War Is Boring

The Navy’s proposal to delay construction of new ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs) meant to succeed the current Ohio class is both good and bad news for America’s shipbuilders, according to the program manager for the new “boomer” sub. But key members of Congress -– already at odds with the Administration over delays to the Virginia-class submarine — remain skeptical.

The nuclear-powered submarine USS Florida was lying in wait, quietly submerged off the Libyan coast, when the order came from then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to launch its cruise missiles.

by DAVID AXE A debate is raging over whether Russia will soon decommission its three gigantic Typhoon-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines. With or without the enormous Typhoons, each of which displaces 34,000 tons while submerged, Russia’s undersea fleet is all but certain to decline — and that has strategic implications for Moscow and Washington. Prior to [...]

It took nearly two decades, but the first of a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarines has launched in Russia. Severodvinsk, displacing 12,000 tons, is now on sea trials.

A nuclear submarine in the port of Dalian in northern China has suffered an accident and is leaking radiation, according to a former Japanese fighter pilot-turned-blogger.

Her new guns are installed. Her light-gray paint job has dried. Her airplanes are flying and her engines are turning. Thirteen years after she was purchased from Ukraine half-complete and lacking engines, the Chinese navy’s very first aircraft carrier is ready to set sail from Dalian shipyard in northeast China. The former Soviet carrier Varyag, renamed Shi Lang in Chinese service, could begin sea trials this summer.

First, they gave us a giant, submarine aircraft carrier. To top that, a flying aircraft carrier straight out of Marvel Comics. Now the mad geniuses at China Military Report regale us with art depicting an imaginary “Type 098″ super-submarine “for checking U.S. imperialism.

War Is Boring placed a blogger aboard the submarine USS Toledo in April last year. Read Bryan William Jones’ historic FIRST undersea blog series.