Skipjack-class submarine

Skipjack-class submarine. The Skipjack class was a class of nuclear-powered attack submarines in service with the United States Navy from the late 1950s. Representing a revolutionary advance in submarine design, they were the first to combine a single, powerful S5W reactor with the efficient teardrop hull form, resulting in unprecedented underwater speed and agility. These six submarines formed the vanguard of the modern American attack submarine fleet during a critical period of the Cold War.

Design and development

The design of the Skipjack class emerged from pioneering hydrodynamic research, most notably the USS *Albacore* (AGSS-569), which validated the advantages of the teardrop hull for submerged performance. This form, combined with the newly developed S5W reactor plant—a standardized design that would power many subsequent classes—granted the Skipjacks exceptional speed. The class also introduced the BQQ-2 sonar suite and the AN/BQS-4 active sonar system, significantly enhancing acoustic detection capabilities. A major design departure was the integration of the sail with diving planes, known as fairwater planes, which improved control. Their primary armament consisted of six torpedo tubes located amidships, firing the Mark 37 torpedo and later the Mark 48 torpedo.

Service history

Commissioned between 1959 and 1961, the Skipjack-class submarines were immediately deployed into frontline roles during some of the most tense years of the Cold War. They conducted extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions against the Soviet Navy, often shadowing Soviet submarines and surface groups. Units like the USS *Scorpion* (SSN-589) and the USS *Skipjack* (SSN-585) were frequent participants in major NATO exercises throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Their high speed made them valuable assets for tracking high-value targets, including Soviet ballistic missile submarines. The class also played a role in testing new tactics and technologies that informed the development of later vessels like the Thresher/Permit-class submarine.

Specifications

The Skipjack-class submarines had a submerged displacement of approximately 3,500 tons. They were 252 feet in length, with a beam of 32 feet and a draft of 28 feet. Propulsion was provided by the S5W reactor driving two steam turbines and a single propeller, enabling a reported submerged speed in excess of 30 knots. Their test depth was classified but was consistent with contemporary designs of the era. The crew complement consisted of approximately 10 officers and 90 enlisted men. Armament centered on six 21-inch torpedo tubes for a mix of Mark 37 and Mark 14 torpedos, with no provision for Submarine-launched cruise missiles.

Ships in class

All six submarines were named for marine creatures or historical naval vessels. The lead boat was the USS *Skipjack* (SSN-585), built by General Dynamics Electric Boat. It was followed by the USS *Scamp* (SSN-588), constructed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The USS *Scorpion* (SSN-589) was built by General Dynamics Electric Boat but was tragically lost with all hands in the Atlantic Ocean in 1968. The USS *Sculpin* (SSN-590) was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, while the USS *Shark* (SSN-591) and the USS *Snook* (SSN-592) were constructed by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation.

Legacy and influence

The Skipjack class proved to be a foundational design in modern naval warfare. Their hull form and reactor plant combination directly influenced the subsequent Thresher/Permit-class submarine, which refined their concepts with greater stealth and depth capability. The standardized S5W reactor became the workhorse of the United States Navy's nuclear fleet for decades. The loss of the Scorpion (SSN-589) prompted major investigations and safety reforms within the Submarine Force. While their technology was eventually surpassed by classes like the Los Angeles-class submarine, the Skipjacks' introduction of high-speed, agile, nuclear-powered hunting submarines permanently shifted the dynamics of undersea competition during the Cold War.

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