Los Angeles class submarine

Los Angeles-class attack submarine
Class Overview
Class Type	Attack Submarine
Class Name	In Honor of Los Angeles, California
Preceded By	Chronologically: Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine USS Narwhal USS Glenard P. Lipscomb By Type Sturgeon''-class attack submarine
Succeeded By	Chronologically: Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine By Type: Seawolf-class attack submarine
Ships of the Class:	See the list below for the all ships of the Los Angeles class

The Los Angeles-class attack submarines (SSN) are the most numerous class of nuclear powered submarines built by any nation, and form the bulk of the U.S. attack submarine force as of 2004. They were preceded by the Sturgeon-class. Named after US cities, the class broke a long-standing Navy tradition of naming attack submarines after sea creatures. The boats are also colloquially referred to as "688-class" subs, after the hull classification symbol of the first boat, SSN-688.

LA-class submarines are extremely fast—they are publicly acknowledged as being faster than 25 knots (46 km/h, 29 mph), and it is widely believed that they can exceed 35 knots (65 km/h, 40 mph) under good conditions. They carry about 25 torpedo-tube launched weapons. Any boat of this class may launch a Tomahawk cruise missile from its horizontal torpedo tubes. The last 31 boats of this class also have 12 vertical launch tubes specifically for the purpose of launching Tomahawks.

The final 23 boats in the series, referred to as "688i," are even quieter, incorporate an advanced combat system, and are configured for under-ice operations (with diving planes on the bow and a reinforced sail). The Navy is phasing out older non-Vertical Launch System (VLS) Los Angeles-class attack submarines in favor of the Virginia-class attack submarines.

Specifications

Builders: GD Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding
Displacement: 6,927 tons submerged
Length: 360 ft (110 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 32 ft (9.7 m)
Armament:
- 4 x 21 in (533 mm) forward torpedo tubes
- on SSNs 719-725 and 750-773, 12 Vertical Launch System tubes
Propulsion: S6G reactor
Speed: 25+ knots (46 km/h) submerged, some sources say 35+ knots (Classified)
Depth: greater than 800 ft (240 m)
Complement: 140