SSN (US Navy)
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SSN is the United States Navy Hull classification symbol for a general-purpose fast attack submarine. The SS denotes a submarine, and the N denotes nuclear power.
The US Navy (USN) submarine fleet has been all-nuclear powered for over two decades. The bulk of the USN's SSN fleet has been the Los Angeles class attack submarine. Designed during the Cold War the Los Angeles class boats raison d'etre was to protect USN carrier battle groups and to hunt Soviet Navy SSBNs before they could launch a first strike against the United States.
The first ever major combat action involving an SSN was during the 1982 Falklands War. The Argentinian cruiser the ARA General Belgrano was sunk by torpedoes fired by the Royal Navy SSN HMS Conqueror. After that incident, the Argentinian Navy was effectively confined to port.
Since the end of the Cold War, they have evolved into multi-mission submarines. Their roles include submarine launched cruise missile platforms, intelligence gathering platforms, insertion and exfiltration of special forces teams in addition to traditional hunter-killer SSN roles.
The advantages of an SSN over a conventionally powered SSK are much longer endurance, limited more by the crew than the boat, higher speed, and extremely quiet operation. Unlike most SSKs, SSNs do not have to surface periodically for air, which would compromise their stealth.
The disadvantages of an SSN are the technological challenges of building, refuelling and maintaining a nuclear power plant and the huge cost this entails.
The list of countries with the will and resources to deploy SSNs is short: it is an exclusive club. The following navies currently operate SSNs:
- United States Navy
- The Royal Navy
- The Russian Navy
- The Chinese Navy: People's Liberation Army Navy
- The French Navy: Marine Nationale
Incidentally, these nations are also the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council
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[edit] USN SSN classes (in service)
- Seawolf (SSN-21)
- Los Angeles (SSN-688) (some have been retired)
- Virginia (SSN-774)
[edit] Royal Navy SSN classes (in service)
- Trafalgar class submarine
- Swiftsure class submarine
- Astute class submarine - in development as of May 2006
[edit] Russian Navy SSN classes (in service)
[edit] Marine Nationale SSN classes (in service)
- Rubis class submarine
- Barracuda class submarines - in development
[edit] People's Liberation Army Navy SSN classes (in service)
[edit] SSN classes (retired)
- USS Nautilus (SSN-571) (unique)
- USS Seawolf (SSN-575) (unique)
- Skate (SSN-578)
- Skipjack (SSN-585)
- USS Triton (SSN-586) (unique)
- USS Halibut (SSN-587)
- USS Thresher/Permit (SSN-594)
- USS Tullibee (SSN-597) (unique)
- Sturgeon (SSN-637)
- USS Narwhal (SSN-671) (unique)
- USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) (unique)
