NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Sailfish 1966

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
SSR572, 2.1961- SS572	Sailfish		Portsmouth N Yd, Kittery	8.12.1953	7.9.1955	14.4.1956	stricken 9.1978
SSR573, 3.1961- SS573, 6.1968- AGSS573, 6.1968- SS573	Salmon		Portsmouth N Yd, Kittery	10.3.1954	25.2.1956	25.8.1956	stricken 10.1977

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	1990
Displacement normal, t	2625 / 3168
Length, m	106.9
Breadth, m	8.90
Draught, m	5.00
No of shafts	2
Machinery	4 Fairbank Morse diesel-generators, 2 electric motors
Power, h. p.	6000 / 8200
Max speed, kts	19.5 / 10
Fuel, t	diesel oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	16000(10) / 120(3)
Armament	6 - 533 Mk 49 TT (bow, 18)
Electronic equipment	BPS-2, BPS-3 radars, BQS-2, BQR-2B sonars, BLR-1 ECM suite
Complement	95
Diving depth operational, m

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These large diesel-electric submarines were built to supplement the fleet boat conversion of the 'Migraine' programme, they remained unsatisfactory in that their surface speed did not suffice to keep up with a carrier task force. Throughout the early 1950s the Bureau of Ships continued to work on more efficient powerplants for radar-picket submarines, pressure-fired steam plants showing particular promise.

Modernizations

1961, both: - BPS-2, BPS-3 radars; + BQG-4 sonar; underwater speed become 14kts

1965, Salmon; 1966, Sailfish: + PUFFS passive sonar

Naval service

Salmon was temporarily used as test and evaluation submarine for the DSRV programme in June 1968 but reverted to attack submarine status when that programme was delayed.