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I was just wondering why the Navey only ordered 3 Seawolf class subs before going to the Verginia Class? The two look a lot alike on the outside with just a few differences in hull desgin. Is the Virginia just a less expensive vershion of the Seawolf?
On the link above, I found (among others) this reason for building the Virginia, instead of the Seawolf]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/index.html[/url] sub-sections "Seawolf" and "Virginia" explains it all. What a great site!
Both the SSN-21 and SSN 774 classes are remarkable designs. The Seawolf's were tailored and specialized to more of the cold war scenario, which to a degree is still needed. This and cost reflects why only 3 (two - SSN-21 & SSN-22, plus one special design adaption for SSN-23) were or are being constructed. There is however much over lap in design and mission capabilities between the two classes to varying degrees. The Virginia SSN's are slimmer and longer as previously mentioned. The Virginia subs are tailored to handle post cold war scenarios, what might be referred to now in the new fashon as the global war on terrorism. Most, but however not all terrorist activities occur on land. However I am sure the Seawolf's in a post-cold war scenario would more than give their two cents worth. The two operational Seawolfs... USS Seawolf SSN-21, and USS Connecticut SSN-22 appear lately to have been deployed in the North Atlantic, North Sea, Arctic, and likely too I would think around the traditional Russian SSBN 'bastions' to monitor any new Russian designs leaving those Northern ports. This is only my guess.
The Virginia submarines are designed with a large diver lock out chamber for handling up to several dozen Navy Seals at one time. The Virginia's carry a large number of free flood compartment 'lockers' in the sides of the Virginia sail that swimmers can use to deploy their equipment. Besides the more traditional submarine roles, the Virginia submarines in more unprecedented fashion place greater emphasis in their design for shallow water special operations. Her sonars are tailored for shallower 'littoral' operations. Both Seawolf & Virginia are capable of operating a wider range of UUV (unmanned underwater vehicles for mine search and clearance, along with tube launched aerial reconnaissance drones that give 'real time' monitoring of a battlefield situation ashore among others we do not have public info on. Virginia is not as fast as Seawolf (Seawolf class is the fastest in the world), but it does not need to be. A wild guess is the Virginia's are as fast as the 688's, but even much quieter still, quieting (those higher silent speed ranges) on par with the Seawolf's.
If you toured previous SSN's and SSBN's for comparison before touring a Virginia SSN, climbing down the sail hatch you would be surprised not see the control room, but crews and special ops personnel spaces. The next deck down at the subs widest point would now be the control room. All optronic masts with no hull penetrations, the optics shown on monitor screens at even higher than human visual resolution. The perscope mast could if the operator wished to, would 'pop' up the mast only long enough to make a rapid hi-res 360 degree scan for just a few seconds. Recorded digitally, the operator could then study the panorama at his or her own time, without exposing the mast on the surface longer than needed. The helm would have a single 'stick' instead of the yoke arrangement for helm and planes men. Much more automation everywhere. The Virginia design is much more adaptable to changing mission requirements.
Externally, both the Seawolf and Virginia show many similar visual traits. But they are not identical. Pump jets are likely similar but not dimensionally, and would reflect constant upgrades that would also most likely be back-fitted to Seawolf boats. The towed arrays on the stern planes are back on the Virginias, the adhedral fins are also present too, but for counter measures like on the 688's. On the Seawolf's adhedrals they include the towed arrays. 30 Virginia's are planned, to augment the submarine force structure and eventually replace many of the earlier 688's built.
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