Another option is to house the SRC in a multimission tube (MMT) similar to the multiple
all-up-round canister (MAC) tubes and Virginia payload tubes (VPT), which are currently used
onboard the US Ohio Class and US Virginia Class submarines, respectively, but having
greater capability. This concept is well suited for the single-pressure hull designs used by the US
Navy, as the SRC’s center of gravity will fall below the submarine’s center of buoyancy. A
unique opportunity exists to incorporate SRCs onboard the next-generation SSBN. Given its
large size and the fact that it will be the first post-cold war SSBN to enter service makes the
Ohio replacement an excellent candidate for SRCs. In an attempt to marry the SRC’s systems
to those systems currently used onboard Trident submarines, it is proposed that the SRC be
housed in a watertight blast-proof tube similar to those used for submarine-launched ballistic
missiles (SLBM) (i.e., MMT). This arrangement is consistent with the recommendations made by
Russian speakers at the International Shipbuilding Conference in 2002 (Abramov and
Polovinkin 2004). Because Trident submarines are already equipped with a missile compensation
system (i.e., variable ballast), the difference in weight imposed by SRCs can be easily accommodated.
In addition, many of the systems necessary to fully operate the MMT during the
SRC’s ejection phase are already present. Hence, the focus of this study was to design an SRC
within the confines of a Trident II D-5 missile tube (LSRC). Although this design is intended
for use onboard SSBNs, a similar design could be implemented onboard SSNs. Because the Trident
missile system is expected to remain in service until the middle part of the 21st century, the
LSRC concept will be applicable to future submarine designs.
Like the missile tubes currently in use, the MMT must be designed to withstand pressures
congruent with the submarine’s collapse depth, and be equipped with watertight hatches
affording submariners access to the SRC. To ensure accessibility, it is recommended that
the MMT(s) be located between compartments at the bulkhead(s). This arrangement will ensure
that the SRC(s) is accessible in any casualty scenario. A second option, although less
efficient, is to place one or more MMTs in a central compartment with an access tunnel
spanning the length of the pressure hull. This narrow crawl space would remain closed during
normal operations and would be accessed only in the case of an emergency. A schematic of each
arrangement can be seen in Figure 3, where the MMTs and SRC access tunnel are shaded in
gray.
If this concept is to be fully exploited, the MMT should also be designed to accommodate a wide
range of other payloads, including D-5 nuclear ballistic missiles (if desired). This versatility
confers the added benefit of modularity to the SRC concept, a characteristic unique among
SRCs. While the SRC is expected to be a permanent payload, modularity will give authorities
the option to remove the capsule should the operational environment change or if special
missions take precedence. Although specifically designed to accommodate the LSRC, it is envisioned
that the MMT could also be used to deploy unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), special operations
forces (SOF) equipment, or future weapon systems.
The general characteristics of the LSRC will be similar to that of a Trident II D-5 missile, having
a length of 44 ft and a diameter of 83 in. Because the capsule must be positively buoyant when
manned, its weight in the full load condition must be lighter than an SLBM (Trident II
D-5: 130,000 lbs). For this reason, should the MMT be designed to accommodate an SLBM,
the LSRC is expected to be within the missile compensation system limits.
