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Submarines use stealth to dominate the oceans, posing a fantastic yet deadly threat. Going forward, U.S. Navy submarines will take stealth to a new level. American submarines will be equipped with magnetohydrodynamic drives.
America’s submarines will further expand its dominance in the undersea domain. The U.S. Navy has installed a new type of propulsion system, the magnetohydrodynamic drive (MHD), on its Virginia-class submarines. This promises the holy grail of naval warfare, making submarines virtually undetectable.
Magnetohydrodynamic drive pump program First reported in 2023 by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Water passing through it is accelerated by a magnetic field using superconducting magnets. This is often compared to the crawling of a caterpillar, leading to the colloquial term “caterpillar drive.”
The first boat to be equipped with the new propulsion is the USS Montana (SSN 794). This Virginia class attack submarine Commissioned in the US Navy Although still a new boat, it was taken to Groton, Connecticut for refurbishment.
Quietest submarine propulsion ever
It is considered particularly stealthy as it has no moving mechanical parts. This makes it particularly difficult to detect submarines using passive sonar, which listens for the noise made by targeted submarines. Sonar operators searching for the USS Montana may hear noise that cannot be distinguished from natural phenomena such as seismic activity.
Instead of a traditional propeller located at the stern, the new propulsion power is located entirely within the submarine’s hull. British experts say the only external clue is likely to be the water intake in the ship’s bow. These are similar to torpedo tube shutters, but larger, approximately the diameter of a ballistic missile launched by a submarine. However, it is unusual for these missiles to be mounted horizontally.
It’s time
If the tests are successful, the new propulsion power could be installed on more submarines. These are likely to include new Virginia-class attack submarines and future SSN-X variants. However, this is unlikely to be equipped on Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) as it would likely constitute a first-strike capability. There is no reason for nuclear deterrent submarines to be so stealthy if their only purpose is to carry out retaliatory strikes.
The USS Montana will undergo sea trials on the Penobscot River in Maine. This will make it even more difficult for the Russian Navy to observe the experiment.
Caterpillar-driven propulsion is still in its infancy. It remains to be seen whether the Penobscot River will be the end of the story or the beginning of a new chapter. Either way, Montana will remain unseen.
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