List of submarine classes of the United States Navy

Submarines of the United States Navy are built in classes, using a single design for a number of boats. Minor variations occur as improvements are incorporated into the design, so later boats of a class may be more capable than earlier. Also, boats are modified, sometimes extensively, while in service, creating departures from the class standard. However, in general, all boats of a class are noticeably similar.

Experimental use: an example is USS Albacore (AGSS-569), which used an unprecedented hull design. In this list such single boat "classes" are marked with "(unique)".

Pre–World War I
Pre–World War I
Class nameNo.Laid downLast comm.Notes
Alligator[1]118611862First submarine in the U.S. Navy. Purpose was to protect wooden ships against ironclads.
Holland[2][3]1189619005 others were made; only Holland (SS-1) entered the U.S. Navy as it was the first officially commissioned submarine purchased on 11 April 1900.
Plunger[4][5][6][7]719001903Later renamed A class in November 1911, when Navy stopped naming submarines. Essentially enlarged, more powerful Holland.
B[8][9][10][11]319051907Last in series of Holland-like submarines. Originally known as Viper class.
C[12]519051910Designed by Lawrence York Spear. Originally known as the Octopus class.
D[13]319081910Originally known as the Narwhal class. Designed to survive flooding in one compartment.
E[14]219091912First US Navy diesel-powered submarine. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape.
F[15]419091913In 1920, the class was designated SS-20–SS-23.
G[16][17][18][19]419091914Used gasoline engine. G-1 (SS-19½) set the submerged depth record in 1915, 256 feet (78 m). G-1 (SS-19½) was given the number 19½ because SS- numbers were given after her decommissioning; she was between SS-19 & SS-20.
H[20][21]9191119183 originally ordered by U.S. Navy. 17 ordered by the Imperial Russian Navy, 11 delivered. Other 6 bought by U.S. Navy. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape.
K[22][23]819121912Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. K-1 (SS-32), K-2 (SS-33), K-5 (SS-36), K-6 (SS-37) were the first U.S. submarines to see action in World War I.
L[24]1119141918The first US submarines with a deck gun. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Designed for coastal defense.
M-1[25]119141918Double-hull design. Twenty percent larger than the K class. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Considered failure by the submarine community.
N[26]719151918Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Used for coastal patrol.
O[27][28]1619161918Each cost $550,000. First submarines with reliable diesel engines. Every man had his own berth and locker. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. O-11 through O-16 (built by Lake Torpedo Boat Company) also known as the "modified O-class". Modified boats proved to be disappointing and were scrapped in 1930; Lake went out of business in 1925.
AA-1[29]319161922Later renamed T class. Designed for 5,540 miles (8,920 km) at 14 knots (7.2 m/s), but performed 3,000 miles (4,800 km) at 11 knots (5.7 m/s). Prototype "fleet submarines"—submarines fast enough (21 knots (11 m/s)) to travel with battleships. Twice the size of any concurrent or past U.S. submarine. A poor tandem engine design caused the boats to be decommissioned by 1923 and scrapped in 1930.

World War I
World War I
Class nameNo.Laid downLast comm.Notes
R[30][31]2019171918Larger conning tower to serve as commanding officer's battle station. Fired Mark 10 torpedoes and traveled 5,000 miles (8,000 km) at 10 knots (5.1 m/s).
R-21[32]719171919Designed by Simon Lake. Generally similar to R class, but smaller and reverted to 18-inch torpedo tubes. Scrapped in 1930; Lake went out of business in 1925.
S5119171922The S class is subdivided into four groups of different designs.

Between the world wars
Between the world wars
Class nameNo.First ship laid downLast ship commissionedNotes
Barracuda3USS Barracuda (SS-163) and
USS Bass (SS-164)
20 October 1921		USS Bonita (SS-165)
22 May 1926
Argonaut11 May 19252 April 1928Unique submarine; mine-laying submarine
Narwhal2USS Narwhal (SS-167)
10 May 1927		USS Nautilus (SS-168)
1 July 1930
Dolphin114 June 19301 June 1932Unique submarine
Cachalot2USS Cachalot (SS-170)
7 October 1931		USS Cuttlefish (SS-171)
8 June 1934
Porpoise10USS Porpoise (SS-172)
24 October 1933		USS Pompano (SS-181)
12 June 1937
Salmon6USS Salmon (SS-182)
15 April 1936		USS Skipjack (SS-184)
30 June 1938
Sargo10USS Sargo (SS-188)
12 May 1937		USS Seawolf (SS-197)
1 December 1939
Tambor12USS Tambor (SS-198)
16 January 1939		USS Grayback (SS-208)
30 June 1941
Mackerel2USS Mackerel (SS-204)
6 October 1939		USS Marlin (SS-205)
1 August 1941
Gato77USS Drum (SS-228)
11 September 1940		USS Croaker (SS-246)
21 April 1944		USS Drum was only boat actually commissioned before US Entry to WWII

World War II
World War II
Class nameNo.First ship laid downLast ship commissionedNotes
Balao120USS Devilfish (SS-292)
31 March 1942		USS Tiru (SS-416)
1 September 1948		62 cancelled
Tench29USS Amberjack (SS-522), USS Grampus (SS-523), USS Pickerel (SS-524), and USS Grenadier (SS-525)
8 February 1944		USS Grenadier (SS-525)
10 February 1951		51 cancelled

Cold War

Diesel-Electric Submarines (SSs, SSKs, and SSGs)
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes Silhouette/Image
Barracuda 3 USS Barracuda (SSK-1)
1 July 1949		 USS Bonita (SSK-3)
11 January 1952
Tang 6 USS Tang (SS-563)
18 April 1949		 USS Gudgeon (SS-567)
21 November 1952
Grayback 2 USS Grayback (SSG-574)
1 July 1954		 USS Growler (SSG-577)
30 August 1958		 Regulus missile submarines
Darter 1 10 November 1954 20 October 1956 Unique submarine
Barbel 3 USS Barbel (SS-580)
18 May 1956		 USS Blueback (SS-581)
15 October 1959		 First production submarines with teardrop hull.
U.S. Navy's last conventionally-powered submarines

Nuclear Attack Submarines (SSNs)
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes Silhouette/Image
Nautilus 1 14 June 1952 30 September 1954 First nuclear submarine; hull design enlarged from fleet boat
Seawolf 1 7 December 1953 30 March 1957 Unique submarine; liquid metal cooled (sodium) S2G reactor (replaced with a pressurized-water reactor in 1959)
Skate 4 USS Skate (SSN-578)
21 July 1955		 USS Seadragon (SSN-584)
5 December 1959
Skipjack 6 USS Skipjack (SSN-585)
29 May 1956		 USS Snook (SSN-592)
24 October 1961		 First nuclear submarine class with teardrop hull form. USS Scorpion lost at sea 1968.
Thresher/Permit 14 USS Thresher (SSN-593)
28 May 1958		 USS Gato (SSN-615)
25 January 1968		 First class with bow sonar sphere. Known as Thresher class until the loss of the USS Thresher (SSN-593) in 1963
Tullibee 1 26 May 1958 9 November 1960 Unique submarine; turbo-electric transmission
Sturgeon 37 USS Sturgeon (SSN-637)
10 August 1963		 USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687)
16 August 1975		 Redesign of Thresher/Permit class using lessons learned from loss of Thresher.
Narwhal 1 17 January 1966 12 July 1969 Unique submarine; natural circulation S5G reactor
Glenard P. Lipscomb 1 5 June 1971 21 December 1974 Unique submarine; turbo-electric transmission
Los Angeles 62 USS Los Angeles (SSN-688)
8 January 1972		 USS Cheyenne (SSN-773)
13 September 1996
Seawolf 3 USS Seawolf (SSN-21)
25 October 1989		 USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23)
19 February 2005		 Planned successor of Los Angeles class. High costs caused only three to be built.

Nuclear Cruise Missile Submarines (SSGNs)
Note: Several boats were converted into cruise missile submarines after construction, the USS Halibut was the only purpose built SSGN of the US Navy
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes Picture/Silhouette
Halibut 1 11 April 1957 4 January 1960 Unique submarine; Regulus missile submarine

Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs)
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes Picture/Silhouette
George Washington 5 USS George Washington (SSBN-598)
1 November 1957		 USS Abraham Lincoln (SSBN-602)
11 March 1961
Ethan Allen 5 USS Ethan Allen (SSBN-608)
14 September 1959		 USS Thomas Jefferson (SSBN-618)
4 January 1963		 Ethan Allen was the only SSBN to fire live missile and detonate nuclear warhead at test range proving theory.
Lafayette 9 USS Lafayette (SSBN-616)
17 January 1961		 USS John Adams (SSBN-620)
12 May 1964
James Madison 10 USS Daniel Boone (SSBN-629)
6 February 1962		 USS Nathanael Greene (SSBN-636)
19 December 1964
Benjamin Franklin 12 USS Benjamin Franklin (SSBN-640)
25 May 1963		 USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659)
1 April 1967		 Redesigned using lessons learned from loss of Thresher.
Ohio 18 USS Ohio (SSBN-726)
10 April 1976		 USS Louisiana (SSBN-743)
6 September 1997

Deep-submergence vehicles (DSVs)
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes Picture/Silhouette
Trieste class 2 Trieste (DSV-0)
1958		 Trieste II (DSV-1)
1969		 The Trieste was the first submarine which reached the Challenger Deep by Swiss Jacques Piccard and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh in 1960.
Alvin class 4 Alvin (DSV-2)
5 June 1964		 Nemo (DSV-5)
1970
NR-1 1 10 June 1967 27 October 1969

Miscellaneous Submarines (SSTs, SSRs, AGSSs & SSRNs)
Class Name No. First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes
Albacore 1 15 March 1952 6 December 1953 Unique submarine; teardrop hull form; no weapons
T-1 2 USS T-1, later USS Mackerel (SST-1)
1 April 1952		 USS T-2, later USS Marlin (SST-2)
20 November 1953		 Training and experimental submarines
Sailfish 2 USS Sailfish (SSR-572)
8 December 1953		 USS Salmon (SSR-573)
25 August 1956		 Radar picket
Triton 1 29 May 1956 10 November 1959 Unique submarine; Radar picket
Dolphin 1 9 November 1962 17 August 1968 Unique submarine; research and development; last operational U.S. Navy diesel-electric submarine; Decommissioned 15 January 2007

Post–Cold War
Post–Cold War
Class nameNumber of boatsFirst boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotes
Virginia48 (planned)USS Virginia (SSN-774)
2 September 1999		USS Vermont (SSN-792)
April 18, 2020		19 commissioned as of April 2020
Columbia12 (planned)USS Columbia (SSBN-826)
(Planned)

See also

References
  1. "Alligator IV (Submarine)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  2. "USS Holland (Submarine # 1) -- Construction". USN Ships. Department of the Navy. 10 June 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  3. "Holland I (SS-1)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  4. "A-1 I (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 2)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. "A-2 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 3)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  6. "A-5 (Submarine Torpedo Boat No. 6)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  7. Friedman 1995, p. 28.
  8. "B class - Navy Ships". Military Factory. 3 August 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  9. "B-1". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  10. "B-3". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  11. John Pike. "SS-10 B-1 Viper".
  12. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-9 C-1 Octopus". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  13. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-17 D-1 Narwhal". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  14. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-24 E-1 Skipjack". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  15. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-20 F-1 Carp". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  16. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-19(1/2) G-1 Seal". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  17. "G-1". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  18. "G-4". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  19. "California Naval History: The City of Los Angeles . . . An Inland City with the First Submarine Base on the Pacific Coast". militarymuseum.org. 2002. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  20. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-28 H-1 Seawolf". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  21. "H-9". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  22. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-32 K-1 Haddock". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  23. "USS K-1 (Submarine # 32)". USN Ships. Department of the Navy. 17 June 2004. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  24. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-40 L-1". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  25. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-47 M-1". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  26. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-53 N-1". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  27. Pike, John (8 June 2005). "SS-62 O-1". Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  28. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-72 O-11". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  29. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-52 T-1 Schley". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  30. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-78 R-1". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  31. "R-20". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  32. Pike, John (27 April 2005). "SS-98 R-21". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  • Friedman, Norman (1995). U.S. Submarines through 1945: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-263-3.

General references

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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