Full Description
A highly illustrated history of the US Navy's nuclear submarine program, from the postwar years to the 2020 Columbia-class SSBNs.
James C. Goodall covers the origins, design and development of the US Navy's fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. This program was developed under the command of Hiram G. Rickover, the "Father of the Nuclear Navy" who oversaw the commissioning of the very first nuclear-powered attack submarine, the USS Nautilus (SSN 571) in 1952. This was a truly revolutionary design. Until the advent of nuclear power, the world's submarine fleets traveled on the surface at night to charge their batteries, and only dove below the surface when enemy ships or planes were spotted. With the development of the USS Nautilus, the US Navy now had the ability to stay submerged for not just hours or days, but to hide out of harm's way for weeks or months at a time
This highly illustrated book covers all of the 220+ submarine hulls built and delivered to the US Navy from the USS Nautilus through to the Navy's newest class of submarine, the Columbia class SSBNs. The story of the Nuclear Navy from its origins up to the present day is told through more than 1,300 images from official and archive sources, as well as the author's own personal collection, some of which have never been published before.
Contents
Fast Attack Submarines
1. Nautilus Class
2. Seawolf Class
3. Skate Class
4. Skipjack Class
5. Triton Class
6. Tullibee Class
7. Thresher Class
8. Sturgeon Class
9. Narwhal Class
10. Glenard P. Lipscomb Class
11. Los Angeles Class
12. Virginia Class
13. Seawolf Class
14. NR-1 Class
Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines
1. George Washington Class
2. Ethan Allen Class
3. Lafayette Class
4. Benjamin Franklin Class
5. Ohio Class SSBN
6. Ohio Class SSGN
7. Columbia Class SSBN
