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Footnote to the ADM Rickover Posting

By Bruce Rule - Mar 28, 2014

I should have included the following in the ADM Rickover posting to indicate just how "expensive" - in terms of horsepower (hp) - it is to increase the maximum submerged speed of a submarine.

Based on information that indicates the WHISKY Class Soviet SS could make two knots on 16 hp and the NOVEMBER Class SSN could make 8 knots on 900 hp plus known hp to speed relationships for US nuclear submarines, it is estimated the PAPA - with an 80,000 hp propulsion plant - could make about 14 knots on 2,400 hp which is three- percent of 80,000.

As discussed in the ADM Rickover posting, it took three-percent or that same hp value (2,400) to increase the speed of the PAPA about three-tenths of a knot: from 44.70 to 44.97 knots.

So, 2,400 hp gave you 14 knots at the low end and only three-tenths of a knot at the high end. That's EXPENSIVE!!!