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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SUBMARINES
SKATE nuclear powered submarines (1957 - 1959)


Photo



Skate 1980

Ships


No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
SSN578 Skate 147 Electric Boat, Groton 21.7.1955 16.5.1957 23.12.1957 stricken 10.1986
SSN579 Swordfish   Portsmouth N Yd, Kittery 25.1.1956 27.8.1957 15.9.1958 stricken 1.1990
SSN583 Sargo   Mare Island N Yd, Vallejo 21.2.1956 10.10.1957 1.10.1958 stricken 4.1988
SSN584 Seadragon 1041 Portsmouth N Yd, Kittery 20.6.1956 16.8.1958 5.12.1959 stricken 4.1986


Technical data


Displacement standard, t 
Displacement normal, t

2550 / 2848

Length, m

81.6

Breadth, m

7.60

Draught, m

6.30

No of shafts

2

Machinery

SSN578, 583: 2 sets Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 1 Westinghouse S3W nuclear reactor

SSN579, 584: 2 sets Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 1 Westinghouse S4W nuclear reactor

Power, h. p.

6600

Max speed, kts

15.5 / 20

Fuel, t

nuclear

Endurance, nm(kts)practically unlimited
Armament

8 - 533 TT (6 Mk 56 bow, 2 Mk 57 stern, 22)

Electronic equipmentBPS-12 radar, BQS-4, BQR-2 sonars, BLR-1 ECM suite
Complement

84

Diving depth operational, m210


Standard scale images


<i>Skate </i>1963
Skate 1963
<i>Skate </i>1957
Skate 1957


Graphics


<i>Skate </i>1980
Skate 1980


Project history

These four attack boats were the first US approach to a 'production' nuclear submarine, considerably smaller than Nautilus, with about half her power; they corresponded approximately to the earlier Tang class in dimensions, although they were somewhat heavier. Production was abandoned in favour of the much faster Skipjack class, the transition occurring in die FY56 programme.

Modernizations

1960s, all: - BLR-1 ECM suite; + WLR-1 ECM suite

1980s, Swordfish, Sargo: - BQS-4 sonar; + SQS-49 sonar

Naval service

No significant events.