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The Los Angeles-class, sometimes called the LA-class or the 688-class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the U.S. Navy's submarine force, with 62 submarines of this class being completed. As of late 2013, 41 of the class are still in commission and 21 retired from service. Of the 21 retired boats, 14 of them were laid up half way (approximately 17-18 years) through their projected lifespans due to their midlife reactor refuelings being cancelled. One boat, USS Miami (SSN-755), was retired due to extensive fire damage caused by arson when she was a few months into a maintenance period. A further four boats were proposed by the Navy, but later cancelled.
Class overview | |
---|---|
Builders | list error: <br /> list (help) Newport News Shipbuilding General Dynamics Electric Boat |
Operators | United States Navy |
Preceded by | Sturgeon-class attack submarine |
Succeeded by | Seawolf-class attack submarine |
Cost | $900 million [1990 prices][1] |
Built | 1972–1996 |
In commission | 1976–present |
Completed | 62 |
Active | 40[2] |
Laid up | 1[3] |
Retired | 21 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | Surfaced: 6,082 tonnes (5,986 long tons) Submerged: 6,927 tonnes (6,818 long tons) |
Length | 362 ft (110 m)* |
Beam | 33 ft (10 m)* |
Draft | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
Propulsion | 1 GE PWR S6G nuclear reactor, 2 turbines 35,000 hp (26 MW), 1 auxiliary motor 325 hp (242 kW), 1 shaft |
Speed | list error: <br /> list (help) Surfaced:20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) Submerged: +20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) (official),[4] 33+ knots (reported)[5][6] |
Range | Refueling required after 30 years[7] |
Endurance | 90 days |
Test depth | 950 ft (290 m) |
Complement | 129 |
Sensors and processing systems | BQQ-5 Suite which includes Active and Passive systems SONAR, BQS-15 detecting and ranging SONAR, WLR-8V(2) ESM receiver, WLR-9 acoustic receiver for detection of active search SONAR and acoustic homing torpedoes, BRD-7 radio direction finder,[8] BPS-15 RADAR |
Electronic warfare & decoys | WLR-10 countermeasures set[8] |
Armament | 4× 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 37x Mk 48 torpedo, Tomahawk land attack missile, Harpoon anti–ship missile, Mk 67 mobile, or Mk 60 Captor mines (most boats in service as of 2011 have a 12-tube VLS) |
The Los Angeles class contains more nuclear submarines than any other class in the world. The class was preceded by the Sturgeon class and followed by the Seawolf. Except for USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), all submarines of this class are named after American cities and a few towns (e.g. Key West, Florida, and Greeneville, Tennessee). This system of naming broke a long-standing tradition in the U.S. Navy of naming attack submarines for creatures of the ocean (e.g. USS Nautilus (SSN-571)).
The final 23 boats of the Los Angeles class were designed and built to be quieter than their predecessors and also to carry more-advanced sensor and weapons systems. Externally they can be recognized quickly as their retractable diving planes were placed at their bows rather than on their sails.