History Attack submarine

uss k-3 (ssk-3) bqr-4 sonar dome

a small submarine suitable mass production designed meet ssk requirement. resulted in 3 submarines of k-1 class (later named barracuda class), entered service in 1951. @ 750 long tons (760 t) surfaced, considerably smaller 1,650 long tons (1,680 t) boats produced in world war ii. equipped advanced passive sonar, bow-mounted bqr-4, had 4 torpedo tubes. initially, sonar located around conning tower considered, tests showed bow-mounted sonar less affected submarine s own noise. while developing purpose-built ssks, consideration given converting world war ii submarines ssks. less-capable gato class chosen this, of deeper-diving balao- , tench-class boats being upgraded guppys. 7 gato-class boats converted ssks in 1951-53. these had bow-mounted bqr-4 sonar of other ssks, 4 of 6 bow torpedo tubes removed make room sonar , electronics. 4 stern torpedo tubes retained. 2 diesel engines removed, , auxiliary machinery relocated in place , sound-isolated reduce submarine s own noise.

the soviets took longer anticipated start producing new submarines in quantity. 1952 ten had entered service. however, production ramped up. end of 1960 total of 320 new soviet submarines had been built (very close usn s 1948 low-end assumption), 215 of them project 613 class (nato whiskey class), smaller derivative of type xxi. significantly, 8 of new submarines nuclear-powered.

the nuclear era begins

k-5, soviet november-class ssn, threat made conventional ssks obsolete

uss nautilus (ssn-571), world s first nuclear submarine, operational in 1955; soviets followed 3 years later first project 627 kit -class ssn (nato november class). since nuclear submarine maintain high speed @ deep depth indefinitely, conventional ssks useless against them except in shallow water. development , deployment of nuclear submarines proceeded, in 1957-59 navy s ssks redesignated , decommissioned or reassigned other duties. had become apparent nuclear submarines have perform asw missions. research proceeded rapidly maximize potential of nuclear submarine , other missions. navy developed streamlined hull form , tested other technologies conventional uss albacore (agss-569), commissioned in 1953. new hull form first operationalized 5 skipjack class boats, entered service beginning in 1959. lead ship of class declared world s fastest submarine following trials in 1958, although actual speed kept secret. sonar research showed sonar sphere capable of three-dimensional operation, mounted @ bow of streamlined submarine, increase detection performance. recommended project nobska, 1956 study ordered chief of naval operations admiral arleigh burke.

uss thresher (ssn-593), first high-speed ssn optimized asw

the thresher class , one-off tullibee first bow-mounted sonar sphere in 1961; midships torpedo tubes angled outboard fitted make room sphere. tullibee kind of nuclear-powered ssk; slow ultra-quiet turbo-electric drive. slow speed liability , type not repeated, thresher faster twice many torpedoes, included comparable sound silencing improvements, , commissioned 9 months later. thresher incorporated numerous advances on previous classes including increased diving depth; loss in april 1963 triggered major redesign of subsequent submarines known subsafe program. however, thresher s general arrangement , concept continued in subsequent navy attack submarines. first streamlined soviet submarines project 667a navaga class (nato yankee class), project 670 skat class (nato charlie class), , project 671 yorsh class (nato victor class), of first entered service in 1967.