Attack Submarines - SSN |
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Description
Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces; carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions; support battle group operations, and engage in mine warfare. |
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Background
With the number of foreign diesel-electric / air-independent propulsion submarines increasing yearly, the United States submarine force relies on its technological superiority and the speed, endurance, mobility, stealth, and payload afforded by nuclear power to retain its preeminence in the undersea battlespace.
There are three classes of SSNs now in service. Los Angeles (SSN 688) class submarines are the backbone of the submarine force with 43 now in commission. Thirty-one Los Angeles class SSNs are equipped with 12 Vertical Launch System tubes for firing Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The Navy also has three Seawolf class submarines. Commissioned on July 19, 1997, USS Seawolf (SSN 21) is exceptionally quiet, fast, well armed, and equipped with advanced sensors. Though lacking Vertical Launch Systems, the Seawolf class has eight torpedo tubes and can hold up to 50 weapons in its torpedo room. The third ship of the class, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), has a 100-foot hull extension called the multi-mission platform. This hull section provides for additional payload to accommodate advanced technology used to carry out classified research and development and for enhanced warfighting capabilities.
The Navy is now building the next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia (SSN 774) class. The Virginia class is tailored to excel in a wide range of warfighting missions.
The Virginia class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities with an emphasis on littoral operations. Virginia class SSNs have a fly-by-wire ship control system that provides improved shallow-water ship handling. The class has special features to support special operation forces. The torpedo room can be reconfigured to house a large number of special operation forces and all their equipment for prolonged deployments and future off-board payloads. The class also has large lock-in / lock-out chamber for divers. In Virginia class SSNs, traditional periscopes have been supplanted by two Photonics Masts that house color, high-resolution black and white, and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms. With the removal of the barrel periscopes, the ships’ control room has been moved down one deck and away from the hull’s curvature, affording it more room and an improved layout that provides the commanding officer with enhanced situational awareness. Additionally, through the extensive use of modular construction, open architecture, and commercial off-the-shelf components, the Virginia class is designed to remain state of the practice for its entire operational life through the rapid introduction of new systems and payloads.
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Point Of Contact
Office of Corporate Communication (00D)
Naval Sea Systems Command
Washington, D.C. 20362
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General Characteristics, Virginia class
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| Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. - Newport News Shipbuilding. |
| Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft |
| Length: 377 feet (114.8 meters) |
| Beam: 33 feet (10.0584 meters) |
| Displacement: Approximately 7,800 tons (7,925 metric tons) submerged |
| Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3+ kph) |
| Crew: 132: 15 officers; 117 enlisted |
| Armament: Tomahawk missiles, twelve VLS tubes, MK48 ADCAP torpedoes, four torpedo tubes. |
| Ships: |
| SSN 791 - Under contract. |
| USS Virginia (SSN 774), Portsmouth, N.H. |
| USS Texas (SSN 775), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Hawaii (SSN 776), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS North Carolina (SSN 777), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS New Hampshire (SSN 778), Groton, CT |
| USS New Mexico (SSN 779), Groton, CT |
| USS Missouri (SSN 780), Groton, Conn. |
| USS California (SSN 781), Groton, CT |
| USS Mississippi (SSN 782), Groton, CT. |
| Minnesota (SSN 783), No homeport - Construction began February 2008. |
| North Dakota (SSN 784), No homeport - Construction began March 2009. |
| John Warner (SSN 785), No homeport - Construction began March 2010 |
| Illinois (SSN 786) - No homeport, construction began in March 2011 |
| Washignton (SSN 787) - No homeport, construction began in September 2011 |
| Colorado (SSN 788) - No homeport, construction began in March 2012. |
| Indiana (SSN 789) - Under contract |
| South Dakota (SSN 790) - Under contract. |
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General Characteristics, Seawolf class
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| Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division. |
| Date Deployed: USS Seawolf commissioned July 19, 1997 |
| Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft |
Length: SSNs 21 and 22: 353 feet (107.6 meters)
SSN 23: 453 feet (138.07 meters) |
| Beam: 40 feet (12.2 meters) |
Displacement: SSNs 21 and 22: 9,138 tons (9,284 metric tons) submerged;
SSN 23 12,158 tons (12,353 metric tons) submerged |
| Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3+ kph) |
| Crew: 140: 14 Officers; 126 Enlisted |
| Armament: Tomahawk missiles, MK48 torpedoes, eight torpedo tubes. |
| Ships: |
| USS Seawolf (SSN 21), Bangor, WA |
| USS Connecticut (SSN 22), Bangor, WA |
| USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), Bangor, WA |
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General Characteristics, Los Angeles class
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| Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co.; General Dynamics Electric Boat Division. |
| Date Deployed: Nov 13, 1976 (USS Los Angeles) |
| Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft |
| Length: 360 feet (109.73 meters) |
| Beam: 33 feet (10.06 meters) |
| Displacement: Approximately 6,900 tons (7011 metric tons) submerged |
| Speed: 25+ knots (28+ miles per hour, 46.3 +kph) |
| Crew: 16 Officers; 127 Enlisted |
| Armament: Tomahawk missiles, VLS tubes (SSN 719 and later), MK48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes. |
| Ships: |
| USS Bremerton (SSN 698), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Jacksonville (SSN 699), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Dallas (SSN 700), Groton, CT |
| USS La Jolla (SSN 701), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii |
| USS Albuquerque (SSN 706), San Diego, CA |
| USS San Francisco (SSN 711), San Diego, CA |
| USS Houston (SSN 713), Guam |
| USS Norfolk (SSN 714), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Buffalo (SSN 715), Guam |
| USS Olympia (SSN 717), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Providence (SSN 719), Groton, CT |
| USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720), Groton, CT |
| USS Chicago (SSN 721), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Key West (SSN 722), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723), Guam |
| USS Louisville (SSN 724), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Helena (SSN 725), Portsmouth, N.H. |
| USS Newport News (SSN 750), Norfolk, VA |
| USS San Juan (SSN 751), Portsmouth, N.H. |
| USS Pasadena (SSN 752), Portsmouth, N.H. |
| USS Albany (SSN 753), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Topeka (SSN 754), San Diego, CA |
| USS Miami (SSN 755), Groton, CT |
| USS Scranton (SSN 756), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Alexandria (SSN 757), Groton, CT |
| USS Asheville (SSN 758), San Diego, CA |
| USS Jefferson City (SSN 759), San Diego, CA |
| USS Annapolis (SSN 760), Portsmouth, N.H. |
| USS Springfield (SSN 761), Groton, CT |
| USS Columbus (SSN 762), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Boise (SSN 764), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Montpelier (SSN 765), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Charlotte (SSN 766), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Hampton (SSN 767), San Diego, CA |
| USS Hartford (SSN 768), Groton, CT |
| USS Toledo (SSN 769), Groton, CT |
| USS Tucson (SSN 770), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Columbia (SSN 771), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Greeneville (SSN 772), Pearl Harbor, HI |
| USS Cheyenne (SSN 773), Pearl Harbor, HI |
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| Last Update: 10 November 2011 |
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