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It has a range of 6,500 miles... San Diego to Guam is 6,100 miles View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Via a submarine cargo ship.
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It has a range of 6,500 miles... San Diego to Guam is 6,100 miles View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Boeing is a neat company. It's one of the reasons I have my son invested in them.
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The world will never know why it malfunctioned and self destructed. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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It's autonomous and makes decisions for itself. Just don't piss it off. Seriously though. What's to stop other nations from either sinking or capturing them at will. Are we willing to sink a Russian or Chinese sub that attempts to grab on to one of these things? |
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No shitters no galley no sleeping quarters.... just a weapon with a propeller.
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...somewhere in the Persian gulf...carrying a gigantic nuclear bomb...oops! did Iran just blow up? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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It's autonomous and makes decisions for itself. Just don't piss it off. Seriously though. What's to stop other nations from either sinking or capturing them at will. Are we willing to sink a Russian or Chinese sub that attempts to grab on to one of these things? |
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Another example of defictionalization.
Attached File Attached File A mad scientist built an Orca attack sub for the Navy in an old episode of Ducktales. I think the Orca snacking on a ship would make a nice project insignia. Hopefully no one steals it this time. |
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The world will never know why it malfunctioned and self destructed. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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It’s autonomous and makes decisions for itself. Just don’t piss it off. Seriously though. What’s to stop other nations from either sinking or capturing them at will. Are we willing to sink a Russian or Chinese sub that attempts to grab on to one of these things? |
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I've always wondered why we haven't developed good Diesel/Electric subs.
But max speed of 8 knots? That is at best an ambush boat. |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vPxC-qucw * Surface Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (snooping on targets on the surface) * Information warfare (use your imagination) * Payload deployment (pick your payload) * Critical infrastructure protection (not gonna say anything) * Weapons platform (obvious) * UAV Ops (ding ding ding...extends combat radii of UAVs by getting them close to the area without being detected, awesome) * Subsea search and reconnaissance (looking for other subs, subsurface threats, mines, cables, pipelines) * Anti-Submarine Warfare and Barrier * Submarine decoy * Mine Countermeasures * Battlespace Preparation (not gonna say anything, but this is awesome) Build them by the hundreds... View Quote |
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So, uh, how do they communicate with it in real time while it is underwater? But I'm not a bubblehead, so that's just a guess. |
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I've always wondered why we haven't developed good Diesel/Electric subs. But max speed of 8 knots? That is at best an ambush boat. View Quote These will likely be demonstrators, followed by more capable boats. |
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If I was the designer, it would have preprogrammed missions with the ability to receive updates via satellite. ELF would signal the Orca to come to the surface to establish a datalink. But I'm not a bubblehead, so that's just a guess. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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So, uh, how do they communicate with it in real time while it is underwater? But I'm not a bubblehead, so that's just a guess. |
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Read the Echo Voyager product sheet linked from the link I gave on page 1, there is a paragraph devoted to communication. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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So, uh, how do they communicate with it in real time while it is underwater? But I'm not a bubblehead, so that's just a guess. It taaakes so long. ETA: Hey, I was pretty close! Guessing rules! |
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Boeing info PDF for the Echo Voyager which the Orca will be based on. Gives some more info on the coms and navigation aspects.
ECHO VOYAGER Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Current Environment Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs), due to their limited endurance, require host platforms for launch and recovery. That reliance results in significant size restrictions limiting on-board power availability, precluding incorporation of redundancy for long-term operations, and reducing payload capacity. At the same time, new sensor and system payloads are rapidly being introduced that could expand the UUV mission set. Viable, costeffective UUVs providing endurance capabilities and meeting modular payload requirements for varied missions are needed to support the demonstration and refinement of capabilities in open ocean environments. Boeing’s Echo Voyager, a multi-market, pier-launched, modular, long-range Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) shifts that paradigm. The Boeing Solution Echo Voyager is a game-changing platform, capable of performing as a multi-mission system and playing a pivotal role in future force structure. The vehicle’s advanced autonomy allows it to operate for months at a time without physical human contact and in congested waters. Echo Voyager is complete with a generous internal and external payload volume and available energy capacity. Echo Voyager is the next generation of UUVs. Host Ship Independent Very Long Endurance/Range • Swims from port • 6,500 nm range (1 fuel module) • Fully autonomous • Months of operation Navigation System The vehicle provides remarkable navigational accuracy. The primary navigation system features a proven Kalman filtered Inertial Navigation Unit (INU) aided by a set of Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs), and depth sensors, and can use seafloor long baseline (LBL) transponders to augment the navigation solution. GPS is available operating on or near the surface. Key navigation performance characteristics: • Altitude Stability: 0.8 ft / 0.25 m ‡ • Depth Stability: 1.0 ft / 0.3 m ‡ • LBL aided position accuracy: 7.7 ft / 2.3 m ‡ • Unaided position accuracy: 0.15% distance traveled ‡: RMS values Communications The vehicle uses encrypted Inmarsat IV, Iridium, Wi-Fi, and/or freewave enabled communications for operational command, control, system status, and mission re-planning during nearsurface operations, and acoustic communications for command, control, and status messages during submerged operations. Buoyancy Control and Trim The vehicle features an active buoyancy control system with the following features: • Autonomous buoyancy control capability • Forward and aft trim control • Seafloor mooring capability Obstacle Avoidance The vehicle features an active obstacle avoidance capability. The capability is enabled by a Forward-Looking Sonar (FLS) and proven autonomous obstacle avoidance algorithms. Terrain Following The vehicle’s FLS system along with a DVL enable terrain following mission capability operations near the seafloor. Modular Payload Capacity The vehicle’s internal payload support capability includes: • Size: Up to 34 ft in length • Volume: Up to ~ 2,000 cu ft internal volume (14 ft length provides ~ 900 cu ft internal volume) • Capacity: 8 ton dry weight, 18 KW battery power The vehicle can also accommodate external payloads. Sonar Payload Echo Voyager can utilize various types of sonar payload including a Raytheon PROSAS PS60-6000 Synthetic Aperture Sonar to enhance its ocean-bottom mapping capability. • Swath: 6,234 ft (1,900 m) • Resolution: 0.3 ft (10cm) • Altitude: 328 ft (100 m) XLUUV Summary A fully autonomous vehicle featuring: • Weight in Air: 50 tons (45,360 kg) • Envelope (no payload): 51 ft x 8.5 ft x 8.5 ft (15.5 m x 2.6 m x 2.6 m) • Envelope (with a 34 ft payload section): 85 ft (25.9 m) • Maximum Depth: 11,000 ft (3,000 m) • Maximum Speed: 8.0 kts (14.8 km/hr) • Minimum Speed: 2.5 kts (4.63 km/hr) • Optimal Speed: 2.5 - 3 kts (4.6 – 5.6 km/hr) • Range between recharges: ~150 nm (~280 km) at nominal speed https://www.boeing.com/resources/boeingdotcom/defense/autonomous-systems/echo-voyager/echo_voyager_product_sheet.pdf |
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Shiny.
These seem to be operational prototypes. I'm sure the next versions will change. As it stands the Orcas are roughly the size of a semi-truck van trailer. That opens up transport options via land, sea, and air. 2000 cubic feet of space inside opens up lots of possibilities for assorted mission packages, weapon loads,etc. The price is outstanding and will hopefully remain low. 4 is cool but spending a Billion to add a thousand of them to the fleet could be freaking sweet. Would be cool to see them painted black and white to emulate living Orcas. |
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https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/459941/CCF7AEC1-56E6-410D-965B-BCABA7AEC0DD_jpeg-845703.JPG View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes They’re a bit behind the K129
I guess no sailer’s coats to betray the fact that they were surfaced this time though. |
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Apparently you've never seen SEALs in action when assigned a reconnaissance mission. Prepare for compromise or failure within infiltration phase, lots of shooting, followed by emergency exfil if they survive. Examples include Grenada, Panama, Red Wings in OEF, and ST6 in Somalia. They do it in training, then replicate it real-world. View Quote Got the t-shirt. |
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They’re a bit behind the K129 I guess no sailer’s coats to betray the fact that they were surfaced this time though. View Quote |
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Approx 10mil apiece for first articles?
With that list of cabapilities? Not only is that dirt fucking cheap, it has the makings of a disruptive technology. |
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Numbers game? https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/sinking-feeling-us-navy-losing-its-submarine-advantage-china-44502 View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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They’re a bit behind the K129 I guess no sailer’s coats to betray the fact that they were surfaced this time though. Sounds like we're playing it smart. |
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Numbers game? https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/sinking-feeling-us-navy-losing-its-submarine-advantage-china-44502 View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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They’re a bit behind the K129 I guess no sailer’s coats to betray the fact that they were surfaced this time though. Playing blockade games would be failing to think strategically. |
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I've always wondered why we haven't developed good Diesel/Electric subs. But max speed of 8 knots? That is at best an ambush boat. View Quote |
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Hopefully, I’m honestly more afraid of the House Armed Services Committee than China View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Virginia Class + Orca + SSNX? Sounds like we're playing it smart. (Not being defeatist, it'll just eventually happen.) Crazy I'd be rooting for corrupt politicians and lobbying in such a case. |
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Ummmmm...... I have some bad news for you. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Maybe it does predetermined routes and surfaces to relay the info to nearby ships? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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In short, because of the Nuclear Power Mafia. Plus, for blue water ops, nuclear boats are just far more capable. This thing's 8 kt max submerged speed reinforces that. Plus, what's the batter life at 8 kts? Probably not terrifically long, same as the old diesel boats. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I've always wondered why we haven't developed good Diesel/Electric subs. But max speed of 8 knots? That is at best an ambush boat. Sorry? |
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Hopefully, I’m honestly more afraid of the House Armed Services Committee than China View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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In short, because of the Nuclear Power Mafia. Plus, for blue water ops, nuclear boats are just far more capable. This thing's 8 kt max submerged speed reinforces that. Plus, what's the batter life at 8 kts? Probably not terrifically long, same as the old diesel boats. View Quote |
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Quoted: Its easy to blame the Nuclear Power Mafia with some degree of truth, but a US D/E boat has to make the business case that its better than the nuke, not just cheaper. View Quote In green water inside the 100 fm curve - the places where nuclear boats really don't like to go - smaller DE boats have a significant edge. Starting with they're quite happy operating there, among the diesel powered commercial traffic, and can attack within the LLSA outside ports or in choke points. That's their case, but the PTB in the DoN aren't real interested in green water ops... unless it's about Little Crappy Ships. Then add in that we don't have any submariners that are not Nukes anymore - pretty sure the last one retired in the mid 80s. Spending a MST of cash on nuclear power training, then sub school, and then assigning that officer to a Diesel boat really doesn't make fiscal sense. |
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I agree. That's why I said that for blue water ops, nukes are far more capable. In green water inside the 100 fm curve - the places where nuclear boats really don't like to go - smaller DE boats have a significant edge. Starting with they're quite happy operating there, among the diesel powered commercial traffic, and can attack within the LLSA outside ports or in choke points. That's their case, but the PTB in the DoN aren't real interested in green water ops... unless it's about Little Crappy Ships. Then add in that we don't have any submariners that are not Nukes anymore - pretty sure the last one retired in the mid 80s. Spending a MST of cash on nuclear power training, then sub school, and then assigning that officer to a Diesel boat really doesn't make fiscal sense. View Quote That said, I wouldn't be completely against buying 3-6 Soryu-Class SSKs (probably at 550 million per boat) and having them manned by the Active/Reserve force. Certainly they would be useful in all sorts of places. |
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