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U.S. Navy Sturgeon Class Submarines Photo Album |
At the Naval Station in Rota, Spain, crewmen on the USS Billfish leave the
ship. The Billfish is carrying the deep- submergence rescue vessel Avalon
(DSRV-2). Both participated in the NATO deep-sea
rescue exercise Sorbet Royal '92. |
The larger fin of the Sturgeon-class submarines can accommodate more
mast-mounted sensors for greater ability to detect enemy submarines. |
The Sturgeon-class submarine, USS Drum, leaves San Francisco Bay to begin
another Pacific cruise. Sturgeon boats have a crew of 107. |
The US Navy's
Sturgeon class was a continuation of the Permit class design. The
Sturgeon class is in possession of a nearly identical hull design. The
differences include greater overall size and new electronic equipment.
The increased dimensions of the Sturgeon measure 302.2 x 31.75 x 26 feet.
Its larger size allowed for quieter operation and the addition of more
electronic equipment. During construction of this class, several problems
occurred which hampered development. The USS Pogy (SSN 647) had to be
transported to another shipyard for completion. The USS Guitarro (SSN
665) sank in 35 feet of water, which delayed completion for two years.
Regardless, the Sturgeon class had soon become the attack-class submarine
which set the standard for all those which were to follow.
The Sturgeon class
has an elongated tear-drop shape and a large cylindrical bow area. The
bow area contains the ship's BQS-6 spherical active-passive sonar system.
Targets can be detected from as far as 40 miles away using this system.
This submarine is also equipped with fin-mounted hydroplanes which are 38
feet wide. These fins can be rotated to break through thin to medium ice
packs. The fin area of the Sturgeon is considerably larger than that of
the Permit class. This enhancement has given the Sturgeon the ability to
carry more mast-mounted sensors. These sensors increase the ability of
detecting enemy submarines.
Many of the
submarines in the Sturgeon class have been modified to carry a miniature
deep sea rescue vehicle (DSRV). This vehicle is a salvage and rescue
submarine that is mounted on a cradle on the deck. The DSRV is even known
to transport underwater demolition teams, such as the SEALs. Some of the
boats in the Sturgeon are also equipped with a rear hatch that is designed
to let people be transferred while the boat is underwater and moving.
The Sturgeon class
of submarine carries nearly the identical package of weapons as the Permit
class. The large bow sonar forces the torpedo tubes to be mounted
amidships and angles 10 degrees upward. These tubes can fire the Mark 48
torpedo or Harpoon missile, or, up to eight Tomahawk cruise missiles may
also be carried instead of other weapons.
The USS Narwhal (SSN
671) was an experimental submarine based on the sturgeon class design.
The Narwhal was designed to test the S5G free-circulation reactor. This
type of reactor used no pumps in its cooling system. This allowed for
much quieter and less detectable submarine operation. The reactor relies
upon forward movement to propel the cooling system. This experimental
design led to the creation of the S8G free-circulation reactor that is
used in the Ohio class of submarines.
The production of
this class of submarine stopped in 1974. Yet updates in equipment, such
as noise reduction hull coatings, will probably extend the life of the
Sturgeon class submarine into the next century.
The Finback SSN 670
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Sturgeon submarines carry an array of weaponry nearly identical to
Permit-class boats. There are four Mark 63 torpedo tubes angled ten
degrees upward. The tubes can fire the Mark 48 torpedo or the Harpoon
antiship missile. |
A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine, USS Batfish,
with the guided missile destroyer USS Scott in the background. Personnel
are being transferred from the Batfish to the Scott by way of a motor
whaleboat during exercise Advance Phase III off the coast of Florida. |
The armament of the Sturgeon-class attack submarine consists of fifteen Mk
48 dual-purpose torpedoes, eight Tomahawk cruise missiles, and four
Harpoon missiles. |
A Mk-48 advanced capabilities torpedo is llifted from the deck of a Mk-2 72-foot torpedo
retriever boat during tests near Keyport, Wash. |
Crewmen aboard a Mark 2 72-foot torpedo retriever boat secure a Mark 48
Advanced Capabilities torpedo to the deck after recovering it from the water. |
View of the Sturgeon-class submarine, USS Pogy, SSN 647. The Pogy, along
with other Sturgeon-class submarines, has a diving depth of 1,300 feet. |
The Sturgeon-class submarine's large fin-mounted horizontal hydroplanes
can be rotated downward to allow the boat to operate under and surface
through thin to medium ice packs. |
View of a Sturgeon class attack submarine as seen from the shore at Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii. Submarines can move faster under the water than on the surface. |
A port bow view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Ray, (SSN-653) underway near
Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia. |
The USS Lapon, SSN 661, was commissioned in December 1967. The Lapon is in
the Sturgeon-class of attack submarines. The length of the submarine is 292
feet |
A starboard beam view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine, USS Gurnard (SSN-662)
underway as it departs San Diego Bay. |
An SH-3 Sea King helicopter flies over the nuclear-powered attack
submarine, USS Hammerhead, as it prepares to deliver a gift from the
commanding officer of the aircraft carrier, USS George Washington, to the
Hammerhead's crew. |
The USS Sea Devil, just after surfacing, belongs to the Sturgeon class of
attack submarines. Sturgeon-class boats have more internal space than
Permit submarines to allow for the addition of new electronics. |
Sturgeon submarines have a large cylindrical bow area occupied by the
BQS-6 spherical active/passive sonar system. This sonar system can detect
targets as far as 40 miles away. |
From the late 1960s until the introduction of the highly sophisticated Los
Angeles-class attack boats, Sturgeon-class submarines set the standard by which all
other submarines were compared. |
Manning his M-60 lightweight machine gun, a crewman on a PBR Mark 2
riverine patrol boat of Special Boat Unit 26 (SBU-26) watches the nuclear
powered attack submarine USS Seahorse (SSN-669), which the PBR is
escorting into the Panama Canal. |
The modern submarine can operate at speeds comparable with surface vessels
and dive to depths that previously would have crushed the vessel's
hull. |
The miniature submarine being carried by the Sturgeon boat opens the door
for everything from rescue operations to salvage ventures, as well as deployment of
underwater demolition teams. |
Many of the Sturgeon-class submarines had estimated life spans that
carried them to the mid to late 1990s. The Navy again upgraded some of
the submarines in this class with new technology. |
Several Sturgeon-class attack submarines are being retrofitted with
anechoic hull coatings that further reduce noise as the submarine powers
through the water, increasing it chances of remaining undetected. |
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Finback (SSN-670), in drydock, circa 1984 in the fall
during the SRA - Photo courtesy of Jay Parson |
A bow-on view of the submarine tender L.Y. Spear
(AS-36) tied up at destroyer and submarine (D&S) pier 21 with
four Los Angeles class and three Sturgeon class
nuclear-powered attack submarines are tied up at destroyer and submarine
(D&S)pier 22 at the naval base Norfolk, VA, on 28 Jan 1996. The first
sub across the pier from the L.Y. Spear's stern is the
Finback (SSN-670). |
A stern view of the submarine tender L.Y. Spear
(AS-36) tied up at destroyer and submarine (D&S) pier 21 at the
naval base. Moored with the L.Y. Spear is four Los
Angeles class and three Sturgeon class
nuclear-powered attack submarines are tied up at destroyer and submarine
(D&S)pier 22, 28 Jan 1996. The first sub across the pier from the
L.Y. Spear's stern is the Finback (SSN-670). |
Sunfish (SSN-649) top left, James
Madison (SSBN-627) top right, Spadefish (SSN-668)
bottom left, and Finback (SSN-670) bottom right, at Puget
Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA., 31 October 1997 awaiting
scrapping. - Courtesy of Don Sheldon. |
