Grey whale class missile submarine

As it turns out, the US Navy has no plans for this type of submarine. Gray whale class submarine appeared with the development of Tiens -II cruise missile, and it was also a flash in the pan with the dismounting of Tiens -II cruise missile. The Grey Whale Class changed the main ballast tank 1 of the first non-pressure hull into the first buoyancy tank, and increased the volume of the buoyancy tank, enabling the submarine to launch missiles in a stable water surface state.

1, R&D background

During the development of early cruise missiles, the US Navy only kept the "Tiens Star" cruise missile, and after many launch tests, it was officially finalized as the "Tiens Star" I cruise missile. 195 1 1 In June, the US Navy converted the SS-282 Tuna fleet submarine into a special missile submarine capable of carrying Tiens Star I.

The modified submarine is equipped with missile detection equipment, corresponding electronic equipment and special storage equipment for nuclear warheads. There is a magazine of Tiens I missile with two folding wings behind the submarine command room. SS-3 17 "Barbero Fish" fleet submarine has also been converted into a submarine capable of carrying "Tiens Star" I. When preparing to launch Tiens I, the preparation work is complicated and time-consuming, and it can only be launched in good sea conditions.

The organic combination of missile and submarine makes submarine have global attack capability, which is a great progress in the history of submarine development. After equipping Tiens I with two submarines, the US Navy developed Tiens II cruise missile.

The performance of Tiens II has been improved. It is equipped with a J -79 turbojet engine, with a length of 17.4m, a wingspan of 6. 1m, a flying speed exceeding Mach 2 and a range exceeding 1600km, and can carry explosive warheads or nuclear warheads.

The basic requirement of the U.S. Navy for the submarine equipped with Tiens II is that it can launch missiles in certain stormy weather, which is beyond the capability of refitting fleet submarines, so it is necessary to consider building a new type of special missile submarine.

At this time, there are just two attack submarines under construction, one is SSG-574 "Grey Whale" being built by Maldivian Naval Shipyard, and the other is SSG-577 "Black Bass" being built by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. 1On February 27th, 956, the US Navy decided to build these two submarines into special missile submarines equipped with Tiens II cruise missiles.

After substantial modification, the shipyard finally built these two submarines into the first batch of missile submarines as required, named as gray whale class.

2. Performance overview

SSG-574 grey whale has a main dimension of 98×8.2×5.2 meters, a light-load displacement of 23 16 tons, a normal displacement of 267 1 ton and an underwater displacement of 3,652 tons. The main dimension of SSG-577 "Black Perch" is 7×8.3×5. 1 m, with a light water displacement of 2,256 tons, a normal water displacement of 2,543 tons and an underwater displacement of 35 15 tons.

Judging from the above data, these two submarines are not real submarines of the same class, but only quasi-submarines of the same class. The Grey Whale Class changed the main ballast tank 1 of the first non-pressure hull into the first buoyancy tank, and increased the volume of the buoyancy tank, enabling the submarine to launch missiles in a stable water surface state.

The gray whale class missile depot is arranged at the bow of the submarine, so the bow is convex. An active sonar cover is also installed on the upper deck of the bow, and the horizontal rudder of the bow can be folded. Tiens II's launcher is arranged between the missile warehouse and the command fence. The command module is relatively small, and the upper end of the rear part of the command module is the intake pipe of the snorkel device.

The compartments in the gray whale class main pressure cabin are arranged from beginning to end, including the front battery cabin, the operational command cabin, the missile guidance room, the rear battery cabin, the main engine cabin, the control room and the rear torpedo cabin.

Above the front battery compartment is the officer's residential area, and behind the command module is the special guidance room for Tiens-2 missile. Above the rear battery compartment is a kitchen, a soldier's dining room and a soldier's living area. Below the control room is the main motor room. There are two Mk55 483mm torpedo tubes in the stern torpedo room.

The main engines of Grey Whale Class are three fairbanks Morse diesel engines with a total power of 4,500 HP. This class boat is propelled by two shafts and two oars, with the maximum speed on the surface of the water 15 knots and the maximum speed under the water 12 knots. When sailing on water at 10 knots, its endurance is 13000 nautical miles. When sailing underwater at a speed of 3 knots, the battery life is 44 hours. Grey whale class main battery is two groups of large capacity batteries, each group has 252 cells.

3. Follow-up development

1958 September 16, the newly-served gray whale successfully launched the Tiens II cruise missile in California waters. However, three months later, the navy turned its focus to the Polaris ballistic missile system, and the production plan of Tiens II was dismounted, and the gray whale became the only submarine to launch Tiens II cruise missiles.

With the missile submarine gradually losing its strategic role in the new situation, the US Navy incorporated SSG-577 "Black Perch" into the reserve submarine sequence on May 24th 1964, and SSG-574 "Grey Whale" into the reserve submarine sequence on June 30th 1964.

1964,1On February 29th, 964, the US Navy decided to convert the gray whale into a landing transport submarine. 19 May 1969, refitting work was completed at Maldivian Naval Shipyard. After modification, the length of the modified "Grey Whale" increased by 3.7m, and the displacement increased by about100t. It can transport a landing combat team consisting of 7 officers and 60 soldiers. In addition, it can also transport underwater commandos, landing craft and pocket submarines.

The "Grey Whale" was retired on 1984 65438+ 10/6, and the "Black Perch" was retired on 1 980 August1and transferred to the new york Ship Museum for exhibition.

4. Other information

Name: SSG-574 US Navy Grey Whale

Manufacturer: Maldivian Naval Shipyard

Commencement date: 1954.7. 1

Date of release: 1957.7.2

Service date: 1958.7.3 1

Scrapping date: 1984. 1. 16.

Remarks: 1964.6. 1 transferred to reserve. 1969.5.9 converted into a landing transport submarine. After modification, the captain is increased by 3.7m, and the displacement is increased by about 100t, which can transport a landing combat team consisting of 7 officers and 60 soldiers.