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NAVY SUBMARINE DEVELOPMENT & PROCUREMENT PROGRAMS

STATEMENT OF
VICE ADMIRAL DONALD L. PILLING, USN
DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
RESOURCES, WARFARE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
SEAPOWER
OF THE
SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
ON
NAVY SUBMARINE PROGRAMS

8 APRIL 1997

The NEW ATTACK SUBMARINE (NSSN)

The New Attack Submarine (NSSN) is one of the Navy's first major programs of the 1990s that fully embraces the new strategic concept in ...from the Sea and Forward...From the Sea. It is the first United States submarine to be designed for battlespace dominance across a broad spectrum of regional and littoral missions as well as open-ocean, "blue water" missions. The NSSN achieves the right balance of core military capabilities and affordability. It will surpass the overall warfighting and peacetime performance of any current or projected threat submarine.

In determining our attack submarine requirements, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff mandated that the Navy have ten to twelve submarines with SEAWOLF-level acoustic and non- acoustic quieting by 2012. Despite its lower cost, the NSSN will be as quiet as SEAWOLF (a three ship class), and will be procured in sufficient numbers to meet this force structure requirement. Furthermore, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff determined that the Navy's next-generation attack submarine must be able to carry out seven specific missions:

• Covert Strike Warfare
• Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW)
• Anti-surface Ship Warfare (ASUW)
• Covert Intelligence Collection/Surveillance, Covert Indication and Warning, and Electronic Warfare
• Special Warfare
• Covert Mine Warfare
• Battle Group Support

The NSSN will perform all seven exceptionally well. The first of these missions, covert strike warfare, was demonstrated in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, in which two attack submarines launched 12 Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles at critical targets in Iraq. NSSN's Tomahawks, which have a range of approximately 1000 nautical miles, may be complemented in the future by developmental weapons such as a submarine launched marinized version of the Army's Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).

The NSSN anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface ship warfare capabilities rely heavily on a combination of stealth, sensors, and weaponry. The ship will be armed with the latest generation of MK 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) torpedoes for both ASUW and ASW. The weapons will be complemented with a host of improved sensors, including the Light-Weight Wide Aperture Array, which will provide dramatic improvement in detection and contact localization, particularly in shallower water in operations against quiet diesel electric submarines.

The NSSN incorporates a wide range of improved systems to support covert intelligence collection, surveillance, electronic warfare, and reconnaissance. The NSSN's stealth provides a margin of superiority which enhances its ability to carry out this mission while remaining undetected. Its sail will house two all new fully digital photonics masts for improved imaging functions, an improved electronic support measures mast, and multi-function masts that cover the frequency domain for full- spectrum Joint Task Force communications. The design includes extremely high frequency and super-high frequency satellite communications antennas as well as accommodations for a special "mission-configurable" mast. Improved communications systems scheduled to be in place before the turn of the century will ensure that intelligence-gathering submarines are able to transmit their data quickly and effectively to other forces.

To further enhance NSSN capabilities in this area, the Navy will use submarine launched Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to conduct mine reconnaissance operations.

The NSSN will provide unprecedented support to the full spectrum of special operations missions. A nine-man lock- out/lock-in chamber will be used to insert and recover Special Operations Forces. The NSSN will host the Advanced SEAL Delivery System, a mini-sub for inserting and extracting Special Operations Forces from extended distances offshore. When fitted with a Dry Deck Shelter, the NSSN can deliver a greater number of Special Operations Forces and their equipment quickly and quietly while remaining submerged and undetected.

Mine warfare is a critical element of sea control and sea denial. All United States attack submarines can carry the MK 60 CAPTOR (enCAPsulated TORpedo), a deep-water anti-submarine weapon with some capability to attack surface ships. For missions in shallower water, the Navy is developing a new Submarine Launched Mobile Mine. The NSSN's Advanced Mine Detection Sonar(AMDS) system will provide advanced capability to detect moored and bottom mines and in conjunction with enhanced electromagnetic stealth and UUVs will enable it to operate in mined areas with significantly reduced risk.

Finally, the NSSN will provide important battle group and joint task force support. Enhanced communications connectivity allows submarines to work closely with their battle group counterparts, permitting them to integrate fully into carrier battle group operations. United States attack submarines will also play an integral role in joint task forces, incorporating elements from all the services.

To arrive at it's current level of design development, the NSSN warfighting performance has been studied in detail and matched against the most stressing projected threats. Warfighting performance is the ultimate measure of the submarine's effectiveness and is determined by numerous factors such as stealth, sensor performance, weapons capability, and payload.

NSSN's combat superiority is clear. Warfighting performance metrics have been established to fully specify the required performance. These metrics have been validated by the JROC as being necessary and sufficient performance requirements. Nine different studies have been conducted investigating the NSSN capabilities. Sophisticated computer models have been used to verify conclusively that NSSN will be superior against the most stressing DIA validated threats projected to exist in the next twenty years. This extensive analysis clearly shows that the NSSN is the right ship to meet the current and future threat. The intelligence community reassesses the threat projections annually and warfighting performance assessments of the NSSN will be updated as required. Upon delivery, the lead ship will be thoroughly tested and validated against these same warfighting performance metrics.

As threats and technologies change, our submarines must maintain their superiority. To ensure this, the base design of the NSSN incorporates numerous special design elements to provide design flexibility, which allows us to upgrade or alter the submarine design and to quickly and affordably insert new technologies or equipment as they are developed.

The NSSN is being designed specifically for modular construction which will cut costs and allow the incorporation of mission-specific hull sections during future new construction. The individual basic ship construction modules can be tested before installation into the hull, preventing costly replacements or changes later in the construction process. The ship's modular design includes the Modular Isolated Deck Structure, an innovative feature that provides sufficient shock and acoustic protection to allow use of commercial electronics in a combat environment. In the future, new systems, new technologies, and upgrades will be cost-effectively tested and inserted into the NSSN, including backfitting into existing ships, therefore avoiding unit and class obsolescence that so often has plagued other warships.

A second key to NSSN design flexibility is the use of an Open System Architecture compatible with existing and projected commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software. By using an Open System Architecture, the system will remain compatible with emerging commercial-based electronic technologies, providing affordable and adaptable solutions to support current and future mission performance requirements. Among the NSSN systems taking advantage of the benefits from the expanded use of non-developmental items and commercial components for connectivity are the sonar, fire control, navigation, electronic support measures, and communications systems. Integrated electronic systems with commercial components will allow state- of-the-art technology insertion throughout the lifetime of the class. Consequently, NSSN electronics design can fully benefit from rapid advances made in the commercial electronics industry.

One of the particularly important features is the ship's weapon stowage and handling system, which will provide efficient weapon stowage and enable weapon reload rates that fully satisfy mission requirements. The torpedo room is also completely reconfigurable to provide a large, open, easily rearranged space to carry a variety of weapons, and support non-traditional missions such as hosting Special Operations Forces or Unmanned Undersea Vehicles. This feature, which is unique to the NSSN, is a key element of the ship's mission-flexible design.

Reducing acquisition and life-cycle costs is a major objective of the NSSN design and engineering process. Substantial cost avoidance is being achieved through the application of concurrent engineering design/build teams, computer-aided design and electronic visualization tools, system simplification, parts standardization, and component elimination. These innovations ensure that the ship is affordable in sufficient numbers to satisfy America's future nuclear attack submarine force level requirements.

Existing Submarine Programs

We continue to upgrade the capabilities of our existing submarines to improve their ability to confront the current and projected threat. The main vehicle for that effort is the Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion (A-RCI) program. A-RCI is a four- phase program that uses current sensors with modern (COTS) processing equipment to achieve a significant dB gain over existing sonar systems. This COTS based open architecture system increases processing capacity well over two hundred times that of existing 688 and 688I systems, provides for "rapid" growth potential and allows for reduced cycle time for future upgrades and improvements. The first phased installation of A- RCI is scheduled and is on track for November of 1997. By the end of the FYDP all SSNs (688 and 688I) will have A-RCI installed. This program delivers the needed acoustic improvements much quicker than the older "legacy system" based plan and is applicable to all ships. While this will enhance processing and sensor performance on existing submarines, only SEAWOLF and NSSN can meet the stealth requirements.

SUMMARY

In summary, the NSSN is designed for multi-mission operations and enhanced operational flexibility. SEAWOLF-Class quieting has been incorporated in a smaller hull while military performance has been maintained or improved. With a focus on the littoral battlespace, the NSSN has improved magnetic stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and Special Warfare enhancements. It is engineered for maximum design flexibility. Its responsiveness to changing missions and threats and the affordable insertion of new technologies ensure that it will continue to be the right submarine for the future.

The NSSN surpasses the performance of any current projected threat submarine, thus ensuring United States undersea dominance well into the next century. It is designed to keep pace with advancing technology. Capable, flexible, and affordable, the New Attack Submarine is the right warship for the 21st Century.

-USN-