Article Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines, originally built in the 1970s, remain vital today, comprising roughly half the Navy’s attack submarine fleet.
Key Point # 1 – Upgraded to the 688i configuration, these subs feature advanced digital combat systems and enhanced weaponry such as Tomahawk Block III missiles, Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes, and sophisticated sonar arrays.
Key Point #2 – Primarily tasked with protecting Carrier Strike Groups by conducting long-range anti-submarine warfare patrols, the Los Angeles-class subs offer critical perimeter defense capabilities. Although the fleet faces a future submarine shortage as newer Virginia-class submarines replace them, the Los Angeles-class will continue playing a significant role in Navy strategy for years.
That Enemy: Father Time.
U.S. Navy Faces Submarine Deficit as Los Angeles-Class Near Retirement
The United States Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarines may have originated in the 1970s. Yet, they have remained relevant and performed critical protective functions in the service for decades. There are as many as 24 Los Angeles-class boats in the service, and the group makes up almost one-half of the US Navy’s roughly 50 attack submarines fleet.
While the first boats date back to the early-to-mid-1970s, the Navy worked with its industry partners Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat to modernize the fleet of Los Angeles-class boats into a 688i configuration.
These upgraded boats utilized an upgraded all-digital combat command center called Mk 1 Combat Control System, a technology that enabled Los Angeles-class submarines to fire Tomahawk Block III cruise missiles, upgraded Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes, and Towed Array Target Motion Analysis, the FAS military network explains.
“The CSS (Combat Control System) internal tracker model provides processing for both towed array and spherical array trackers. Trackers are signal followers which generate bearing, arrival angle and frequency reports based on information received by an acoustic sensor. The CSS tracker model augments the sonar detection processing with corrections to detected SNRs (signal-to-noise-ratio) due to the beam pattern shapes and effects,” FAS explains.
The 688i Los Angeles-class boats also operate with a new generation of computing technology called Tactical Advanced Computer-3 (TAC-3), a faster processor with interfaces and IP protocol standards such that it can interoperate with critical on-board targeting technologies and data networks being built into modern Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines. The more interoperable submarines and surface ships can be, provided they can share data amid stormy seas. The better positioned a Navy force is to attack.
Protect Aircraft Carriers
An article from the Federation of American Scientists describes the primary intent or mission of the Los Angeles-class boats as to conduct Carrier Battle Group protection and anti-submarine warfare operations against what was called the Soviet Surface Action Group.
Upgraded Los Angeles submarines, for instance, could fire Mk 48 heavyweight torpedoes, ADCAP Torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles.
“The new submarines showed another step improvement in quieting and an increase in operating speed to allow them to support the CVBG(Carrier Battle Group). Escort duties included conducting ASW sweeps hundreds of miles ahead of the CVBG and conducting attacks against the SAG,” the FAS report explains.
An ability to protect Carrier Battle Groups from several miles ahead undersea seems to be an extremely significant perimeter protection tactic, as it might be positioned to find and even destroy threats to surface ships at safer distances.
Los Angeles-class submarines now account for a large portion of the Navy’s current submarine fleet, yet they will reach the end of their service life as more Virginia-class boats arrive.
Submarine Deficit and Los Angeles-Class
The Navy and Congressional decision-makers have long expressed concern about a coming Navy submarine deficit in which the fleet size for attack submarines, according to service commanders, will drop low enough to increase the threat to the US massively.
For many years, the US Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding Plan has detailed a concerning attack submarine deficit given that Los Angeles submarines will retire faster than new Virginias can be added.
For this reason, Congress and the Navy have been deeply immersed in a longstanding effort to “flex” the industrial base to “uptick” the number of Virginia-class boats being built yearly from 1 to as many as 3, depending upon budget.
Los Angeles-class attack submarine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
In the meantime, Los Angeles-Class boats will likely remain in service for years, as they can bring upgraded weapons and sensors to the dangerous mission of Carrier Strike Group protection.
Even if they are detected by enemy sonar from the surface or undersea, they are known to present firepower sufficient to deter any large-scale potential enemy surface warfare attack.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
