SSBN-598

SSBN-598
U.S. Navy · Public domain · source
Ship name	USS George Washington (SSBN-598)
Ship class	George Washington-class submarine
Ship builder	Newport News Shipbuilding
Ship laid down	1 December 1958
Ship launched	9 June 1959
Ship commissioned	30 December 1959
Ship decommissioned	24 January 1985
Ship displacement	6,927 long tons (surfaced)
Ship length	381 ft 8 in (116.3 m)
Ship beam	33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
Ship propulsion	S5W nuclear reactor, steam turbines
Ship speed	20+ knots submerged
Ship range	Unlimited (nuclear)
Ship endurance	Months (resupply-dependent)
Ship capacity	Crew ~120
Ship armament	16 x Polaris A-1 SLBMs (initial), torpedoes
Ship notes	First operational ballistic missile submarine of the United States Navy

SSBN-598

USS George Washington (SSBN-598) was the lead hull of the United States Navy's George Washington-class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and the first operational USS George Washington? vessel to deploy strategic submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Commissioned in 1959, she pioneered submerged missile operations that linked John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower era nuclear strategy with ongoing Cold War patrols, shaping policies at venues such as NORAD, the Pentagon, Cuban Missile Crisis planners and influencing treaty discourse at Strategic Arms Limitation Talks.

Design and Construction

George Washington-class construction was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and reflected design work influenced by earlier Skipjack-class submarine streamlining and the Nautilus nuclear propulsion program. The hull incorporated a missile compartment adapted from concepts developed at General Dynamics Electric Boat, informed by studies from Bureau of Ships engineers and overseen by figures tied to Admiral Arleigh Burke initiatives. Keel laying and launch took place amid industrial activity in Newport News, Virginia and workforce coordination with unions such as the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The conversion of attack-submarine hull plans to a strategic platform drew on research from Naval Reactors and consulting with John von Neumann-era computational analysis teams.

Specifications and Armament

The submarine displaced approximately 6,927 long tons surfaced, measured about 381 feet in length with a beam near 33 feet 6 inches, and was powered by an S5W reactor plant feeding steam turbines developed under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover oversight. Armament initially centered on 16 Polaris A-1 submarine-launched ballistic missiles carried in vertical launch tubes, complemented by torpedo tubes firing Mark 37 torpedo types and later variants integrated after testing programs with Naval Sea Systems Command. Sensors and fire-control suites incorporated technology from Naval Research Laboratory, sonar arrays patterned after systems trialed on Tullibee experiments, and navigation equipment tied to Transit satellite fixes used by Naval Observatory personnel.

Service History

After commissioning in December 1959, the submarine conducted shakedown and sea trials coordinated with Submarine Force Atlantic and training at New London, Connecticut and Norfolk, Virginia facilities. Early patrols were staged from bases including Holy Loch and Bermuda (Bermuda) support sites, with logistics interchanges involving Military Sealift Command and port authorities at Groton, Connecticut. Deployments overlapped Cold War flashpoints; maintenance and overhauls were scheduled through shipyards such as Charleston Naval Shipyard and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard during career yard periods. Crew complements rotated under policies set by Chief of Naval Operations directives and personnel management by Bureau of Naval Personnel.

Nuclear Deterrent Role and Patrols

George Washington-class patrols established the continuous at-sea deterrent model later codified in strategic doctrines discussed at the SALT I negotiations and considered in briefings to Joint Chiefs of Staff. Patrols launched from forward basing areas supported triad strategy debates involving leaders across Department of Defense circles, and patrol histories intersected with episodes such as Cuban Missile Crisis readiness escalations and alert measures coordinated with Strategic Air Command planners. Ballistic missile tests, recovery operations, and telemetry tracking engaged agencies including Air Force Eastern Test Range and telemetry stations coordinated with John F. Kennedy Space Center changeover teams.

Incidents and Modifications

Throughout service, the submarine underwent performance upgrades and mid-life modifications overseen by Naval Sea Systems Command and reactor support from Naval Reactors teams. Modifications addressed missile system reliability, fire-control modernization, and habitability improvements reflecting standards promulgated by Bureau of Ships and occupational health reviews influenced by National Institutes of Health-linked research on submarine environments. Incidents during the career included on-board mechanical failures and dockyard mishaps managed under Judge Advocate General's Corps procedures and investigated with assistance from Naval Safety Center. Safety retrofits followed recommendations emerging from inquiries led by senior officers connected to Submarine Force Atlantic command.

Decommissioning and Fate

Decommissioned in January 1985 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, the submarine entered the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program's reactor compartment removal and recycling efforts executed through the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The disposal process adhered to protocols influenced by Environmental Protection Agency guidelines and coordination with Department of Energy oversight for radiological materials. Artifacts and crew mementos found their way to institutions such as the Submarine Force Library and Museum and naval heritage collections curated at Nauticus and other maritime museums.

Category:George Washington-class submarines Category:Cold War submarines of the United States Navy