Los Angeles-class submarine

Los Angeles-class submarine
Name	Los Angeles class
Caption	The lead boat, USS Los Angeles (SSN-688), underway.
Builders	General Dynamics Electric Boat, Newport News Shipbuilding
Operators	United States Navy
Built	1972–1996
In service	1976–present
Planned	62
Completed	62
Active	26
Retired	36
Type	Nuclear-powered attack submarine
Displacement	Surfaced: approx. 6,000 tons; Submerged: approx. 6,900 tons
Length	110.3 m (361 ft)
Beam	10 m (33 ft)
Draught	9.4 m (31 ft)
Propulsion	1 × S6G PWR; 2 × steam turbines; 1 shaft; 35,000 shp (26 MW)
Speed	25+ knots (submerged)
Range	Unlimited except by food supplies
Complement	12 officers, 115 enlisted
Sensors	BQQ-5 sonar suite, TB-16/TB-23 towed arrays, BSY-1 combat system
Armament	4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Mk-48 torpedoes, Harpoon missiles, Tomahawk missiles; later boats: 12 × VLS tubes for Tomahawks

Los Angeles-class submarine. The Los Angeles class, often referred to as the "688-class," forms the backbone of the United States Navy's nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet. Designed during the Cold War for high-speed, deep-ocean anti-submarine warfare against Soviet Navy threats, these boats introduced significant advancements in quieting and sensor technology. With 62 units constructed, it remains the most numerous class of nuclear-powered submarines ever built.

Design and development

The design originated from the need to counter new, high-speed Soviet submarines like the Alfa class. Spearheaded by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the program emphasized a powerful S6G reactor and a streamlined hull for speeds in excess of 25 knots. Key design goals included superior acoustic quieting compared to the preceding Sturgeon class and the integration of the advanced BQQ-5 sonar suite. The class was built primarily by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, and Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

Service history

The lead boat, USS Los Angeles (SSN-688), was commissioned in 1976 and served until 2011. The class has been a central component of U.S. Atlantic and Pacific Fleet operations for decades, conducting missions ranging from intelligence gathering to carrier battle group escort. These submarines played a pivotal role in naval strategy throughout the final decades of the Cold War and have seen continued action in conflicts such as the Gulf War and the War in Afghanistan.

Variants

The class is broadly divided into two main groups: Flight I (SSN-688 through SSN-718) and the improved Flight II/III, starting with USS San Juan (SSN-751). Flight I boats lack vertical launch systems. The most significant variant is the "688i" (Improved), beginning with USS Providence (SSN-719), which incorporated enhanced quieting measures, the BSY-1 combat system, and reinforced sails for under-ice operations. The final 23 boats, starting with USS Chicago (SSN-721), were built with 12 dedicated Vertical launching system tubes for BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles.

Specifications

A Los Angeles-class submarine is approximately 110 meters long with a beam of 10 meters. Submerged displacement is around 6,900 tons. Propulsion is provided by a single S6G reactor driving two steam turbines and a single shaft, delivering over 35,000 shaft horsepower. Armament typically includes four 21-inch torpedo tubes capable of firing Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes, UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and Tomahawks. Later "688i" boats feature the 12-tube VLS array. The crew consists of about 12 officers and 115 enlisted personnel.

Operational history

These submarines have been deployed globally, from the Arctic Ocean to the Persian Gulf. They were critical assets during the Cold War, trailing Soviet ballistic missile submarines and conducting surveillance missions, such as tapping underwater cables in operations like Operation Ivy Bells. In 1991, during the Gulf War, USS Louisville (SSN-724) fired Tomahawk missiles at Iraqi targets, marking the first combat torpedo tube launch of a Tomahawk by a submarine. They have also provided special forces support for United States Navy SEALs and conducted exercises with allies like the Royal Navy.

Notable incidents

The class has experienced several accidents. In 1992, USS Baton Rouge (SSN-689) collided with the Russian Sierra-class submarine K-276 Kostroma in the Barents Sea. In 2001, USS Greeneville (SSN-772) struck the Japanese fishery high school training ship Ehime Maru off Hawaii, resulting in nine fatalities. In 2005, USS San Francisco (SSN-711) ran into an undersea mountain near Guam at high speed, killing one sailor and injuring dozens. The boat was later repaired using the bow section from the decommissioned USS Honolulu (SSN-718).

Category:Submarine classes Category:Cold War submarines of the United States Category:Nuclear-powered attack submarines