Grayback-class submarine
{{Short description|Class of US Navy submarines}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:Graybackmissle.jpg |Ship caption=Grayback preparing to launch a Regulus II missile, c. 1960 }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Grayback class |Builders= |Operators={{naval|United States}} |Class before={{sclass|Tang|submarine|4}} |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range= 1954–1958 |In service range= |In commission range= 1958–1964, 1969–1984 |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=2 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired=1 |Total ships preserved=1 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Submarine |Ship tonnage= Surfaced: 2,712 tonnes (2,670 tons) Submerged: 3,708 tonnes (3,650 tons) |Ship displacement= {{convert|2768|LT|t|0}} full |Ship length= {{convert|317|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam= {{convert|27|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|19|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*3 × Fairbanks-Morse Diesel engines (total {{convert|4500|shp|abbr=on}}),{{cite book | last = Bauer | first = K. Jack | author2=Roberts, Stephen S. | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 1991 | location = Westport, Connecticut | pages = 291–292 | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}
|Ship speed=*{{convert|15|kn|lk=in}} surfaced,
|Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth={{convert|700|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship complement=84 |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*2 × Regulus missile hangars (4 × Regulus I missiles or 2 × Regulus II missiles)
|Ship armor= |Ship notes= }} |
The Grayback-class submarine was a class of two guided missile-carrying submarines of the United States Navy. They carried the Regulus I and Regulus II nuclear cruise missiles, deployed 1957–64, that were rapidly phased out by Polaris Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs). They and {{USS|Halibut|SSGN-587|6}} were the sole submarines designed specifically to carry Regulus missiles, and the only submarines capable of carrying Regulus II. However, {{USS|Tunny|SSG-282|6}} and {{USS|Barbero|SSG-317|6}} were modified earlier to carry two Regulus I missiles per boat.
Design
On the Graybacks, two missile hangars allowed for a total of two Regulus II or four Regulus I missiles each. Since Regulus II was cancelled in December 1958 except for test firings,[http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-15.html "Vought SSM-N-9/RGM-15 Regulus II."] Parsch, Andreas, Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, 2001. Retrieved: 6 January 2013. the class deployed with four Regulus I missiles. They were originally ordered as sisters of {{USS|Darter|SS-576|6}}, similar to the last {{sclass|Tang|submarine|1}}s, but were converted under project SCB 161 to missile submarines during construction.Gardiner and Chumbley, pp. 609–610 Torpedo armament was the same as the Tangs, with six bow and two stern tubes. The stern tubes were for "swim-out" weapons only, such as the Mark 37 ASW homing torpedo.
In Grayback{{'}}s later role as an amphibious transport submarine, the former missile hangars were used to store SEAL Swimmer Delivery Vehicles and other equipment used by the SEALs and Marine Force Recon units.
Boats in class
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%;"
!Name !Hull number ! width="20%" | Builder !Laid down !Launched !Commissioned ! width="35%" | Fate |
| {{USS|Grayback|SSG-574|2}}
|SSG-574 |1 July 1954 |2 July 1957 |7 March 1958 |Decommissioned 25 May 1964, converted to an amphibious transport submarine (LPSS) and recommissioned 1968, decommissioned 16 June 1984, expended as a target 1986 |
| {{USS|Growler|SSG-577|2}}
|SSG-577 |15 February 1955 |5 April 1958 |30 August 1958 |Decommissioned 25 May 1964, struck 30 September 1980, museum ship at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City from 29 September 1988. |
References
=Citations=
{{reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- Gardiner, Robert and Chumbley, Stephen, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995, London: Conway Maritime Press, 1995. {{ISBN|1-55750-132-7}}.
- Jackson, Robert, Fighting Ships of The World, London: Amber Books Ltd, 2004 Pg.314 {{ISBN|9781840136470}}
External links
{{Commons category|Grayback class submarines}}
- [http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/09idx.htm NavSource.org Guided Missile Submarines photo gallery index]
{{Grayback class submarine}}
{{US submarine classes after 1945}}