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The Abele's

 


US Submarine's Page

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL NAVY WEB SITE
The information contained on this page comes from various unclassified
sources, including numerous unclassified military and civilian web sites.
No classified information is provided.

I have had the distinct pleasure of serving on 2 different classes of submarines, an SSN "Fast Attack" and an SSBN "Trident".
Therefore, these are the two types I will mainly discuss.  I was also part of the crew which converted the SSBN to an SSGN.
Click here for more details on the SSGN conversion.

USS JACKSONVILLE (SSN 699) Silver Dolphins


Click above for the history of the
submarine dolphins and FBM pin.		 USS FLORIDA (SSBN 728)
USS JACKSONVILLE (SSN 699)
688 Class - "Fast Attack" - SSN		 USS FLORIDA (SSBN 728)
726 Class - "Trident" - SSBN
360 feet Length 560 feet
33 feet Beam 42 feet
32.3 feet Draft 36.5 feet
6900 submerged tons Displacement 18,700 submerged tons
4 Torpedo Tubes 4
None Missile Tubes 24
3 Decks 4
21 February 1976 Keel laid 04 July 1976
18 November 1978 Launched 14 November 1981
16 May 1981 Commissioned 18 June 1983
July 1994 - October 1997 My tour aboard October 2000 - Present
$282 million Cost $1.2 billion
In excess of 800 feet Maximum Depth In excess of 800 feet
In excess of 20 knots Maximum Speed In excess of 20 knots
14 officers, 14 Chiefs, 102 enlisted Crew Compliment 17 officers, 15 Chiefs, 122 enlisted
688 Class Submarine























688 Class - Fast Attack - SSN


The 688 class submarine was constructed in three separate "flights" of submarines, totaling 51 in the class. Each successive flight had modifications to improve the systems and overall submarine performance. 

The first flight is SSN-688 (USS LOS ANGELES) to SSN-718 (USS HONOLULU).

The second flight is SSN-719 (USS PROVIDENCE) to SSN-750 (USS NEWPORT NEWS). This flight added the 12 vertical launch tubes on the bow, just aft of the main ballast tanks.

The third flight is SSN-751 (USS SAN JUAN) to SSN-773 (USS CHEYENNE). This flight is commonly referred to as the 688-I (improved) class. This group of submarines were redesigned from having fairwater planes to having bow planes, making them "arctic capable." Additionally, all boats within this flight have 12 vertical launch missile tubes.

As a primary means of attack, as well as defense, the 688 class submarine is equipped with 24 Mark 48 ADCAP (advanced capability) torpedoes. Each torpedo is equipped with a 1000 ton (TNT equivalent) warhead.

The 688 class submarine is also capable of launching the Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile (TLAM). SSN-688 to SSN-718 can carry 8 torpedo-launched TLAM's, while SSN-719 to SSN-773 can carry 8 torpedo launched and 12 vertical launched TLAM's. TLAM's are equipped with either a conventional 1000 ton (TNT equivalent) warhead or a nuclear 5-50 kiloton variable yield warhead.

Additionally, they have the ability to launch Submarine Rocket Missiles (SUBROC) and Harpoon Rockets, as well as having Mining capabilities. SUBROC's and Harpoon's are no longer carried aboard any 688 class submarine.

688 Class Layout Diagram

726 Class Submarine


















726 Class - Trident - SSBN

The first flight of the 726 class is SSBN-726 (USS OHIO) to SSBN-733 (USS NEVADA) and are equipped to carry the Trident I C4 missile.

The last 4 of these are scheduled to be back-fitted with the D5 missile system, while the first 4 (including the FLORIDA) are scheduled for conversion to an SSGN (the 24 missiles will be replaced with 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles). Click here for more details on the SSGN conversion.

The second flight is SSBN-734 (USS TENNESSEE) to SSBN-743 (USS LOUISIANA) and are equipped to carry the Trident I D5 missile, which primarily provides a longer trajectory.

The Trident I C4 missile is 34 feet in length, 6 feet in diameter, weighs 71,000 pounds, has a range of 4,000 nautical miles, and costs $13 million dollars each. Each missile is equipped with a multiple warhead system, fitted with either 100 kiloton warheads or 300-450 kiloton variable-yield warheads.

The 726 class is also equipped to carry Mark 48 torpedoes, though primarily as a defensive weapon. Their precious cargo of 24 ballistic missiles is too valuable to risk on having them use their torpedoes offensively. Though after firing all missiles, it is conceivable at that point their role would change to an "attack" submarine.

726 Class Layout Diagram
726 Class Submarine Layout

Silver Dolphins
US Navy Submarine Dolphins

On 13 June 1923, Captain E. J. King, Commander submarine Division Three (later Fleet Admiral and Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet, during WW II), suggested to the Secretary of the Navy (Bureau of Navigation) that a distinguishing device for qualified submariners be adopted. He submitted a pen-and-ink sketch of his own showing a shield mounted on the beam ends of a submarine, with dolphins forward of, and abaft, the conning tower. The suggestion was strongly endorsed by Commander Submarine Division Atlantic. Over the next several months the Bureau of Navigation solicited additional designs from several sources. Some combined a submarine with a shark motif. Others showed submarines and dolphins, and still others used a shield design. A Philadelphia firm, which had done work for the Navy in the field of Naval Academy class rings, was approached by the Bureau of Navigation with the request that it design a suitable badge. Two designs were submitted by the firm, and these were combined into a single design. This design was executed in bas relief in clay. It was a bow view of a submarine, proceeding on the surface, with bow planes rigged for diving, flanked by dolphins in a horizontal position with their heads resting on the upper edge of the bow planes. Today a similar design is used: a dolphin fish flanking the bow and conning tower of a submarine. On 20 March, 1924, the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation recommended to the Secretary of the Navy that the design be adopted. The recommendation was accepted by Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Acting Secretary of the Navy. His acceptance is dated March 1924.

The submarine insignia was to be worn at all times by officers and men qualified in submarine duty attached to submarine units or organizations, ashore and afloat, and not to be worn when not attached. In 1941 the Uniform Regulations were modified to permit officers and men qualified who were eligible to wear the submarine insignia after they had been assigned to other duties in the naval service, unless such right had been revoked. The officers' insignia was a bronze, gold plated metal pin, worn centered above the left breast pocket and above the ribbons and medals. Enlisted men wore the insignia, embroidered in silk, white silk for blue clothing and blue silk for white clothing. This was sewn on the outside of the right sleeve, midway between the wrist and elbow. The device was two and three-quarters inches long.

In 1943, the Uniform Regulations were modified to provide that "Enlisted men, who are qualified and subsequently promoted to commissioned or warrant ranks, may wear enlisted submarine insignia on the left breast until they qualify as submarine officers, at which time this insignia would be replaced by the officers' submarine pin." In mid-1947, the embroidered device shifted from the sleeve of the enlisted men's jumper to above the left breast pocket. A change to the Uniform Regulations dated 21 September 1950 authorized the embroidered insignia for officers (in addition to the pin-on insignia) and a bronze, silver plated, pin-on insignia for enlisted men (in addition to the embroidered device).

SSBN Pin
SSBN Deterrent Patrol Pin

A Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Submarine breast pin is awarded to personnel in the ship's companies of the silent service missile fleet. Successor to the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia (SCPI) awarded for submarine patrols during World War II, the device is known as the FBM Patrol Pin, although its official designation is SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia. The new insignia is considered to be in the same category and will be worn in the same manner as the SCPI. However, only one of the two may be worn by those individuals who qualify for both. The choice is the individual's. Design of the SSBN pin shows a silver LAFAYETTE class submarine with superimposed Polaris missile and electron rings which signify the armament and nuclear powered characteristics of the FBM Deterrent Force. A scroll beneath the submarine will hold stars, one bronze star for each patrol after the first or a silver star for five patrols. Awards are being made retroactive to the first FBM patrol of USS George Washington (SSBN 598) which was completed on 21 January 1961. At that time GEORGE WASHINGTON had set a new record for submarine submergence: 66 days, 10 hours.

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 © 2000 - 2009  Donald B. Abele, Jr.  All rights reserved.
This page last updated:  01 September 2005