New SSN (09X?) thread

[Neurosmith]

Well, consider another possibility. Which is that the original 09V in February remains a sole boat, and these two new boats are developments of the same.

But the 09V and the 09X were launched around the same time, implying that development of these two models occurred over the same general time frame.

Is there anything observable in the satellite pics that would suggest such a relationship between this boat and the 09V?

 

[para80]

But the 09V and the 09X were launched around the same time, implying that development of these two models occurred over the same general time frame.

Is there anything observable in the satellite pics that would suggest such a relationship between this boat and the 09V?

As someone else told me "We see the sausage after it got made. We dont see how and when the sausage gets made." I agree the timing between the boat in February and these two new boats seems curious. But there could be a range of reasons for that from a developmental perspective.

Similarities so far are cursory. Very similar control arrangement. Likely similar sail design (no fairwater planes on either type, unlike 093B etc). The rest (incl exact beam on the new boats) remains speculative. So consider my speculation just that for now.

 

[Nx4eu]

I made the rudders smaller.

 

[Tessier2501]

I'm curious why the top is so narrow, only able to accommodate a single row of VLS. I expect that an SSGN should be able to accommodate more VLS.

 

[Kejora]

I'm curious why the top is so narrow, only able to accommodate a single row of VLS. I expect that an SSGN should be able to accommodate more VLS.

Could be oversized VLS like Virginia Payload Module

 

[para80]

I'm honestly not sure there is any VLS behind the sail. There appears to be a bump of some sort that echoes what we can see on some 093As though.

 

[Totoro]

I also wouldn't expect the tails to be so swept back, if it all.