The Extreme Logistics of Launching US Navy's Newest Billions $ Submarines

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Submarines are extraordinary vessels that can invade enemy territory, launch attacks and escape without being detected. Their origins are somewhat surprising. The first submersible was designed in the 1600s. However, it wasn't until World War I that submarines became an integral part of warfare. In today's world, submarines are exceedingly advanced and used by several nations worldwide for surveillance, research and military purposes. The construction process of these humongous vessels is difficult and time-consuming. Most of the submarines feature two hulls, an inner one and an outer one. Thick steel plates are welded together to form a strong, pressurized inner hull, which is then surrounded by a lighter outer hull, with the space between them used for ballast tanks. Furthermore, the two hulls are connected by structural ribs to maintain their relative position. Once assembled, all U.S. submarines are commissioned in a formal ceremony. This generally includes speeches from the submarine builders, designers and various high-ranked naval officers. In most cases, the submarine's sponsor breaks a bottle of champagne over the submarine's bow, after which it is declared commissioned. Finally, the vessel's crew and captain are sworn in to assume their various duties officially. To launch the submarine into the water for the first time, it is moved directly into a dry-dock canal, which features watertight gates at one side that are closed and opened to let submarines in or out. The canals can be drained and flooded, allowing submarines to be launched into the water or recover it. However, the most preferable method to launch submarines into water is using dry-dock barges, which can be raised or lowered simply by filling or emptying their ballast tanks. To recover a submarine from the sea, the dry-dock barges are lowered and the submarine is navigated onto the barge. The submarines can also be launched using this technique. For this, the submarine is placed onto the barge using rollers. The barge is then lowered into the water and the submarine is towed into the sea using small boats. Before moving a submarine into service, it undergoes a series of tests known as sea trials. The sea trials include various tests such as submergence tests, high-speed maneuvers, and noise-level tests. The primary goal is to ensure that the submarine and its various systems work accurately. During sea trials, emergency dives and various other scenarios are conducted to simulate events the submarine might encounter while out in the ocean. The technique used to deploy a naval vessel into the sea depends on the type of vessel. For instance, a destroyer is deployed using the floating out technique. On August 16th, 2023, a new battleship, Ted Stevens, was launched into the sea using this technique. The shipbuilding company employed massive railcars to carry the ship from the yard to the platform. The dry-dock was then moved to a deep-water position to enable the platform to submerge and set the ship free. Destroyers are considered one of the most feared class of vessels. These highly maneuverable and heavily armored warships were first conceived in the U.S. Navy in 1903 with the introduction of the USS Bainbridge. Initially, these ships were known as torpedo boat destroyers. However, after World War I, the term destroyer became a catch-all name for these kinds of boats. Destroyers are primarily intended to act as escorts for larger vessels or convoys, as they can move quickly and attack a wide range of targets. Additionally, they act as a perfect line of defense for aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and supply vessels. One of the most recent destroyer types introduced to the United States Navy is the Arleigh Burke class. These vessels are almost 500 feet long and capable of traveling at speeds of up to 30 knots. Arleigh Burke class destroyers are exceptionally well-armed, boasting a range of weapons such as the Mark 45 .54 caliber lightweight deck-mounted cannon. This versatile gun is suitable for use against surface warships, land-based targets, and enemy aircraft, boasting a capacity of more than 200 rounds. Moreover, it can fire under fully automatic control or manually. Either way, it takes a six-person crew below deck to keep the cannon fully stocked with ammunition. Additionally, Arleigh Burke class destroyers feature a failing CWIS system, which is another fully automated weapon. This high-speed cannon is used to destroy fast boats and other high-speed vehicles that might attempt to engage the destroyer at close range. Depending on the mission requirements, most of these vessels can be equipped with a wide range of missiles, torpedoes, and other weapon systems. Regular maintenance is an essential part of life at sea, and the crew members assigned to the destroyers work daily to ensure their vessel is in excellent condition. The deck area and fastenings are frequently treated with corrosion-resistant paint to prevent damage from the saltwater and air. Another naval vessel that is uniquely deployed into water is the Littoral Combat Ship, LCS. These are small surface vessels designed for near-shore operations. There are two variants of the LCS, the Freedom class and the Independence class. Each vessel belonging to either class features a flight deck and hangar for housing two SH-60 or MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, a stern ramp for operating small boats, and a standard cargo volume for transportation of small assault force, along with military vehicles. In addition, these ships are equipped with armaments such as the Mk 110 57mm guns and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles to support attack missions and defense in open waters. An Australian shipbuilding company known as Austal Limited has been the contractor of almost all the Independence variant LCS. From designing and construction to commissioning and christening of the ship, this company is responsible for everything. When it comes to the construction, the LCS designers initially develop parts of the LCS individually and collectively on the software. The parts are then cut into shapes and joined together. After several months of construction and efforts, the ship finally takes shape and is ready to roll out. Some LCSs have a trimarine hull, which includes a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls attached to the main hull with lateral beams. It is nearly impossible to launch an LCS with such a design into the water using rollers, so Austal developed a unique way of launching these ships into the water without much effort. Over the years, the launch process has really evolved. It used to take hours to roll the ships out. Now I think we just rolled this one out in about 20 or 30 minutes, so it's very efficient. The new procedure involves rolling the ship onto a moored deck barge and then transferring the ship from the barge to a floating dry dock, which is already submerged. This allows the ship to float directly onto the water. The sea acceptance trials focus on major systems and equipment of the LCS to determine their operational readiness. These trials are supervised by the United States Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey to validate the quality of the construction and compliance with Navy requirements. All the procedures of sea acceptance trials go a long way toward ensuring the crew's safety and safeguarding national interests. These versatile launching techniques for submarines, destroyers, and littoral combat ships signify a leap in naval innovation, ensuring faster deployment and operational readiness, and ultimately solidifying their crucial role in modern naval strategies. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time!