Seawolf-class submarine
{{short description|Class of US nuclear attack submarines}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} |+ Seawolf class {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = 300px | Ship caption = {{USS|Connecticut|SSN-22}}, second of the three-boat Seawolf-class }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = | Builders = General Dynamics Electric Boat | Operators = {{navy|United States}} | Class before = {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|4}} | Class after = {{sclass|Virginia|submarine|4}} | Subclasses = | Cost = $3 billion per unit (equivalent to $6 billion in 2023){{cite web|last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/24363/navy-wants-a-new-seawolf-like-attack-submarines-to-challenge-russian-chinese-threats |title=Navy Wants New 'Seawolf-Like' Attack Submarines To Challenge Russian And Chinese Threats|publisher=Drive Media Inc|date=22 October 2018|access-date=9 September 2019}} | Built range = 1989–2005 | In service range = | In commission range = 1997–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 29 | Total ships completed = 3 | Total ships cancelled = 26 | Total ships active = 3 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = | Ship type = Nuclear attack submarine | Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = {{ubl | Surfaced: 8,600 tons | Submerged: 9,138 tons, (12,139 tons full, {{USS|Jimmy Carter}}{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=100&ct=4|title=The US Navy – Fact File|work=US Navy|access-date=30 August 2008|archive-date=3 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703120930/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=100&ct=4|url-status=dead}}) }} | Ship length = {{ubl |{{convert|353|ft|abbr=on}} |{{convert|452.8|ft|abbr=on}} {{USS|Jimmy Carter}}}} | Ship beam = {{convert|40|ft|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = {{Seawolf-class submarine propulsion}} | Ship sail plan = | Ship speed = *{{convert|20|kn|mph km/h}} (silent){{cite web|url=http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/seawolf/|title=SSN Seawolf Class|publisher=naval-technology.com}} | Ship range = Unlimited | Ship endurance = Only limited by food supplies | Ship test depth = {{convert|1600|ft|m|abbr=on}}{{cite web |author=Federation of American Scientists |date=8 December 1998 |title=Run Silent, Run Deep |work=Military Analysis Network |url=http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/deep.htm |access-date=10 May 2010}} | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = 140 | Ship crew = 14 officers; 126 enlisted | Ship time to activate = | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = 8 × 26.5-inch torpedo tubes, sleeved for 21-inch weapons{{cite web|url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1128z2.html|title=Learning from Experience: Volume II: Lessons from the U.S. Navy's Ohio, Seawolf, and Virginia Submarine Programs|publisher=rand.org|last1=Schank|first1=John F.|last2=Cesse|first2=Cameron|last3=Ip|first3=Frank W.|last4=Lacroix|first4=Robert|last5=Murphy|first5=Mark V.|last6=Arena|first6=Kristy N.|last7=Kamarck |first8=Gordon T.|last8=Lee|date=2011}} (up to 50 Tomahawk land attack missile/Harpoon anti-ship missile/Mk 48 guided torpedo carried in torpedo room){{cite web |title=Attack Submarines - SSN |url=https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169558/attack-submarines-ssn/ |website=United States Navy Fact Files |publisher=United States Navy |access-date=November 13, 2021}} | Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width1 = 200
| header = Silhouette profiles of the two boat sub-types in this class
| image1 = SSN21.svg
| alt1 = a boat
| class1 =
| caption1 = Seawolf subgroup; {{USS|Seawolf|SSN-21|6}} & {{USS|Connecticut|SSN-22|6}} (boats 1 and 2) profile
| image2 = SSN23.svg
| alt2 = a bigger boat
|caption2 = Jimmy Carter subgroup; {{USS|Jimmy Carter}} (boat 3) profile
}}
The Seawolf class is a class of nuclear-powered, fast attack submarines (SSN) in service with the United States Navy. The class was the intended successor to the {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|4}}, and design work began in 1983.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/history/chrono.html |title=Submarine Centennial Chronology |access-date=22 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006174141/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/history/chrono.html |archive-date=6 October 2012 }} A fleet of 29 submarines was to be built over a ten-year period, but that was reduced to 12 submarines. The end of the Cold War and budget constraints led to the cancellation of any further additions to the fleet in 1995, leaving the Seawolf class limited to just three boats. This, in turn, led to the design of the smaller {{sclass|Virginia|submarine|4}}. The Seawolf class cost about $3 billion per unit ($3.5 billion for {{USS|Jimmy Carter|SSN-23|6}}), making it the most expensive United States Navy fast attack submarine and second most expensive submarine ever, after the French {{sclass|Triomphant|submarine|0}} nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
Design
The Seawolf design was intended to combat the threat of advanced Soviet ballistic missile submarines such as the {{sclass2|Typhoon|submarine|4}}, and attack submarines such as the {{sclass2|Akula|submarine|4}} in a deep-ocean environment. Seawolf-class hulls are constructed from HY-100 steel, which is stronger than the HY-80 steel employed in previous classes, in order to withstand water pressure at greater depths.{{cite book|last = Polmar|first = Norman|title = The Naval Institute guide to the ships and aircraft of the U.S. fleet|publisher = Naval Institute Press|year = 2004|location = Annapolis, Maryland|pages = [https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0018polm/page/81 81]–82|edition = 18|url = https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0018polm|url-access = registration|isbn = 978-1-59114-685-8}}{{cite book|last = Zimmerman|first = Stan|title = Submarine Technology for the 21st Century|publisher = Trafford Publishing|year = 2000|location = Victoria, British Columbia|page = 81|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SjfgOfV8Am0C&pg=PA81|isbn = 978-1-55212-330-0}}{{self-published source|date=January 2018}}{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=January 2018}}
Seawolf-class submarines are larger, faster, and significantly quieter than previous Los Angeles-class submarines; they also carry more weapons and have twice as many torpedo tubes. The boats are able to carry up to 50 UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles for attacking land and sea surface targets. The boats also have extensive equipment to allow shallow water operations. The class uses the more advanced ARCI Modified AN/BSY-2 combat system, which includes a larger spherical sonar array, a wide aperture array (WAA), and a new towed-array sonar.{{cite web|url=http://www.harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry2316.aspx|title=AN/BSY-2 sonar |website=www.harpoondatabases.com|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071447/http://www.harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry2316.aspx|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}} Each boat is powered by a single S6W nuclear reactor, delivering {{convert|45000|hp|MW|abbr=on}} to a low-noise pump-jet.
As a result of their advanced design, however, Seawolf-class submarines were much more expensive. The projected cost for 12 submarines of this class was $33.6 billion, but construction was stopped at three boats when the Cold War ended.{{cite web|url=https://fas.org/programs/ssp/man/uswpns/navy/submarines/ssn21_seawolf.html|title=SSN-21 Seawolf Class|access-date=11 August 2011|work=Federation of American Scientists|archive-date=19 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419195730/http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/man/uswpns/navy/submarines/ssn21_seawolf.html|url-status=dead}}
Variants
{{USS|Jimmy Carter|SSN-23|6}} is roughly {{convert|100|ft}} longer than the other two boats of her class because it has an additional central section known as the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP), which allows launch and recovery of remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and Navy SEALs.{{cite web|url=http://www.submarinehistory.com/JimmyCarter.html|title=USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)|access-date=10 June 2009|work=Submarinehistory.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703053203/http://www.submarinehistory.com/JimmyCarter.html|archive-date=3 July 2009}} The MMP may also be used as an underwater splicing chamber for tapping of undersea fiber optic cables. This role was formerly filled by the now decommissioned {{USS|Parche|SSN-683|6}}. Jimmy Carter was modified for this role by General Dynamics Electric Boat at a cost of $887 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.gdeb.com/about/product/seawolf/|title=Seawolf Class|access-date=5 August 2011|work=General Dynamics Electric Boat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930071710/http://www.gdeb.com/about/product/seawolf/|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=dead}}
Boats in class
| class="wikitable"
! Name ! Hull no. ! Builder ! Laid down ! Launched ! Commissioned ! Status | |
| colspan="7"|Seawolf subgroup | |
|---|---|
| {{USS|Seawolf|SSN-21|2}}
|SSN-21 |rowspan=2|General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton |25 October 1989 |24 June 1995 |19 July 1997 |Active in service | |
| {{USS|Connecticut|SSN-22|2}}
|SSN-22 |14 September 1992 |1 September 1997 |11 December 1998 |Active in service | |
| colspan="7"|Jimmy Carter subgroup | |
| {{USS|Jimmy Carter | 2}}
|SSN-23 |General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton |5 December 1998 |13 May 2004 |19 February 2005 |Active in service |
See also
References
{{commons category|Seawolf class submarines}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Seawolf class submarine}}{{Active ship classes of the United States Navy}}{{US submarine classes after 1945}}
{{Current SSN}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seawolf Class Submarine}}