EDITOR’S COMMENTS
In this issue of The Submarine Review we are fortunate to have a broad sampling of policy views, mission assessments, determinants of design, footnotes to history, and personal submariner views of the war on drugs and the war in the Gulf.
Policy level perspectives on the future of American submarining are given from the current leadership of the Navy, the Submarine Force and the submarine staff in the Pentagon. The Secretary, COMSUBLANT, and the CNO’s Director of Submarine Warfare each offer a special view of where we stand, where we are headed, and what we have to do to get there.
There are three other features included in what could be called a high level section of this issue of the Review. The first is the condensation of a report by one of the country’s premiere national security think tanks, The Center for Strategic and International Studies, on the future of attack submarines. It is recommended for all. The second is a look at some design decision considerations as they appear to one eminent submarine builder. The third is a brief reminder of the importance of arctic operations, from the man whom most of us know as the intellectual force behind the Submarine Force efforts under the ice on a number of memorable occasions.
The mix of articles should be diverse enough for most tastes within the submarine community. It is recognized that there is no World War II piece among that rich assortment, but that omission is more than compensated for by the account of TANG’s first patrol in January and February just 50 years ago . There is also the start of a brand new set of war stories, however, with one skipper’s note from Desert Storm.
There seems to have grown up over the years a certain question about why the U. S. and the Soviet Union differed in the basic design of submarines. In America, there has been a concentration on single hulls and in Russia they have stayed with double hulls as a normal practice. Hopefully, the article reprinted from Morskoy Sbomik will provide some answers.
The Submarine Bibliography enters a new phase in this issue with the first of two listings of submarine-related articles that have appeared in the Naval Institute Proceedings in almost one hundred years of American submarining. The listing is by date of appearance. The challenge is to go over the list of authors to see how many one can recognize; and identify their association with submarines. (Hint #1-At least one British Admiral is included. Hint 12-The first Commanding Officer of SNAPPER (C-5), or SS-16, is also on the list.) This first installment of Proceedings articles goes up to the early 50s. The age introduced by NAUTILUS will be covered in the April issue.
Since it has already been admitted that there is no feature article in this issue about the big war sailors, the Review may be excused if it recommends to all the letter about the preservation of COD in Cleveland, Ohio. We all owe a debt to those individuals and groups who have worked so hard to preserve submarine history, in all its fascination, for everyone to see and enjoy and take pride in.
Jim Hay
FROM THE PRESIDENT
As this volume goes to press, the New Attack Submarine will be presented to the Defense Acquisition Board for a Milestone One decision. It would be appropriate to describe this event as a critical juncture for the program. On the other hand, it seems that every milestone is critical for this program. Once again, roles, missions, operational effectiveness, costs, and other factors such as industrial base considerations will be reviewed with the intent, this time, to obtain a blessing to go forward into preliminary design. It is not unlike waiting for the faculty advisor to approve your hypothesis for a doctoral thesis so you can finally get on with the real work.
We are well into planning for the classified May 1994 Submarine Technology Symposium, jointly sponsored with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, our seventh such event. This symposium will focus on the technologies that would enhance the performance of submarines in the transition to littoral warfare. The five half-day technical sessions will be chaired by Dr. Ron Clark, Director of Technology Applications, Lockheed Missiles and Space Company; Dr. Tom Clare, Executive Director, Naval Surface Warfare Center; Mr. Dick Shearer, Technical Director, Naval Command, Control, and Ocean Surveillance Center; Ms. Irina Vainshtein, Supervisor of Advanced Programs,Loral Librascope Corporation; and Dr. Dave Kalbaugb, Supervi-sor, Missiles and Air Systems Branch, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The Program Chairman is Mr. Dave Restione, also of the Laboratory. We are hopeful of another success.
The League’s annual June Symposium is also taking shape with many Navy and Submarine Force leaders already committed to the agenda. We are planning several new events for the program which we think you will find both informative and enjoyable. Come join us 15-16 June 1994 in Alexandria, VA for a very special opportunity to learn about the issues facing your Submarine Force, and to reunite with old friends and shipmates.
The staff is also busy with planning for the annual Corporate Benefactors meetings early in the new year. We bring in the CEOs for classified briefings on the status of the Force and submarine programs. To the industry leaders who are not yet Corporate Benefactors, we encourage your participation.
Total membership continues its zero float at about 4050. If we are to maintain our vitality and continue our work in support of submarines, now and future, our membership must increase in numbers and must spread across a wider spectrum of the populace. The most successful membership programs are those based on personal contact between current members and their families, friends, and business associates. Recruiting new members requires only a bit of time and some salesmanship. An all hands effort could easily double or triple our number within a year. It marketing fails, there is always the gift membership!
Hope to see you in June!
Bud Kauderer
