The ''Ethan Allen'' class of fleet
ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – t ...
was an evolutionary development from the
''George Washington'' class. The ''Ethan Allen'', together with the , , , and classes comprised the "
41 for Freedom
41 for Freedom refers to the US Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines from the , , , , and es. All of these submarines were commissioned 1959–1967, as the goal was to create a credible, survivable sea-based deterrent as quickly as poss ...
" that were the Navy's main contribution to the
nuclear deterrent
Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons.
As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. In additi ...
force through the late 1980s.
Design
Rather than being designed as attack submarines with a missile compartment added, the ''Ethan Allen''s were the first submarines designed "from the keel up" as
Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines carrying the
Polaris A-2 missile. They were functionally similar to the ''George Washington''s, but longer and more streamlined and with torpedo tubes reduced to four. In the early and mid-1970s, they were upgraded to Polaris A3s. Because their missile tubes could not be modified to carry the larger diameter
Poseidon
Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ch ...
missile,
[
] they were not further upgraded.
Conversions
To comply with
SALT II
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) were two rounds of bilateral conferences and corresponding international treaties involving the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War superpowers dealt with arms control in two rounds of ta ...
treaty limitations as the ballistic missile submarines entered service, in the early 1980s the ''Ethan Allen''s were refitted and officially designated
SSNs (fast attack submarines), but often referred to as a "slow approach". Their missile
fire control system
A fire-control system (FCS) is a number of components working together, usually a gun data computer, a director, and radar, which is designed to assist a ranged weapon system to target, track, and hit a target. It performs the same task as a ...
s were removed and the missile tubes were filled with concrete. ''Sam Houston'' and ''John Marshall'' were further converted to carry
SEALs
Seals may refer to:
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to impress an emblem, used as a means of a ...
or other
Special Operations Forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
, accommodating 67 troops each with
dry deck shelter
A dry deck shelter (DDS) is a removable module that can be attached to a submarine to allow divers easy exit and entrance while the boat is submerged. The host submarine must be specially modified to accommodate the DDS, with the appropriate mating ...
s to accommodate
SEAL Delivery Vehicle
The SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) is a crewed submersible and a type of swimmer delivery vehicle used to deliver United States Navy SEALs and their equipment for special operations missions. It is also operated by the Royal Navy's Special Boat S ...
s or other equipment. The ''Ethan Allen''-class submarines were decommissioned between 1983 and 1992.
[
]
All were disposed of through the nuclear
Ship-Submarine Recycling Program
The Ship-Submarine Recycling Program (SRP) is the process that the United States Navy uses to dispose of decommissioned nuclear vessels. SRP takes place only at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in Bremerton, Washington, but the preparations ...
1992–1999.
Boats in class
Submarines of the ''Ethan Allen'' class:
See also
* "
41 for Freedom
41 for Freedom refers to the US Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines from the , , , , and es. All of these submarines were commissioned 1959–1967, as the goal was to create a credible, survivable sea-based deterrent as quickly as poss ...
" Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines
*
Fleet Ballistic Missile
A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which carries a nuclear warhead a ...
*
List of submarines of the United States Navy
This is a list of submarines of the United States Navy, listed by hull number and by name.
List
See also
* Submarines in the United States Navy
* List of current ships of the United States Navy
* List of lost United States submarines
* L ...
*
List of submarine classes of the United States Navy
Submarines of the United States Navy are built in classes, using a single design for a number of boats. Minor variations occur as improvements are incorporated into the design, so later boats of a class may be more capable than earlier. Also, boat ...
References
*
External links
NavSource.org SSBN photo gallery index
{{US submarine classes after 1945
Submarine classes
Ethan Allen class