Nuclear Powered Attack Submarines: USS Skipjack, Scamp, Scorpion, Sculpin, Shark, Snook (SSN-585 to 592) 1956-1990 The Skipjack class (project SCB 154) were six Navy nuclear submarines entering service in 1959-60: Skipjack, Scamp, Scorpion, Sculpin, Shark, Snook, introducing the teardrop hull and new S5W reactor and really quickstarting the second generation of USN nuclear submarines. They … Read more
Conventional attack submarines: USS Barbel, Blueback, Bonefish (SS-580 to SS-582) 1956-1990 The Barbel-class submarines were the last diesel-electric propelled attack submarines for the United States Navy. They also incorporated a lot of innovations, starting with their teardrop hull derived from USS Albacore (AGSS-569), and combined a control room and attack center under the conning tower. … Read more
Research Conventional Submarine 1953-1972. The Teardrop Marvel USS Albacore (AGSS-569) is a single prototype submarine pioneering a home-grown version of the teardrop hull shape, really starting the modern submarine shape. This revolutionary design was derived from extensive hydrodynamic and wind tunnel testing in order to reach an unprecedented underwater speed and enhance agility. USS Albacore … Read more
USS Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas (1971) These four ships planned at first as fleet escorts (frigates) like the previous California class, were requalified “cruisers” in 1975 when entering service. USS Virginia (CGN-38), started in August 1972 was commissioned in 1976, and USS Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas (CGN 39-41), between 1977 and 1980. They were designed … Read more
Conventional Training Submarines: USS Mackerel, Marlin 1953-1973. T-1/T-2 later SST-1/SST-2 The T-1-class submarines were among the smallest operational submarines ever built for the United States Navy. Two experimental midgets designed for training submarine personnel, testing new equipments. They would have a career spanning 19 years, started under the programme SCB 68 experimental auxiliary submarine (AGSS-570) … Read more
Nuclear-Powered Guided Missile Cruisers: USS California, USS South Carolina (CGN-36, 37) 1970-1999. The California class was were two nuclear-powered guided-missile cruisers operational from 1974 and 1998, and designed as such rather than simply stretched Leahy/Belknaps fitted with reactors. They reprsented the synthesis of experience gained since the Long Beach, yet still lacked helicopter hangars. They … Read more
USN Cold War Destroyers 6 classes, 68 ships 1947-1990 The story of US Cold War destroyers is a gradual evolution from WW2 legacy vessels to a modern missile-armed force capable of addressing any threat in the air, surface and underwater, with satellite communication and support in gound operations. A full overview from the Gearings to … Read more
Nuclear-Powered Guided Missile Cruiser (CGN-35) 1967-1995. USS Truxtun was a nuclear-powered single-ended guided-missile cruiser (all aft) as she was a stretched and modified Belknap-class, and third nuclear cruiser in the USN after Bainbridge and Long Beach, sporting with the same D2G reactors as the former. USS Truxtun was originally designated, like the Belknaps as a … Read more
Nuclear Attack Submarines: USS Skate, Swordfish, Sargo, Seadragon SSN-578, 579, 583, 584. 1957-1995. The first USN SSN class The Skate class was the first coherent class of nuclear-powered attack submarines after two prototypes, USS Nautilus and USS Seawolf. The second tested a new type of sodium-cooled reactor that was not chosen for this class, following … Read more
9 cruisers (1964-1995): Belknap, J. Daniels, Wainwright, Jouett, Horne, Sterett, William Standley, Fox, Biddle (DLG-26 to 34). The Belknap class cruisers were initially conceived as smaller, cheaper version of the Charles F Adams. However as the project evolved they ended as single-ended guided-missile cruisers (missile forward) unlike the previous Leahy class, but borrowed their hull … Read more
