Submarine Quote of the Month July 2015

Background

Yesterday's M.E. posting noted ...
Secretary of the Navy Mabus, a Democrat attorney with skimmer experience paints a compassioate face on his latest concession to women ---tripling maternity leave. ("With increased maternity leave, we can demonstrate the commitment of the Navy and Marine Corps to the women who are committed to serve." SECNAV Mabus). Surely, 18 weeks is only a starting point to this madness. Servicewomen, like men make huge sacrifices for DEFENSE readiness.  This move, which will be hugely more disruptive for secretive submarine force missions than for the surface vessel crews will have three unfortunate impacts on the sub force:
1- Pregnancies are being encouraged.
2- Training, qualification and sequalia will be disrupted for female sailors who become pregnant.
3- To some uncertain extent, the overall readiness of the U.S. submarine force will have been needlessly sacrificed for more votes. 

Related

Coming to our attention just today is this apropos quotation:

“The loss of even one member of a crew can have a significant ripple effect on a submarine, especially when it’s someone who holds unique qualifications.  In many cases, that means we either pull someone from another crew or we end up with a deficit in skills. Neither of those stopgap solutions is ideal.”  - Rear Adm. Dave Kriete, commander, Submarine Group Nine,  Bangor Leaders Seek To Decrease Unplanned Personnel Losses, July 1, 2015.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Back Door Remodeling (the female touch perhaps)

Background  (circa 1983)

The Seawolf class of fast attack submarines (SSN) was intended to replace the retiring Los Angeles class boats. Originally intended to be a fleet of 29 submarines, Seawolf  appropriations were soon reduced to twelve boats, and finally only 3 submarines. Consequently, acquisition of the smaller Virginia class was planned over a slower and more economic time span.  Nominal cost differentials between Seawolfs and Virginia boats has been more than 1$billion per vessel.

Recent Developments

•  December 11, 2014 - 12 sailors implicated in submarine shower scandal

• January 21, 2015  - U.S. Navy: Enlisted Females to Serve on Subs Starting in 2016 

• March 16, 2015  - Navy Wants 28 More Tomahawks on Virginia-Class Submarines

Speaking to lawmakers during Congressional Navy budget hearings, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert have both indicated that deliberations about possibly accelerating VPM production were currently underway.

Navy engineers have been working on requirements and early designs for a new, 70-foot module ... to house an additional 28 Tomahawk missiles. While designed primarily to hold Tomahawks,  ...

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M.E.  Comment:  There are serious reasons for adding a VPM compartment.  Shipyards, like homebuilders, however can work within their budgets to accomodate buyers' wishes regarding interim change orders (as tradeoffs).  It should be somewhat interesting to note which Blocks of Virginia class subs are eventually assigned most of the "enlisted females". 

Submarines are always silent and strange.