NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Sculpin 1965

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
SSN585	Skipjack	148	Electric Boat, Groton	29.5.1956	26.5.1958	15.4.1959	stricken 4.1990
SSN588	Scamp		Mare Island N Yd, Vallejo	23.1.1959	8.10.1960	5.6.1961	stricken 4.1988
SSN589	Scorpion	150	Electric Boat, Groton	20.8.1958	19.12.1959	29.7.1960	lost 21-27.5.1968
SSN590	Sculpin	1064	Ingalls, Pascagoula	3.2.1958	31.3.1960	1.6.1961	stricken 3.1990
SSN591	Shark	545	Newport News SB	24.2.1958	16.3.1960	9.2.1961	stricken 9.1990
SSN592	Snook	1065	Ingalls, Pascagoula	7.4.1958	31.10.1960	24.10.1961	stricken 11.1986

Technical data

Displacement standard, t
Displacement normal, t	3070 / 3500
Length, m	75.0 wl 76.8 oa
Breadth, m	9.70
Draught, m	7.70
No of shafts	1
Machinery	SSN585: 2 sets Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 1 Westinghouse S5W nuclear reactor SSN588 - 592: 2 sets General Electric geared steam turbines, 1 Westinghouse S5W nuclear reactor
Power, h. p.	15000
Max speed, kts	15 / 29
Fuel, t	nuclear
Endurance, nm(kts)	practically unlimited
Armament	6 - 533 Mk 59 TT (bow, 24)
Electronic equipment	BPS-12 radar, BQS-4A, BQR-2B, SQS-49 sonars, WLR-1 ECM suite
Complement	85
Diving depth operational, m	210

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These six ships were essentially nuclear equivalents of the Barbels, benefitting from the Albacore hull form and also introducing the S5W reactor and single-hull construction to US SSNs. They were the fastest submarines in the US service until the appearance of the Los Angeles class, and they formed the basis of the George Washington class SSBNs. A single propeller shaft precluded the installation of stern torpedo tubes, so that they are limited to six bow tubes. Although they do not have the bow sonar or SUBROC of later US submarines, they continue to be highly regarded, and projects for Skipjack sonar improvement were considered during the 1960s.

Scorpion was laid down twice: at first her keel was laid down 1.11.1957 but later she was renumbered SSBN598 and became the ballistic missile submarine George Washington. The second SSN589 was laid down 20.8.1958 and became Scorpion.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

Scorpion was lost with all hands in May 1968 in 400nm SW of the Azores while en route from the Mediterranean to Norfolk. Her last reported position was ~50nm S of Azores 21.5.1968. Six days later she was reported overdue at Norfolk and declared 'presumed lost' 5.6.1968.