The Jimmy Carter is also widely assumed to be a replacement for a previous submarine that has been carrying out similar missions since the 1970s (initially tapp

The Jimmy Carter is also widely assumed to be a replacement for a previous submarine that has been carrying out similar missions since the 1970s (initially tapping copper cables), the USS Parche. Obviously, nothing has been confirmed, but it seems to be something of an open secret. There is extensive discussion in, among other places, the 1998 book Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006097771X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=006097771X&linkCode=as2&tag=kmjn-20 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006097771X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?...)