London Class

Super Cavitating Submarine SCSN

The London Class submarines are the UK's top secret carriers of the Royal Navy. Constructed at HMNB Manx in the Irish sea using the latest nano-construction techniques. They are deployed around the world enabling the SCSN to provide the UK's maritime security, overseas territories protection and anti-piracy roles.

Introduction

The London class submarines are 'mothership' designs with a whale shark mouth nd the body of a manta. The whale shark mouth is the inlet for a bladeless fan adapted from a Dyson design. This is extremely quiet and efficient. This is the everyday drive for the London Class.

For faster speeds lasers mounted to the vessels forward wings effectively boil the water. This creates a bubble of air in which the Hydrojet engines can drive the submarine through at supercavitating speeds. The bubble is kept fluid by using gas injecting systems.

Other Features

Supercaviting bubble permits high-speed but noisy travel underwater

  • Moon pool Hanger capable of supporting;
      • 12 Manta Sub-Fighters
      • 55 Sea Lion personal attack mini submarines
      • 12 Porpoise Beach landing craft
  • Aircraft Hanger deck, sealed for underwater storage.
      •  4 airlock capable launch bays. These bays can launch Harrier GR10 and Magpie craft from underwater and low speed.
      • Air Wing hanger is capable of supporting large aircraft such as the Crow and storing 60 aircraft
        • Lynx Wildcat 2 advanced attack helicopter
        • Harrier GR10 sea launched fighter
        • Magpie Stealth craft
        • Raven gunship attack craft
        • BAe Taranis UCAV

Environmental Data

  • Maximum Depth
        • Over 1000 m but not officially released

Structure

  • Substructure
        • Internal pressurised crew compartment and main engineering
        • All other areas are unpressurised
  • Hull
        • Kevlar/polymer honeycomb plating
        • Ring carbon outer layer
        • Diamond whisker sensor windows and cockpit glass
        • Electro-adaptive Graphene scales that reduce drag and noise
        • Internal Damage Repair
        • Nanofoam breach sealant system
        • Crew facilities includes;
          • Cinema
          • Physical fitness centre
          • 4 Galleys and 4 large dining areas. The largest is capable of providing 960 meals in one hour
          • 12 bed medical facility including surgery and large emergency 250 bed temporary suite
          • 1600 bunks in 500 cabins including accommodation for 250 Army personnel
  • Length
        • 117m body
        • 344m  including tail stinger and MAD sensor
  • Span
        • 320m

Propulsion

  • Main Drive
        • Dyson/BAe aquaspace TD08 Whale Tunnel Drive .
  • Secondary Drive
        • British Aquaspace Silent Swim System. Adaptive hull that allows the London class to swim through the sea
  • Tertiary Drive
        • 4 x Rolls Royce hydrogen rocket engines.
        • Supercavitation Environment Gas Bubble Generation capillaries throughout the hull
        • Forward laser sea boil system
  • Range
        • Unlimited. Restricted by the crew's needs
        • Capable of 1 months operation before replenishment is required
        • The 3rd and 4th SCSN (Cardiff and Edinburgh) are capable of 6 months operation using onboard hydroponics and reduced crew numbers due to greater automation
  • Maximum Speed in water
        • 3000 knots
  • Manoeuvring
        • Integrated wing micro flaps and thruster assemblies
        • Integrated electric bow and stern thrusters

Energetics

  • Primary
        • Rolls Royce Streamburst Fusion Power Plant
  • Secondary
        • Opal pack energetic hull wafers

Offensive Systems

  • Primary
      • Quad forward firing 533mm torpedo tubes with rotary magazine and multiple warheads
      • Quad stern firing 533mmtorpedo tubes with rotary magazine and multiple warheads
        • Tomahawk Block IV tactical missile with terrain following capability.
        • Flying Fish offensive torpedoes with adaptable warheads. These torpedoes travel just under the surface and launch in to the air losing themselves in the sea level radar clutter.
        • Kraken supercavitating offensive torpedoes
        • Poseidon supercavitating land attack torpedoes. 
    • Secondary
        • Quad Vertical Launch Systems with 16 large missile launch tubes each
      • Tertiary
        • Eel drones that can be launched in shoals that can carry weapons and sensors hundreds of miles. These Eels mimic the sine-motion for movement. These Eels can dissolve on command at the end of an operation.

      Defensive Systems

      • Primary
            • Thales sensor outfit 17
      • Secondary
            • Decoys and remote sensor probes
            • 3 remote sensor drones
            • 3 remote attack drones
      • Tertiary
            • DML Eddystone 7 ECM/ECCM defensive suite

      Detection Systems

      • Primary
            • Thales 2161 passive/attack integrated search and track sonar suite with bow, flank, stern, and towed arrays
      • Secondary
            • Kelp Deployable surface detection system including;
              • Low light
              • UV
              • Thermal Imaging
              • Laser communications
              • Hawk Remote drone. Can be tethered for a more secured system or operate independently using tight-beam communications.
      • Tertiary
            • Thales IFF naval system
            • Thales Seaweed communications system

      Informatics

      • Crew
            • 600 crew not including aircrew or mounted troops. There is space onboard for 1600 personnel in total
            • Linked-in wetware control system
      • Primary
            • BAe - 4 Submarine command and control system
            • AI level 5 capable of fully automated control
      • Secondary
            • Ultra ElectronicsActive spatial awareness processor
            • AI level 8 crew resource kit

      Copyright RSF