James Madison class submarine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
.jpg/300px-USS_John_C._Calhoun_(SSBN-630).jpg) The USS John C. Calhoun (SSBN-630) |
|
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics |
| Operators: |  United States |
| Preceded by: | Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine |
| Succeeded by: | Chronologically Sturgeon-class attack submarine By Type: Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine |
| Completed: | 10 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Ballistic Missile Submarine |
| Displacement: | 8250 tons submerged |
| Length: | 425 feet (129.5 m) |
| Beam: | 33 feet (10.1 m) |
| Propulsion: | One S5W reactor, two geared steam turbines, one shaft |
| Speed: | 20+ knots |
| Complement: | 13 officers, 107 men |
| Armament: | 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes forward |
The James Madison class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the Lafayette class of fleet ballistic missile submarine. They were identical to the Lafayettes except for being designed to carry the Polaris A-3 missile instead of the earlier A-2. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, select units were further modified to carry Trident-I (C-4) missiles. Together with the George Washington, the Ethan Allen, the Lafayette, and the Benjamin Franklin classes, they comprised the "41 for Freedom."
[edit] Class Improvements
Improvements in the James Madison class included the ballistic missile, guidance, fire control, navigation, and launcher systems. The improved missile system introduced was the Polaris A3 missile. The A3 was restricted by size because it had to fit into the existing submarine launch tube. But it was 1.5 inches longer, weighed 4,000 lbs more, and had a 1000 nm longer range, than the A2. Additionally, the number of reentry systems was increased from 1 to 3, making this the first multiple reentry vehicle missile.
The guidance, fire control, and navigation systems were improved to account for the longer range of the A3 missile. The launcher system was improved by replacing the liquid springs on which the launch tube rested with polyurethane foam.
[edit] Boats
- (SSBN-627) USS James Madison
- (SSBN-628) USS Tecumseh
- (SSBN-629) USS Daniel Boone
- (SSBN-630) USS John C. Calhoun
- (SSBN-631) USS Ulysses S. Grant
- (SSBN-632) USS Von Steuben
- (SSBN-633) USS Casimer Pulaski
- (SSBN-634) USS Stonewall Jackson
- (SSBN-635) USS Sam Rayburn
- (SSBN-636) USS Nathanael Greene
[edit] See also
- 41 for Freedom Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines
|
||||||||
