I suspect you won't ever get a number you could take to the bank, MM. Years ago I had a former Navy nuke sub driver as a student worker at NU Law, and while he'd share wee snippets and anecdotes, was tight-lipped, as he well should've been. One I recall well when I asked him about the rough speed and maneuverability of the boat went like this: 'they're a lot more agile, faster and will run deeper than you'd ever believe, probably, but that stuff is classified. I will say though that I used to love when we drilled on emergency blows. I could make that bitch sit up and bark for me!"
P.S. His uncle was lost on the USS Scorpion.
Damn.. I was on the USS Redfish when we heard about the Scorpion.. Lots of very quiet boys on the boat for a while after that..
Originally Posted by kamo_gari
Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco
Don't know about the carriers, but we used to fish the horseshoe off Long Beach, and it was just awesome to watch the Tico class cruisers creep past the breakwall and goose it. The turbines would wrap up and the stern would squat down, and they would just take off, right there.
I'd swear they would do it just to show off.
The smoothest application of power I've ever seen.
I bet it was impressive. Here's the maneuver the gent I wrote about was talking about in his submariner days; 'emergency blow' as he called it. The USS Greeneville.
USS Pickerel did a similar blow before that.. IIRC, the boat dropped back to near test depth before they got it back under control.. Bacon stripes were abundant..
Originally Posted by Greyghost
Doubt it is much over 35 to 37 knots, ...............
Phil
...and you'd be wrong..
Originally Posted by PVT
Originally Posted by Pugs
For a modern nuke boat (the only ones left) think highway speeds. There's nothing on the ocean that can keep up including all the escort cruiser/destroyers.
While in Ike (CVN 69), cruising the Med in 1988, we answered bells and hauled bootie from near France to off the coast of Lybia. We left the rest of the battle group behind. A nuke boat can move!
Oh, yes they can...
Even back in WWII the 'fast carrier groups' could steam at 35 knots under full power. My father was on one of 'em, under the overall command of Admiral "Bull" Halsey.
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69 Pro-Constitution. LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
