispute the claim, which, my friend went on, would probably be false. “But the only way you know for sure that a sub is out there is when ships start disappearing, and that’s an expensive way to find out.” This is precisely what happened, of course. The mere possibility that the Royal Navy had one or more of its superbly commanded SSNs in the area immediately forced Argentina to reevaluate its position, and the Argentinean Navy, a lead player in the decision to seize the islands, was soon rendered impotent by its inability to confirm, deny, or deal with the mere possibility that an SSN might be lurking in the area.