Submarine Updates & Quote of the Month

Quote of the Month

 "If the Chinese have discovered this, they have found a new way of finding a needle in a haystack." - Geoffrey Thomas, aviation expert, editor in chief  AirlineRatings.comhttp://www.airlineratings.com/

How did China manage this feat first?  There are implications for:  (1) the advanced state of China's submarine detection capabilities; (2) China's previously undisclosed knowledge of MH370's actual location; or, as the man says, (3) incredibly good fortune.  Although the probable correct answer is (2), being able to surpass conventional high-tech gear with "hand held" devices indicates a quatum leap for China's technology, or theft of another Top Secret sonar surveillance design from the U.S.. 

More...
China's Xinhua News Agency reported that the patrol vessel Haixun 01 on Friday detected a "pulse signal" at 37.5 kilohertz (varies slightly near end of battery life) emitted by both the cockpit voice and the flight data recorder aboard the missing plane MH370, in the southern Indian Ocean. Haixun 01 detected a signal again Saturday 1.4 miles from the original ping, and reported flotsam in the vicinity.

The Australian navy's Ocean Shield, with U.S. Navy high-tech sound detectors, headed there when through investigating pings about 345 miles away.

The Chinese crew reportedly picked up the signals using a hand-held sonar device called a hydrophone dangled over the side of a small runabout — something experts said was technically possible but extremely unlikely.

The equipment aboard the Ocean Shield and the HMS Echo are dragged slowly behind each ship over long distances and are considered far more sophisticated than those the Chinese crew was using. 

Submarine (USS MIAMI) Update

M.E.'s Prediction (June 11, 2012):  "Escalating annual costs of repair (compared to original estimates) in the government-owned shipyard whose negligence contributed to the fire in the first place."

•  Original (2012) estimated cost to repair USS Miami (SSN-775) $450,000,000.
•  Now (2014) revealed estimate to repair USS Miami (SSN-775) $700,000,000. 

To Portray USS Miami Arsonist inTV Movie?

Casey James Fury, a civilian painter/sandblaster working on USS Miami, was indicted on two counts of arson after he confessed to starting a ruinous fire on the nuclear sub. Fury admitted setting the May 2012 fire to get out of work early.  He was subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution of $400 million.

 
Actor Aaron Paul performed a critically acclaimed role as Jesse Pinkman in AMC's hit series Breaking Bad.   Perfect!

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Kings Bay's Abundance of Caution

Background

Readers may recall an odd security threat specific to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, home port to the Atlantic Fleet's Trident nuclear ballistic missile subs.  Invasions by a parachutists from civilian outsiders (skydivers) had been banned, yet continued for over a decade. With the club's relocation to Stateboro the skydivers' invasion threat has finally been curtailed.

"The airport and the local government has faced controversy in recent years regarding the possible relocation of the airport in response to national security concerns."

About the same time, (2012) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard allowed a civilian insider (contract painter) with a drug habit to work within and incinerate the forward portion of USS Miami (SSN -755), causing damage estmated damages of $500,000,000 (half a billion) and making its costly and untimely return to service imprudent for our Navy.  

"On 6 August 2013, the U.S. Navy announced it will scrap the USS Miami, concluding the cost of repairs is more than it can afford in a time of budget cuts."

Qualifications for Refit Workers

18 March 2014 The Florida Times-Union -  Applicants sought for Kings Bay Trident Refit facility apprenticeship program

"Applicants must pass a physical exam, a full criminal background investigation..."

Among trades needed: electricians, pipe fitters, machinists, equipment mechanics, welders, sheet metal mechanics and shipwrights. Apprentices are paid competitive wages and are eligible for vacation, medical and retirement benefits.

 Refit workers must certainly be subject to periodic random drug testing.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Russia's Discipline Problem: "Crazy Ivan" is now "Sloppy Ivan"

BACKGROUND

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Russia embarrassed...
The  nuclear-powered missile submarine (Delta-IV-class).  The fire broke out on Thursday at an Arctic shipyard where the submarine Ykaterinburg (K-84) was in dry dock. Seven members of the submarine crew were taken to hospital after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes.  30 December 2011


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US  embarrassed ...
The fire broke out 23 May 2012 on submarine USS Miami -How long before truthful answers are exposed to sunshine and fresh air? The only answer that we could hardly expect to be revealed during our lifetimes is the one involving a foreign agent.

"The fire, the Navy said, started when hot welding slag in a vacuum cleaner [NOT] caught fire when the implement was placed among some cleaning supplies and left unattended." - NavyTimes

RUSSIAN EMBARRASSED AGAIN

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(Reuters) 16 SEP 2013 - A  fire burned for five hours on an atomic-powered submarine undergoing repairs, but naval and shipyard officials said there was no risk of a radiation leak and nobody was hurt [NOT]. The submarine Tomsk,  powered by two nuclear reactors, caught fire at the Zvezda shipyard. It had been undergoing repairs since 2010. The fire was the second on board a Russian nuclear-powered submarine in less than two years.

(Bellona) 16 SEP 2013 - The Unified Shipbuilding Corporation website said in a statement (in Russian) that the fire broke out in a ballast area of the submarine after a gas-powered saw was used to cut through a grate, setting an old rubber covering, cables and paint on fire.

 (RFE)  17 SEP 2013 - Russian investigators now say 15 sailors were hospitalized after a fire on a nuclear submarine in the Far East and that the submarine suffered damage as well.   

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Accidental events or espionage, you decide.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

 

Sub Questions for Balance of Obama Term

Background

23 May 2012 - USS Miami (SSN-755) was severly damaged due to arson at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.  
The Navy Department debated on whether to scrap the ship. Both US Senators from Maine—where the shipyard is located—advocated repairing her. The United States Navy asked Congress to add $220 million to the operations and maintenance budget for emergent and unfunded ship repairs which would be used to help repair the Miami. The final [sic] outcome was a choice to repair the submarine at an estimated total cost of $450 million, the USS Miami was expected to return to service sometime in 2015. However, congressional inaction to fully resolve the United States fiscal cliff had put this in doubt. 

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11 June 2012 -  Molten Eagle Predicted:

The total probability of the possibilities discussed above (Scrap- 52%, MTS- 2%, Repair- 21%, and Accommodate women- 25%) is estimated to be 100%. Time will tell us.  

(Note:  6 August 2013 entry - ME's highest probability prediction outcome has been confirmed: SSN-755 to be scrapped.).

5 Sep 2012 - The Navy has said it will fix the submarine by April 30, 2015, because the Miami still has 10 years remaining in its roughly 30-year service life, making it eligible for at least five more deployments. - Navy expected to award EB two major contracts for USS Miami repairs, The New London Day, Jennifer McDermott.

6 Aug 2013 -  Navy discovers more damage, decides to scrap submarine Miami  The New London Day, Jennifer McDermott.

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Questions (for Balance of Obama Term):

Note: Time alone (through the end of Obama's final term) will reveal the answers

1 ) - The accurate probability analysis predicting the scrapping USS Miami included a possibility of converting the sub to accomodate women crew.  Now that Miami is to be scrapped, another SSN sub would have to undergo such alterations to accomodate women crew in order to fulfill SecNav Mabu's promise to have women on SSNs next year (by 2014).  Will Mabus go "low-budget" (blaming ongoing sequestration limitations) to squeeze females in as one of the guys?  That would certainly be among good guesses.

2 ) - Though not obvious, it is clear SecNav Mabus had pushed for refurbishing USS Miami. Obviously, the choice to repair Miami not only had Mabus's support, put it was being pushed in the final hours of the scrapping decision.  How do we kow this? ANSWER: A key admiral has been quoted promising 10 (not 5) five full-length deployments for the Miami's remaining post-repair, 10-year life expectancy.   

3) - Repair cost estimates increased as predicted from $450 million to $700 million from unexpected hull cracking.  Wrong!  It had been expected by submarine metallurgists ever since the fire. In fact, the reason the admiral in 2) increased the promise to 10 deployments was to hold the average cost of deplotment without payroll and operating costs to an average of $70 million. This was a political maneuver.  Who was behind it? ANSWER: SecNav Mabus would clearly be suspected among the best possible answers. 

4) -   Will PNS receive major submarine work in the future without a submariner in command of the shipyard ?  

Submarines are always silent and strange.