U.S. Submarines: No Open Kimonos

Open Kimono in feudal Japan signified an absence of secrets by having nothing hidden, as in under one's clothing. The term is common in many business quarters today.

There is a submarine - part sub killer, part terrorist hunter and part spy - that is so unparalleled in its capability to impact world events that the Navy has kept it a secret....the newest and most advanced member of the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine force - the USS Texas. -National Geographic Channel presents Explorer: “Super Sub” (Hat tip - Lubbers Line: Hundreds of Fathoms)

USS Texas (SSN-774) is the second Virginia class sub. Photo (shown) is the USS Virginia under construction. Note selectively closed kimono features protecting our national security from prying eyes. Why should U.S. taxpayers spend billions on our most effective weapons systems and security to keep our advantages unknown, and then allow a large mouthed congressman to release classified national security information without authorization? You are correct. We cannot allow unauthorized disclosures of national secrets and continue to foot the bill for developing and keeping such secrets.

Soon, current events will ask us to remember the connections, not only to the enormous dollar expense of keeping secrets, which allows us to sleep at night, but to the lives of those for whom the secrets must be kept (not the least of which is us). How dare any American disclose classified information that is intended to protect our national security. But I digress.

In the DOD approved photo, note that the kimono is not entirely open, but discretely covers critical areas. This is good and many of you can guess why. Also, note that the construction item in the bottom left foreground has not been covered. That is no accident, and obviously it is no secret. Are we starting to see a high attention to national security yet? Absolutely, the item near the ? is no UUV.

Submariners will all know what it is. Skimmers and others are invited to guess. Do not expect us to answer, however, due to Beadwindow considerations. (Hat tip -Pig Boat Sailor: The Discomfort of Thought).