Submarine Design News

HII appointed Tim Taylor as vice president of engineering, technology and design at its Newport News Shipbuilding division.Taylor, a U.S. Navy veteran, has served NNS for 29 years in positions of increasing responsibility, including work control, submarine ship’s safety and sea trial coordination. He currently serves as director of nuclear test engineering. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Excelsior College and an MBA from Strayer University.“Tim’s extensive experience in waterfront operations will serve our team well…

Frederick Joseph Harris of Mystic CT, passed peacefully at 5:47PM on 10/24/2025, with his family by his side. “Fred” was born on 11/25/1944 at Framingham Union Hospital to Frederick Everett and MaryRosa Camilla Harris.Fred was a proud patriot who loved his country. Fred received his bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy (with Honors) in 1967. Upon graduation, Fred was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve with the obligation of sailing in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In the Merchant Marine, Fred sailed on various U.S.

Marine solutions company TAI Engineers, part of S&B, has welcomed Matt Garner as its new president.Garner succeeds Bill Krewsky, who will retire in September.He brings more than 28 years of executive leadership and technical expertise in maritime technology and defense systems.Most recently, he served as Vice President of Engineering at Trident Maritime Systems, where he led global engineering teams across four countries.His career includes senior leadership roles at Gibbs & Cox and nearly two decades with the U.S.

During the DEEPDIVE - Analyst and Investor Underwater Day held in Milan, Fincantieri presented its long-term strategic vision for the development of its underwater segment to the financial community.Accounting for about 4% of Group revenue in 2024, the segment is set to double in 2027, reaching 8%, with expected revenue of approximately USD$920 million (820 million euros) and estimated EBITDA of USD$170 million (152 million euros), with an EBITDA margin approaching 19%. Forecast results for 2025 and 2026 confirm the strength of this trend…

General Dynamics Electric Boat held a keel laying for the Virginia-class submarine Tang (SSN 805) at its facility in Quonset Point, North Kingstown, R.I.The submarine will be the third ship in the U.S. Navy to carry the name Tang. The first USS Tang was a Balao-class submarine, SS 306, credited as the most successful U.S. submarine of WWII, sinking the most tonnage of any U.S. submarine—33 enemy ships—on five war patrols over the course of just 14 months."This ship represents…

A race is being run by nuclear scientists and ship designers. The prize? “Decarbonization’s” holy grail — believed to be a “small” thorium-fueled, molten-salt rector’s unlimited power to propel sea trade. At the same time, a recently revived discussion among leading marine-nuclear thinkers revolves now around how to put an ultra-modern, as-yet non-existent marine reactor aboard a modern commercial vessel. As with nuclear power generally, shipborne reactors produce national discussion first, then discovery.

Last year experts raised their eyebrows when the Morrison government announced Australia would abandon its contract for French-built Attack class submarines, in favor of eight nuclear-powered submarines delivered under the AUKUS partnership.Retired Royal Australian Navy Chief Petty Officer Greg Jones was one key individual who questioned whether the choice is appropriate for Australia’s defense needs (at least in the short to medium term).One particularly controversial point is the time it will take for the nuclear submarines to become operational.

Lisa Hammock, Environmental Protection and Sustainability Managing Consultant, BMT, was awarded the David Goodrich Prize by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA). The prize, awarded annually and named after David Goodrich, a former president of RINA and one of the founders of BMT, is given for the best paper presented at the annual RINA Warships conference.The award was granted for Hammock's paper on ‘Unlocking the Potential of Sustainable Submarine Design’ at RINA Warship 2021.

The Indian Navy has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) for shortlisting potential strategic partners (SPs) for the construction of six P-75 (I) submarines, a major initiative under the 'Make In India' costing nearly  INR 45,000 crore ($6.5B)."This is the second project being undertaken under the latest SP Model, with the first being the procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH). This would provide a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project," said a press release from the government.The case was approved by the Defense Acquisition Council on 31 Jan 19.

Brazil is a country with a coastline over 7,000 km long, bathed to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Along this coastline and offshore is where the country develops its fisheries activities, maritime trade and the exploitation of a variety of biological and mineral resources. The incredible environmental and financial wealth found in these waters, and under the seabed gave way to the term - Blue Amazon – relating to the Amazon Jungle. The Blue Amazon officially covers an area of 3.5 million square kilometers. However, Brazil is calling on the United Nations to expand its borders to the limits of the continental shelf, which should raise…

General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $346.5 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to provide research and development and lead-yard services for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).Under the contract modification, Electric Boat will undertake development studies and other work related to Virginia-class submarine design improvements. Additionally, Electric Boat will perform research and development work required to evaluate new technologies to be inserted in newly built Virginia-class ships, including the Virginia Payload Module.Initially awarded in 2016, the contract has a potential value of $1.3 billion through September 2019.

President Donald Trump addressed the more than 10,000 people attending the ceremony where the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was commissioned on Saturday, July 22 in Norfolk, Va. “Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear because everyone will know that America is coming and America is coming strong,” said Trump. Acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley recalled President Theodore Roosevelt, who used to say, “Walk softly, and carry a big stick.” Stackley then turned to Trump and said, “Mr.

BMT Group Ltd. (BMT) is set to launch a number of innovative warship designs at DSEI event in London. BMT reports that its platform designs have enjoyed a number of successes this year, most notably seeing the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier (QEC) head out of the Firth of Forth and undergo her maiden sea trials, as well as welcoming RFA Tidespring, the first MARS tanker to the U.K. BMT’s VENATOR-110 which combines lean, manned and adaptable capability with the affordable procurement cost and dimensions of a Light Frigate will also feature on the stand.

Sir Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, visited BAE Systems Submarines today where he learnt about the Company's £25m investment in a new apprentice training facility. The Company’s site, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, is home to the UK's submarine design and build capability and the new facility will help nurture the unique skills required to deliver one of the world's most complex engineering challenges. BAE Systems is the prime contractor for the Astute programme and the lead industrial partner in the Dreadnought programme, which is a new class of submarines to replace the Vanguard class. At nearly 8,000m2, the new Central Training Facility will provide a bespoke learning environment for the almost 1,000 craft and technical apprentices that are currently in training.

The French company DCNS has released details of the new submarine it wants to build for Australia as a replacement for the navy's Collins subs. DCNS is offering Australia a new submarine design it calls the Shortfin Barracuda as its contender in the $50 billion new submarines project. The Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A design, which is more than 90m long and displaces more than 4000 tonnes, is the French bid for the Future Submarines project. This is a conventionally powered version of its nuclear Barracuda-class, named after an indigenous species of the Barracuda found on the Great Barrier Reef. The Shortfin Barracuda Block 1A would be slightly smaller than the existing Barracuda-class submarine.

Step forward the Titan Submarine, a proposal that NASA has just awarded a second round of funding through their Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. It is very much just a concept at the moment, but it is promising nonetheless. Aside from Earth, Titan is the only place in the solar system that has bodies of liquid on its surface, making it a rather attractive place to explore. But while a number of proposals have been put forward to take a closer look, none have come to fruition. Phase II of the Titan Submarine: Exploring the Kraken Mare effort will focus on advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the concept by (1) retiring risks found in the Phase I design…

Continuing a time-honored shipbuilding tradition, Ship Sponsor Annie Mabus laid the keel of the submarine Colorado, on Saturday, March 7, marking the ceremonial start of construction for the 15th ship of the Virginia Class. The event was hosted by General Dynamics Electric Boat at its Quonset Point facility and attended by local and Congressional dignitaries, Navy officials and more than 1,000 employees and family members. Mabus, the daughter of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, chalked her initials on a steel plate to be affixed in the submarine. Electric Boat employee John Alves then welded Mabus' initials onto the plate. "Here in Quonset Point and in Groton…

The Australian government announced its acquisition strategy for the Future Submarine Program, setting out further details of the competitive evaluation process to be undertaken by the nation’s Department of Defense. The government said it seeks the best possible capability and value for money for Australian taxpayers while maximizing the involvement of Australian industry. The process outlined today provides a pathway for Australian industry to maximize its involvement in the program, without compromising capability, cost, program schedule or risk, the government said. As part of its plan, the government expects that significant work to be undertaken in Australia during the build phase of the future submarine including combat system integration, design assurance and land based testing.

BAE Systems in the U.K said it will take on 710 apprentices in 2015, the highest intake in the company’s history. Next year's intake surpasses the record set in the previous year by 142 places and includes 45 places for apprentices who will eventually join companies in BAE Systems' supply chain or work in local engineering companies. The latter are funded under the government's Employer Ownership Program. The new recruits - two-thirds of whom will be employed in engineering-related roles - will work across 14 of BAE Systems’ aerospace, security and defense sites around the U.K.

Australia's defence minister has said he would not trust state-owned Australian Submarine Corp (ASC) "to build a canoe", fuelling expectations that most work in a A$40 billion ($34 billion) program will go offshore. Reuters reported in September that Australia was leaning towards buying as many as 12 off-the-shelf stealth submarines from Japan. Responding to questions in the Australian Senate on Tuesday, David Johnston highlighted cost over-runs on other projects and a lack of experience in submarine design at ASC. "You wonder why I am worried about ASC and what they are delivering to the Australian taxpayer. Do you wonder why I wouldn't trust them to build a canoe?" Johnston told lawmakers. "Let's get real here ...

The United Seamen's Service (USS) 2014 Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) were presented to Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF); Joseph J. Cox, President/CEO, Chamber of Shipping of America; and Frederick J. Harris, President of General Dynamics NASSCO and Bath Iron Works, an American shipbuilder. The maritime industry's most prestigious awards were presented at a gala industry dinner and dance held at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City, on November 7, 2014.

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) completed Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH19) Anemometer Positioning Evaluation (APE) testing in support of Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Military Sealift Command (MSC), Feb. 8.  The testing focused on measuring the airflow of anemometers, wind measurement sensors that are installed on the superstructure of U.S. Navy ships. The APE testing is required to complete the aviation certification process following a new helicopter hangar installation on the ship’s superstructure.

The Foundation for Underwater Research and Education (FURE) announced that the 12th International Submarine Races (ISR), a biennial engineering design competition, is scheduled to be held the week of June 22-26, 2013, at NSWC Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md. The Foundation supports the ISR during the two-year process to design, build and take part in the human powered submarine competition. FURE’s objective via the ISR is to raise interest and participation in engineering education and to increase competence and awareness among ocean engineering students. This will be the 12th in the series of alternate summer races that test the creative skills of young engineering students from colleges, universities and technical and high schools from throughout the world.