United States | Operation Trident

[Odinson]

---

OPERATION TRIDENT​

---

SECRET​

NAVY DEPLOYMENT​

​

SUBMARINE FORCES PACIFIC
Vice Admiral Morgan Duran​

Ship Class	Vessel	Compliment	Home Port
Ohio-class (SSBN)	USS Florida	155	Pearl Habor, Hawaii
Ohio-class (SSGN)	USS Georgia	155	Pearl Habor, Hawaii
Seawolf-class (SSN)	USS Jimmy Carter	141	Pearl Habor, Hawaii
Los Angeles-class (SSN)	USS Jefferson City	110	Pearl Habor, Hawaii

DETAILS

Ohio-class (SSBN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x20 Trident II D5 SLBM; x25 Mark 48 torpedoes.

Ohio-class (SSGN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x154 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks in 22 groups of seven; x25 Mark 48 torpedoes.

Seawolf-class (SSN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x10 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks; x15 UGM-84A Harpoons; x25 Mark 48 torpedoes.

Los Angeles-class (SSN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x10 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks; x7 UGM-84A Harpoons; x20 Mark 48 torpedoes.

SUBMARINE FORCES ATLANTIC
Vice Admiral Jack Houston​

Ship Class	Vessel	Compliment	Home Port
Virginia-class (SSN)	USS Virginia	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Virginia-class (SSN)	USS Texas	135	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Ohio-class (SSGN)	USS Ohio	155	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Los Angeles-class (SSN)	USS San Juan	110	Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut

DETAILS

Virginia-class (SSN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x12 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks; x5 UGM-84A Harpoons; x20 Mark 48 torpedoes.

Ohio-class (SSGN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x154 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks in 22 groups of seven; x25 Mark 48 torpedoes.

Los Angeles-class (SSN) - Fully Fueled; Non-perishable and perishable food/water for 6 month journey; x50 M4A1 Carbine and associated ammo and x50 M1911 and associated ammo in barracks;
Countermeasures: x96 ADC MK5 acoustic decoys;
Armaments: x10 TLAM-E Block IV Tomahawks; x7 UGM-84A Harpoons; x20 Mark 48 torpedoes.

​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

​

CONTEXT​

Preliminary discussions between the Secretary of The Navy and President Sinclair resulted in the Navy prioritizing regular global patrols. Operation Trident was chosen to be an experimental global deployment of a variety of American submarines on training-focused missions to far-away places in the high seas. Preparations were made to deploy the submarines and their crews for up to six months. The crews of the submarines except for the captain and the executive officer of each vessel were in the dark as to where they would be going and what their mission would be, however the officers aboard each ship would eventually get more details once they were underway. The preparation of the deployment of the submarines were guarded with the utmost secrecy according to the best traditions of the Navy.​

​

​

 

[Odinson]

​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

PACIFIC DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

After preparations were made for the deployment of four submarines from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii (USS Florida, USS Georgia, USS Jimmy Carter, USS Jefferson City) the submarines deployed from Pearl Harbor at approximately 02:30 in the morning, local time. The submarines were guided with the assistance of the Navy and Coast Guard until they were out to open sea and could dive. Each submarine deployed within twenty minutes of the one before it, which meant that the final submarine to deploy, the USS Jefferson City left Pearl Harbor 60 minutes after the first submarine departed. The approximate routes that each submarine would take are listed here. The crews of the submarines would do everything possible to avoid running aground or colliding with the ocean floor or other vessels and would make minor changes to this route (and her depth and speed) if needed to avoid any kind of collision. All of these submarines would use all passive means of sonar to monitor any possible threats or other vessels in the area.

USS Jimmy Carter
The Jimmy Carter had one of the shorter routes of the other submarines deployed in the Pacific. Once underwater, she would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). It would take a relatively straight route to the Sea of Okhotsk and then to the Sea of Japan. In the beginning of this journey, the submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged. Once she was 75 miles East of the Kuril Islands, she would slow her speed to 12 knots and continue on her path. While crossing through the Bussol Strait, which would take less than two hours, the submarine reduced speed to 9 knots and was rigged for silent running in order to reduce or totally eliminate noise. All non-essential systems and equipment were turned off and non-essential sailors were encouraged to rest quietly until they had reinterred non-territorial waters. After she was 75 miles from the Kuril Islands, she sped back up to 12 knots and discontinued silent running. She would continue at this speed throughout the Sea of Japan.
BL>AL>AM>RM>QN>PN


USS Georgia
The Georgia, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). Throughout this journey to its location, she would maintain a speed of 20 knots.
BL>AL>RL>QK>PJ>OJ


USS Florida
The Florida, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). In the beginning of this journey, the submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged. Once the submarine entered the Singapore Strait, she would slow down to 12 knots and continue on her journey. Once she made it 100 miles past the Nicobar Islands, she would increase her speed to 20 knots again.
BL>AL>RL>QK>PJ>OJ>OI>OJ>NJ>NI>NH>NG>NF


USS Jefferson City
The Jefferson City, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). In the beginning of this journey, the submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged. Once the submarine entered the Singapore Strait, she would slow down to 12 knots and continue on her journey. Once she made it 100 miles past the Nicobar Islands, she would increase her speed to 20 knots again.
BL>AL>RL>QK>PJ>OJ>OI>OJ>NJ>MJ>LK

ATLANTIC DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

After preparations were made for the deployment of four submarines from Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut, the four submarines (USS Virginia, USS Texas, USS Ohio, USS San Juan) deployed at approximately 02:30 in the morning, local time. The submarines were guided with the assistance of the Navy and Coast Guard until they were out to open sea and could dive. Each submarine deployed within twenty minutes of the one before it, which meant that the final submarine to deploy, the USS San Juan left American waters 60 minutes after the first submarine departed. The approximate routes that each submarine would take are listed here. The crews of the submarines would do everything possible to avoid running aground or colliding with the ocean floor or other vessels and would make minor changes to this route (and her depth and speed) if needed to avoid any kind of collision. All of these submarines would use all passive means of sonar to monitor any possible threats or other vessels in the area.

USS Virginia
The Virginia, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). In the beginning of this journey, the submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged. Once the submarine was ten miles from the Strait of Gibraltar, she would slow down to 9 knots and continue on her journey. Once she made it 20 miles past the nexus of the space between Gibraltar and Ceuta, she would increase her speed to 15 knots and continue on her journey.
FN>GN>GM>HM>IM>JM>KM


USS Texas
The Texas, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). The submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged.
FN>GN>GM>HM>IM


USS Ohio
The Ohio, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). The submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged.
FN>GN>GM>HM>IM


USS San Juan
The San Juan, once underwater, would remain between 500-1,000 feet below the surface, with a preference to being closer to 1,000 feet below if it was safe to do so (however, the depth would be adjusted if necessary so that she was never at risk of colliding with the ocean floor). The submarine would maintain a speed of 20 knots while submerged.
FN>GM>GL>HK>HJ​

 

[Bossza007]

Secret and Encrypted unless contextually possible. | NSST 1.0 Architecture
This scenario happened when the USS Florida was travelling from 5°45'32.82"N 93°36'30.56"E to 5°27'0.99"N 93° 4'10.81"E​

As part of Operation Blue Canvas, conducted by the Republic Navy to safeguard the sovereignty of Asian nations and counterbalance the influence of Western economic powers, the task force NEG4/A was deployed to monitor maritime traffic exiting the Malacca Strait into the Indian Ocean. This task force was comprised of the following vessels: HTMS Uthong Narubet, HTMS Kalawandith, HTMS Uchitthaka, HTMS Chakkawat, HTMS Kampoch, and HTMS Mongkhon. These units maintained continuous surveillance of all maritime vessels transiting this critical chokepoint. The core of the task force was positioned at 5°26'33.06"N 93°25'54.42"E, where the anti-submarine light aircraft carrier was stationed, supported by five general-purpose frigates. These vessels were equipped with Atlas DSQS-24D sonar systems, which were employed in active underwater scanning to detect and track potential submarine activity. With an effective range of up to 40 kilometers in ideal conditions, the sonar systems continuously transmitted pings and analyzed return signals, ensuring that no submerged threats were undetected. The task force operated with full combat readiness typical of the Republic Navy, ensuring all personnel were prepared for rapid response under the operational conditions. The Navy's rigorous training and operational discipline ensured the task force's high effectiveness in conducting the mission and maintaining security in the region.

The operational environment in which the Republic Navy task force operated featured typical ocean depths between 800 and 1,000 meters, sufficient for active sonar to propagate over extended distances while also producing some acoustic clutter. At these depths, sound waves generally propagated efficiently, particularly at lower frequencies, which is the operational range for the DSQS-24D sonar systems. Despite the high volume of maritime traffic in the region, the presence of the Republic Navy task force had likely been noted by other vessels, which may have adjusted their navigation routes accordingly, though such deviations were expected to be minimal. Sea surface conditions, including wave height and temperature, could have introduced noise or disturbances. However, the presence of five sonar systems, each deployed at varying depths and orientations, ensured that at least one sonar system was positioned to minimize the impact of such conditions. The environment was relatively stable, with no anomalous conditions expected to disrupt the typical temperature profile of the Indian Ocean, which was conducive to effective sonar operations.

As the USS Florida passed through the sonar detection radius of task force NEG4, the active sonar systems were capable of detecting large, high-acoustic signature targets, such as an SSBN traveling at 20 knots, despite the submarine's advanced noise-reduction features and hull design. When the sonar pulse encountered a large object like an SSBN, the reflected signal was processed to determine the object's range. The SSBN's moderate speed of 20 knots would have been sufficient for the sonar systems to detect the vessel's steady motion. The SSBN would likely have taken approximately two hours to exit the sonar detection radius, assuming it maintained its original course. Despite its stealth design, the SSBN's large size—approximately 170 meters in length and with significant displacement—resulted in a relatively large sonar cross-section, making it more detectable than smaller, quieter submarines. While the vessel's noise reduction systems and operating depth offered some degree of protection against detection, they were insufficient to fully conceal the SSBN from the sonar systems of the Republic Navy task force.

With five ships actively deploying sonar systems, the probability of detecting the SSBN was high. Given that the sonar detection radius extended 40 kilometers and the SSBN was passing through near the center of this range, it was almost certain that the submarine would enter the effective range of at least one sonar system. As the SSBN traveled closer to the center of its route within the detection radius, the likelihood of detection increased. If the USS Florida maintained its original course, it was highly probable that the submarine would be detected by at least one of the Republic Navy's frigates, prompting an immediate concentration of active sonar sweeps from all vessels. Due to the distinct characteristics of the Ohio-class SSBN, it was immediately identified as a high-priority target. The next phase of operations involved tracking the SSBN to determine its speed, course, and potential intentions. In response, three EC725 helicopters aboard the light aircraft carrier were placed on standby for launch, each armed with an MU90 torpedo. Additionally, one Hermes 450 UAV was launched with full surveillance capabilities, including four Spike-LR missiles. The UAV was deployed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) purposes and operated within the area where the submarine was reported to have been detected, maintaining continuous communication with the carrier via a secure channel.

Odinson​

 

[Odinson]

​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

The Naresuan-class frigates that were operating within the NEG4/A formation did not have the Atlas DSQS-24D sonar system as described above (and neither did any Naresuan-class frigate in the entire Thai Navy), they had the DE-1160 hull mounted sonar that was originally designed for the ships. The Atlas DSQS-24D sonar system was not available on the Naresuan-class frigates until the 5-year upgrade for the Naresuan-class frigates had been completed in 2016 by Saab. All Naresuan-class frigates operated by the Republic of Thailand were built before the year 2006, and therefore have the DE-1160 hull mounted sonar. The DE-1160 sonars that the Naresuan-class frigates were actually using had an accurate range of about 10 kilometers and were not nearly advanced as the Atlas system that they would later be upgraded to.

The Florida continued on her training mission along the originally described path. While the Thai Sonars were significantly less powerful than the Atlas, they nevertheless still worked (though, probably not at their maximum efficiency since the Naresuan-class frigates were not originally designated as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessels and were not designed to run smoothly and quietly in order to allow the sensitive sonar system to function as intended). As previously described, the USS Florida had crew members who were using all passive means of detection available to listen for foreign sounds, including the movement of vessels or unmistakable things such as sonar pings.

While sonar pings are not unusual, military-grade sonar pings are. They are extremely powerful pulses of energy that travel in the water in an attempt to detect military vessels at the surface and below. Sonar pulses normally are not used on a consistent basis as the Thai Navy is using them in this scenario for a number of reasons, the three biggest being: (1) a single sonar ping can reveal the location of its origin to military vessels that are hundreds of miles away; (2) general wear and tear on the sonar device; (3) military-grade sonar pulses create a significant environmental hazard to marine life and has been known to cause mass killings of whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals and fish that use echolocation (and it also is a threat to any nearby lifeform that is in the water, and has been known to kill divers). The consistent use of military sonar at full power may not be unheard of for hours or even days when there is a clear and present threat in the area, or something in particular is being looked for, but its use over the course of weeks or months would cause a local environmental disaster that would include large groups of dead fish washing ashore along with beached whales and dolphins.

While the Thai sonar pulses were weak, they were detectable by the Florida at a much greater range than they were useful for the Thai frigates. While the Thai fleet was located at approximately (5°26'33.1"N 93°25'54.4"E), the USS Florida detected their weak sonar pulses well over 100 miles away when the submarine was making a turn at (6.5532, 95.06897) to head southwest along the originally planned path. Once the military-grade sonar pings were detected (even though they were weak and determined to either be from a vessel very far away, or a Cold War-era ship with a weaker sonar), the captain of the Florida made the decision to avoid the area all together out of an abundance of caution, especially since they weren't on a combat patrol mission.

Interestingly, the Thai fleet was positioned over the Andaman-Nicobar Ridge, where the approximate depth of the ocean over that area of the ridge averaged around 2,500 feet (740 meters) below the surface. To the east of the Thai fleet (which was between the Thai Navy and the Florida), however, there were large parts of the ridge (including underwater mountains) that were just ~350 feet (108 meters) below the surface. Even if the NEG4/A fleet had the aforementioned Atlas sonars, they would be unable to use them through underwater mountains.

After consulting with his XO and other officers, the captain ordered that they take an alternate rout and hug the edge of the Nicobar-Simeulue Basin. The basin itself had depths that reached almost ~9,500 feet (2800 meters). While the submarine could not dive that deep, it did have the capability of being one of the deepest diving submarines in the world. After correcting its position and making the proper turn to stay in the Nicobar-Simeulue Basin, the Florida slowed her speed to just 5 knots and dove to a depth of 1,300 feet below the surface. In addition to slowing her speed and increasing her depth, the Florida had now put countless underwater mountains, ridges, and other geological features between herself and whatever group of ships were constantly pinging out off the coast of Indonesia so that even if the Thai vessels had the most powerful sonar in the world, they would be unable to ping through billions of tons of granite and sediment.

The Florida remained undetected as she continued in the basin and would eventually resume her course after taking the alteration (shown here). All of the other submarines would make it to their aforementioned destinations, while the Florida would make it to her designated location with some delays due to the altered course and the slowed speed. The submarine would take precautions as previously stated and ensure that it never ran aground, collided with other vessels, or entered the territorial sea of another country.​

​

Bossza007

 

[Odinson]

​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

SECRET​

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS​

All of the aforementioned submarines made it to their destinations without incident. Once in place, the submarines all remained approximately 700 feet below the surface and maintained a slow speed of about 2 knots as they would slowly circle their location and remain in place. As previously stated, the submarines used their navigational charts and onboard instruments to prevent themselves from running into underwater mountains, colliding with the ocean floor, or running into other vessels or submerged objects. The submarines would continue to use all passive means of sonar detection (and listening) possible to listen for any potential threats in the area. All of the submarines ran various drills and exercises from going to general quarters to launching missiles or torpedoes (though of course neither would actually be launched).​