Golden Age Weaponsmiths Sea Wolf class Submarines:

The Sea Wolf class submarine was a product of the end of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union and was an incredibly well designed submarine. They were quieter than any previous submarine class, fast, well armed, and could dive deeper than any previous American attack submarines. Due to the end of the Cold War and their cost, few of this class were actually constructed. Because of the quality of these submarines, they served for a long and outstanding career. When their service life was considered at an end, they were retained as test platforms instead of being decommissioned and scrapped. One was still filling this role just before the coming of the Rifts. This submarine was found by Golden Age Weaponsmiths and was refitted. Long before the refitting was complete, the Coalition had already purchased this submarine

The Coalition decided to name the submarine the Sea Wolf after the ship's class name but the submarine in reality was SSN-22 USS Connecticut. This sub is incredibly quiet and is more quiet than the Los Angeles class and is about equal to the slightly later Virginia (Also known as NSSN and Centurion class) submarines. The present plan is not to decommission any submarines except the Thresher until a large number of new Coalition submarines are constructed. Author Note: The Author suggests that this writeup is used in place of the writeup done by Palladium Books in the Coalition Navy due to being more complete and being based on better research and a better general knowledge of the United States Navy by the author.

The submarine design, like most of the more modern ship designs, was originally designed on a computer. As a result, the submarine is far more space efficient than the previous Los Angeles class. Other than Triax and New Navy sensor systems, the Sea Wolf class has some of the best sonar systems on Rifts Earth even though they are relatively old systems. One of the areas of most technological loss was not in weapon system but in sensor systems. The Coalition is far behind the just pre-Rifts United States in this area and learned much about sonar systems from this submarine. Like the Los Angeles class that has been converted, the Sea Wolf is relatively weakly constructed when compared to newer designs. This was solved by some extent by fitting the submarine with high strength ceramic and plastic armors. Due to the fact that the Sea Wolf submarine is protected by the materials but not replaced by them, the submarine's maximum depth is not increased but the submarine can dive deeper that the previous Los Angeles class. The submarine carried a large fission reactor, this was replaced by a fusion reactor that is more efficient, safer, and is easier to refuel. The submarine carries eight forward torpedo tubes but does not carry vertical launch missile launchers in the bow but the torpedo tubes can also launch missiles in special canisters.

Like all submarines, the Sea Wolf class is very cramped and the ship only has very tiny staterooms shared by multiple officers and enlisted don't actually have enough bunks for the entire crew and have to hot bunk. This means that multiple crew members will use the same bunk at different times. The submarine has more automation which does reduce crew requirements.

Model Type: Modified SSN-21 Class
Class: Fast Attack Submarine
Crew: 134 total; 12 officers, 12 chief petty officer, 110 enlisted.

M.D.C. by Location:

	Torpedo Tubes (8 - Bow of submarine):	50 each
	Main Sail:	300
	[1] Bow Planes (2):	100 each
	[2] Pump Jet Propulsor (1):	200
	[3] Main Body:	1,100

Notes:
[1] Destroying the submarines bow planes will reduce the submarine's ability to change depths but will not eliminate it. It also makes it difficult for the submarine's crew to control the submarine giving a penalty of -25% to all piloting rolls.
[2] Destroying the submarines Pump Jet Propulsor causes serious problems. The submarine will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submarine level. It is recommended that ballast takes are immediately blown so submarine comes to surface.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submarine's structural integrity, causing it to sink. If the submarine is underwater, the entire crew will die unless protected by environmental armors that can withstand the pressure that the submarine is under. If on the surface, there are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.

Speed:
Surface: 28.8 mph (25 knots/ 46.3 kph)
Underwater: 46 mph (40 knots /74.1 mph)
Maximum Depth: 2,000 feet (609.6 meters)
Range: Effectively Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Ship carries six months of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Draft: 35 feet (10.6 meters)
Width: 40 feet (12 meters)
Length: 353 feet (107.9 meters)
Displacement: 7,500 tons standard and 9,300 tons submerged
Cargo: Submarine is very cramped, 10 tons of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship's spaces are taken up by extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Originally one pressurized-water S6W, converted to more modern fusion reactor system (20 year duration).
Black Market Price: Not Available but it is rumored that they sold the submarine to the coalition for a cost of 550 million credits.

Weapon Systems:

1. Eight (8) Super Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the bow of the submarine are eight torpedo tubes. Tubes are 26 inches (660 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. For warheads, heavy torpedoes should be treated as having long missiles warheads. Along with standard torpedoes, launcher can also fire missiles (Long or Cruise) in special canisters, rocket boosted ASW torpedoes, and mines. Submarine carries 50 reloads for torpedoes and can carry up to 100 mines in place of torpedoes.
   Range: 40 miles (64 km)
   Mega Damage: By Heavy or Super Heavy torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes), can fire missiles (Long Range or Cruise) in special canisters as well (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
   Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 3, 4, or 8. Reloading takes 1 full melee
   Payload: 8 Total (Has 50 torpedoes and missiles for reloads)
2. Noisemakers: The submarine carries noisemakers to decoy torpedoes. The noisemakers are launched from the middle of the submarine.
   Effect: 50% of decoying normal torpedoes
   Rate of Fire: 2 at a time (Can be reloaded in one melee)
   Payload: 20 Noisemakers.

Special Systems:
The submarine has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:

• Extended Life Support: This submarine has an enhanced like support system when compared to most other vehicles because it is designed to operate underwater for extended periods of time. The submarine has an incredible air recycling system that allows the crew to recycle air for five months before the atmosphere is too stale to breath. The submarine also has a 96 hour supply of oxygen to support the recycling system.
• BSY-2 Hull Sonar System and BQG-5 Wide Aperture Array: Sonar system has a range of around 45 nautical miles (51.8 miles / 83.3 km). This hull sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 16 targets at one time and has a +10% to read sensor and weapon system skill rolls.
• TB-12X Towed Array Sonar: The system is basically a long and very sensitive sonar system carried behind the submarine on a long cable. Sonar system has a range of around 105 nautical miles (120.8 miles/194.5 km). This towed array Sonar is a passive only sensor system. Sonar system can track up to 32 targets at one time.
• ESM: This system is mounted in mounted in the superstructure and is extended in a similar manner to a periscope. The antenna is very hard to detect both visually and by radar. Can detect another radar system at 125% of the range of the transmitting radar.
• Quieted propulsion and Anechoic Coating: The ship is designed with a very quiet pump jet propulsor design, the submarine's reactors make very little noise, and the ships is coated by a sonar defeating rubber coating. The submarine is -40% to detect when traveling at less that 20 knots and is at -20% to detect when traveling at speeds greater than that.

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths, Wellington Industries, and TRIAX are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Copyright © 1998, 1999, & 2001 Kitsune. All rights reserved.