(Franco Iacch)
11/02/16

http://www.difesaonline.it/mondo-militare/us-navy-servizio-luss-illinois-il-sottomarino-dattacco-piu-potente-della-marina-usa

The Virginia-class submarine, USS Illinois (SSN 786), has officially entered service with the US Navy after a ceremony which took place in the presence of First Lady Michelle Obama, which was held at the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut.

The USS Illinois was named after the 21st US state and is the thirteenth Virginia-class attack submarine to enter into operational service with the fleet of the US Navy.

With the growing number of foreign submarines diesel / electric propulsion, the submarine of US attack relies on technological superiority, greater speed, strength, mobility, stealth, and offer load capacities from nuclear energy, to maintain dominance deep sea. The USS Illinois officially became the most modern attack submarine of the United States Navy.

The USS Illinois is the third submarine of the Virginia-class Block III. Compared to previous Virginia, the Block III improvements have from the technological and hydrodynamic with 40% of the redesigned bow. The Block III submarines introduce new launch tubes, designed to reduce costs and increase the firepower. The top ten Virginia-class submarines currently in service are equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes measuring 21 inches in diameter. The Block III submarines implement two new large launch tubes, called precisely Virginia Payload Tubes, of 87 inches in diameter can accommodate six Tomahawk each. The submarine is 115 meters long and is able to reach the depth of 800 feet (240 meters) at a maximum speed of 25 knots in immersion. E 'it powered by a S9G nuclear reactor designed to operate without refueling for 33 years.

The nuclear-powered attack submarines of the United States of America, are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines is that the surface ships. They are armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, support the special forces and perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

The USS Illinois is a flexible platform, multi-mission, designed to make the seven basic skills of the US submarine force.

The Virginia class has a number of innovations that significantly improve the combat capability with a focus on support to special operations forces. The Virginia have a fly-by-wire control system for better management of the boat in the shallow waters. The torpedo room can be reconfigured to accommodate four fully equipped Seal teams. In Virginia, the traditional periscopes have been replaced by high-resolution cameras in black and white and infrared rays on top of the telescopic arms.

The construction of the USS Illinois began in March 2011. The submarine keel was shown to the public during a ceremony that took place on June 2 of 2014. The submarine was delivered for sea trials on October 10 last year.

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IZAKOVIC