Features: LSV 2 Cutthroat will offer the capability to conduct a wide variety of studies dramatically improving the acoustic and operational performance of future submarines.

Background: LSV 2 Cutthroat will provide submarine design engineers a platform to test advanced submarine technologies.

Cutthroat, a 205-ton, large scale submarine test vehicle, will be used to affordably explore and test emerging technologies and to conduct physics-based experiments. Specific emphasis will be on stealth, hydrodynamics, hydroacoustics and propulsion designs to permit technology insertion into current and future submarines.

The LSV 2 will provide the capability to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of new technologies that will result in major improvements in performance for the U.S. Navy's new attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN 774). The LSV 2 is being designed and built by an industry team from Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics/Electric Boat Company under contract from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

After delivery in 2001, LSV 2 will operate on Lake Pend Oreille at the Acoustic Research Detachment in Bayview, Idaho, the Navy's laboratory for demonstrating submarine stealth technology. The facility is operated by the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division.