The US Navy is repairing the nuclear submarine USS Connecticut (SSN-22). The service recently released photos of a Seawolf-class submarine that suffered major damage in the fall of 2021.
What is known
USS Connecticut (SSN-22) is an American Seawolf-class submarine and the fifth vessel named after the State of Connecticut, where it was built. The submarine is equipped with a 45,000 horsepower S6W nuclear reactor. Up to 50 torpedo-launched Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles can be installed on board.
On October 2, 2021, while on patrol in the South China Sea, the USS Connecticut (SSN-22) collided with an unknown object. As a result of the incident, about a dozen crew members were injured to varying degrees, and three officers lost their jobs due to a loss of confidence. Among them was the commander of the submarine.
On December 21 of the same year, USS Connecticut (SSN-22) was able to cross the Pacific Ocean and return to Washington, making stops in Guam and San Diego. However, the submarine traveled all the way on the surface. The dive was prohibited due to a malfunction of the hydroacoustic station.
The US Congress authorized $40 million for emergency repairs and $10 million for the nose dome. In 2022, USS Connecticut (SSN-22) underwent a thorough damage assessment at the Puget Sound shipyard. As it turned out, a collision with an unknown object caused damage to the steering wheel of the submarine.
One of the problems with overhauling the bow, sonar and other structural components is that Seawolf-class submarines have long been out of production. Moreover, in addition to USS Connecticut (SSN-22), only two submarines of this type were built: USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) and USS Seawolf (SSN-21). Moreover, the first is a modified version for secret missions.
Typically, sections of old submarines of the same class that have been decommissioned are used for repairs. For example, the Naval Group recently repaired the French submarine Perle in this way. In the case of USS Connecticut (SSN-22), this method is not suitable.
In 2022, the US Navy confirmed that the damaged submarine would be repaired and returned to duty. This is very important in light of the latest information that more than 30% of American attack submarines are disabled. According to preliminary estimates, the repair of USS Connecticut (SSN-22) will last 31 months.
Source: DVIDS
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2023-07-15 22:14:49
