US Navy soon will have world’s deadliest attack submarine

Future SSN(X) attack submarines will have stealth, and carry large weapons payloads and new communications. Designers will find ways to engineer for clandestine undersea special missions like targeted attack operations and forward intelligence gathering.

The U.S. Navy’s next-generation attack submarines will be larger than the existing fleet of Virginia-class attack submarines, a plan that could enable greater weapons payloads, longer service life and a host of not-yet-seen quieting technologies. Kris Osborn at The National Interest reports. Continue reading original article

The Navy has begun work on a new generation of attack submarines with never-before-seen weapons, quieting technology, undersea attack drones, sonar, and communications networking … to emerge in the 2030s.

The as-of-yet unnamed class of attack submarine, now referred to as SSN(X), will have a large diameter to accommodate equipment for Special Operations Forces on secret high-risk attack missions, ISR missions, networking with other vessels, and operating undetected in high-threat waters.

Key areas of modernization focus involve new coating materials to improve stealth; new antennas for long-range accurate undersea surveillance missions; and new quiet propulsion technology.

Source: The Military & Aerospace Electronics