{to eliminate a transmission the size of a house.}
On SSN 671, they eliminated the reduction gear and ended up with a steam turbine the size of a house!
I'm quite familiar with one electric drive submarine, the Glenard P Lipscomb, SSN685. On this boat, the generator and motor were the size of a house. The motor had lights and deck grating inside to facilitate going into the motor to clean the carbon dust. Forces adrift used to say that the 'P' in the name stood for 'pierside' - she didn't get to sea much!
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