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Nuclear-Powered Submarines & Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP)

The purpose of this Wiki page is for the company, Terps Nuclear Thermal Designs (TNTD), to be able to document and integrate informational entries into a team based format; when discussing different aspects of Nuclear Reactors, and the process of Nuclear Fission; in terms of Nuclear-Powered Submarines and Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP). The goal is to also explain the proper-use and navigation of the Wiki Page as well as best-practices for writing technical descriptions, that way the whole team can add quality entries to the discussions.

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Figure 1: The USS John Warner, a nuclear powered submarine, prepares for its departure in 2015. (Source: U.S. Navy)

Figure 1: The USS John Warner, a nuclear powered submarine, prepares for its departure in 2015. (Source: U.S. Navy)

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Pictured above, The 12th Virginia-Class Attack Submarine ~ USS John Warner, was designed with a variety of different mission capabilities in mind. All of which capabilities would have never been made possible without the emerging innovation of technology in terms of NTP (Nuclear Thermal Propulsion). In April 2018, The 377ft long USS John Warner made its very first deployment.

The submarine can dive down to nearly 800ft, stay submerged for up to three months, and it can operate for nearly 33 years without needing to refuel; all thanks to NTP.

Overall, it can support a crew of 135 people, 15 of which are Officers & 120 of which are enlisted Sailors.

It also has payload capabilities of up to 40 weapons which include but are not limited to: ICBM's, Nuclear Weapons, Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, ASDS (Advanced SEAL Delivery System), unmanned submersible vehicles, and Mark 48 Advanced Capability Torpedoes.

The three main fields of mission capabilites the USS John Warner specializes in are: Anti-Ship Warfare, Anti-Sub Warfare, and Strike Warfare.

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IMPORTANT! Please read “proper-use guide" under the TOC section within the Directory page as well as “best-practices guide" at the bottom of this page before trying to create new entries, and add them to the Wiki Page.

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Figure 2: A Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine. (Source: The Smithsonian)

Figure 2: A Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine. (Source: The Smithsonian)

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Although not a Virginia-class submarine like the text talks about; This model of a Los Angeles-class, fast attack, submarine depicts the layout of what a nuclear-powered sub would look like if you could slice it open and peek inside. This is the best depiction I could find to compare to the USS John Warner. Overall this image really gives you a better idea on orientation and layout because a lot of times, the main design question comes down to, “where are we going to put all this stuff?”. The more you know.

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Figure 3: An Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.

Figure 3: An Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.

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The Ohio-class nuclear powered submarines were mainly designed to carry and utilize the Trident 1 and Trident 2 submarine-launched ballistic missles (SLBMs) which are nuclear warehead capable. They are considered to be strategic deterrent vessels. This essentially means that their primary role is second-strike capability in the event of a catastrophic event like a nuclear war. They also carry a wide variety of other nuclear weapons

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Best-practices Guide-

The best practices guide will simply go over a few key points to make sure the user feels somewhat confident in adding their own entries into the associated topics within the Wiki Link website. To best guide you through this Wiki, you must first know why Wiki links exist, and for what their main purpose actually is.

What- Wiki is a type of web-content management software that is designed as a collaborative system, allowing users to create and collaboratively edit pages or entries from a web-based platform.

Why- So the ‘why’ we use a Wiki link software over another type of software is simply due to the fact that Wiki's are super user-friendly, and offer a centralized content management system that allows for the integration of workflows and the enhancement of onboarding, the process of integrating new employees into a company.

Once knowing the actual purpose of the Wiki software it will be easier to understand the best-practices guide, since you now know the ‘what’ and ‘why' of what we are doing.

How- When adding quality entries into a Wiki Link discussion topic here are a few things you should always keep in mind: Know your audience, plan your document, gain technical knowledge on the discussion at hand, make the entry and experience of reading it-interactive, and make sure to follow grammar AND writing rules when conducting a new response. Ie. its best to remember the 7 C's of Technical Writing:

Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous

Clear Writing: is meant to convey the purpose of the document immediately to the reader. It involves knowing what you want to say before you say it. This is because a lack of clarity often comes from unclear thinking or poor planning skills.

Concise Writing: uses the least words possible to convey the most meaning while still maintaining clarity. Avoid unnecessary padding, awkward phrasing, overuse of “to be” forms (is, are, was, were, am, be, being), long preposition strings, vagueness, unnecessary repetition and redundancy.

Concrete Writing: involves using specific, precise language to paint a picture for your readers so that they can more easily understand your ideas. If you have to explain an abstract concept or idea, try to use examples, analogies, and precise language to illustrate it. Use measurable descriptors whenever possible; avoid vague terms like “big” or “good.”

Correct Writing: uses standard English punctuation, sentence structure, usage, and grammar. Being correct also means providing accurate information, as well as using the right document type and form for the task.

Coherent Writing: ensures that the reader can easily follow your ideas and your train of thought. One idea should lead logically into the next through the use of transitional words and phrases, structural markers, planned repetition, sentences with clear subjects, headings that are clear, and effective and parallel lists.

Complete Writing: includes all requested information and answers all relevant questions. The more concrete and specific you are, the more likely your document will be complete as well. Ie. Review your checklist of specifications before submitting your document to its intended reader.

Courteous Writing: entails designing a reader-friendly, easy-to-read document; using tactful language and appropriate modes of addressing the audience; and avoiding potentially offensive terminology, usage, and tone.

Disclaimer - All the information for the 7 C's of Technical Writing was pulled from OpenOregon Educational Resources Database.

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