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US Navy Seawolf class Attack Submarine - SSN |
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| Units: |
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SSN 21
USS Seawolf
(1997) SSN 22 USS Connecticut (1998) SSN 23 USS Jimmy Carter (2005) |
| Specifications: |
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Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton,
Connecticut, USA Displacement: SSN 21, 22 9138 tons / SSN 23 = 12140 tons (submerged) Length: SSN 21, 22 = 353 feet (108 meters) / SSN 23 = 453 ft (138 m) Beam: 40 ft (12 m) Draft: 11 meters Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h), silent / 35 knots (65 km/h), max. Test depth: 1699 ft (490 m) Complement: 140 Propulsion: 1 x Westinghouse S6W nuclear reactor (43 MW / 57000 shp) 1 shaft / 1 low-noise pump jet propeller Armament: 8 x 26" (660 mm) torpedo tubes for up to 50 UGM-109 Tomahawk TLAM UGM-84 Harpoon SSM Mk. 48 ADCAP torpedoes |
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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 Los
Angeles class, and design work began in 1983. 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 Virginia
class. The Seawolf class cost about $3 billion per unit ($3.5
billion for USS Jimmy Carter), making it the most expensive SSN
submarine and second most expensive submarine ever, after the French
SSBN Triomphant class. Design: The Seawolf design was intended to combat the threat of advanced Soviet ballistic missile submarines such as the Typhoon class, and attack submarines such as the Akula class 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. Seawolf 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. Each boat is powered by a single S6W nuclear reactor, delivering 45,000 hp (34 MW) to a low-noise pump-jet. As a result of their advanced design, however, Seawolf 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. Variants: USS Jimmy Carter is roughly 100 feet (30 m) longer than the other two boats of her class, due to the insertion of a section known as the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP) which allows launch and recovery of remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and Navy SEALs. 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. Jimmy Carter was modified for this role by General Dynamics Electric Boat at the cost of $887 million. source: wikipedia |
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images for more images go to the individual ship's pages |
 SSN 21 USS Seawolf  SSN 22 USS Connecticut  SSN 23 USS Jimmy Carter  |
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