NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Otus 1980  

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Oberon	S09		Chatham DYd	28.11.1957	18.7.1959	24.2.1961	sold 1987
Odin	S10		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	27.4.1959	4.11.1960	3.5.1962	BU 10.1991
Orpheus	S11		Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow	16.4.1959	17.11.1959	25.11.1960	harbour TS 9.1987
Olympus	S12		Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow	4.3.1960	14.6.1961	7.7.1962	to Canada 7.1989 (harbour TS)
Osiris	S13		Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow	26.1.1962	29.11.1962	11.1.1964	sold 10.1992
Onslaught	S14		Chatham DYd	8.4.1959	24.9.1960	14.8.1962	BU 10.1991
Otter	S15		Scotts, Greenock	14.1.1960	15.5.1961	20.8.1962	sold 3.1992
Oracle	S16		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	26.4.1960	26.9.1961	14.2.1963	BU 1997
Ocelot	S17		Chatham DYd	17.11.1960	5.5.1962	31.1.1964	preserved 1992
Otus	S18		Scotts, Greenock	31.5.1961	17.10.1962	5.10.1963	sold 1992
Opossum	S19		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	21.12.1961	23.5.1963	5.6.1964	BU 10.1996
Onyx (i)			Chatham DYd	27.9.1962	29.2.1964 // ---	23.9.1965 // ---	incomplete to Canada 1963 (Ojibwa)
Opportune	S20		Scotts, Greenock	26.10.1962	14.2.1964	28.12.1964	BU 1996
Onyx (ii)	S21		Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	16.11.1964	18.8.1966	25.11.1967	preserved 8.1991

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	1610
Displacement normal, t	2030 / 2410
Length, m	73.4 pp 88.5 oa
Breadth, m	8.10
Draught, m	5.60
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 16-cyl ASR 1 diesels / 2 English Electric electric motors
Power, h. p.	3680 / 6000
Max speed, kts	12 / 17
Fuel, t	diesel oil 258
Endurance, nm(kts)	9000(12) /
Armament	8 - 533 TT (6 fwd, 2 aft, 30)
Electronic equipment	type 1002 radar, type 186, type 187C, type 2007 sonars, UAH ECM suite
Complement	64
Diving depth operational, m	230

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Although outwardly identical with the Porpoise class, these boats bear the same relationship to them as the Rothesay class frigates did to the Whitby class: a number of detailed improvements were incorporated to make a considerable overall improvement in efficiency. Orpheus was given an aluminium casing, but later boats adopted glass-fibre laminate. The particular feature of this class is its quietness, with all equipment soundproofed, but in addition a higher grade of steel permits a greater diving depth than the Porpoise class (believed to exceed 300m max). Onyx was bought on the stocks by the Royal Canadian Navy and launched as Ojibwa in 1964; a replacement was added to the programme. Ten were to be retained until replaced by the Upholder class, but when the SSK force was cut in 1991 they went out of service early.

The class was planned to be replaced by ten Upholder class SSKs in the late 1980s but the rapid rundown of submarine strength meant that most were retired without being replaced.

Modernizations

late 1970s, all: - type 1002 radar; + type 1006 radar

1985-1986, Otter, Opossum, Onyx; 1987-1989, Odin, Osiris, Onslaught, Oracle, Ocelot, Otus, Opportune: - type 187C sonar; + type 2051 sonar, TDHFCS CCS

1989, Osiris, Onslaught, Otter, Oracle, Ocelot, Opossum, Opportune, Onyx: - type 186 sonar, UAH ECM suite; + type 2024 sonar, UAL ESM suite

Naval service

No significant events.