SSN is the United States Navy Hull classification symbol for a general-purpose fast attack submarine. The SS denotes a submarine, and the N denotes nuclear power. USN redirects here. ... The United States Navy uses hull classification symbols (sometimes called hull codes) to identify the types of its ships. ... USS Los Angeles A submarine is a specialized watercraft that can operate underwater. ... German UC-1 class World War I submarine A model of Günther Priens Unterseeboot 47 (U-47), German WWII Type VII diesel-electric hunter-killer (SSK) submarine Inside of the Argonaute, showing the typical obstructed, tiny space of a post-WWII diesel attack submarine. ...

The US Navy (USN) submarine fleet has been all-nuclear powered for over two decades. The bulk of the USN's SSN fleet has been the Los Angeles class attack submarine. Designed during the Cold War the Los Angeles class boats raison d'etre was to protect USN carrier battle groups and to hunt Soviet Navy SSBNs before they could launch a first strike against the United States. The Cold War was the period of protracted conflict and competition between the United States and the Soviet Union and their allies from the late 1940s until the late 1980s. ... The carrier battle group (CVBG or CARBATGRU) or carrier strike group (CVSG) is a fleet of ships in support of an aircraft carrier. ... The Soviet Navy (Russian: Военно-морской флот СССР, Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR, literally Naval military forces of the USSR) was the naval arm of the Soviet armed forces. ... SSBN is the United States Navy Hull classification symbol for a fleet ballistic missile submarine. ...

The first ever major combat action involving an SSN was during the 1982 Falklands War. The Argentinian cruiser the ARA General Belgrano was sunk by torpedoes fired by the Royal Navy SSN HMS Conqueror. After that incident, the Argentinian Navy was effectively confined to port. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United Kingdom Argentina Casualties 258 killed [5] 777 wounded 59 taken prisoner 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner The Falklands War (Spanish: ) was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. ... Belgrano as she was in 1941 as USS Phoenix passing Battleship row at Pearl Harbor The ARA General Belgrano was an Argentine Navy cruiser sunk, with significant loss of life, in a controversial incident during the Falklands War. ... A modern torpedo, historically called a self propelled torpedo, is a self-propelled guided projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ... Nine vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Conqueror. ...

Since the end of the Cold War, they have evolved into multi-mission submarines. Their roles include submarine launched cruise missile platforms, intelligence gathering platforms, insertion and exfiltration of special forces teams in addition to traditional hunter-killer SSN roles. A Tomahawk cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile which uses a lifting wing and most often a jet propulsion system to allow sustained flight. ... For other uses of the term, see Special forces (disambiguation). ...

The advantages of an SSN over a conventionally powered SSK are much longer endurance, limited more by the crew than the boat, higher speed, and extremely quiet operation. Unlike most SSKs, SSNs do not have to surface periodically for air, which would compromise their stealth. The United States Navy uses hull classification symbols (sometimes called hull codes) to identify the types of its ships. ...

The disadvantages of an SSN are the technological challenges of building, refuelling and maintaining a nuclear power plant and the huge cost this entails. A nuclear power station. ...

The list of countries with the will and resources to deploy SSNs is short: it is an exclusive club. The following navies currently operate SSNs:

• United States Navy
• The Royal Navy
• The Russian Navy
• The Chinese Navy: People's Liberation Army Navy
• The French Navy: Marine Nationale

Incidentally, these nations are also the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council USN redirects here. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... The Russian Navy (Russian: Военно Морской Флот (ВМФ) - Voyenno- Morskoy Flot (VMF) or Military Maritime Fleet) is the naval arm of the Russian armed forces. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Navy officers on the bridges of the Motte-Picquet frigate French Navy summer uniforms Frigate division of the French Navy in Toulon harbour The French Navy (Marine Nationale) is the second-largest Western European navy (the largest being the Royal Navy). ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ...

USN SSN classes (in service)

• Seawolf (SSN-21)
• Los Angeles (SSN-688) (some have been retired)
• Virginia (SSN-774)

This article is about the SSN-21 class submarines. ... 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. ... The Virginia class (or SSN-774 class) of attack submarines are the first U.S. subs to be designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions around the world. ...

Royal Navy SSN classes (in service)

• Trafalgar class submarine
• Swiftsure class submarine
• Astute class submarine - in development as of May 2006

The Trafalgar class submarines were, until the introduction of the Astute class, the Royal Navys most advanced nuclear fleet submarines (SSNs). ... The Royal Navys Swiftsure-class of nuclear fleet submarines (SSNs) is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN. It originally contained six boats, but HMS Swiftsure was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials. ... BAE Systems Artist Impression The Astute class submarines are the next generation nuclear attack submarines of the Royal Navy. ...

Russian Navy SSN classes (in service)

• Akula class submarine

This article is about the submarine class with NATO reporting name Akula. For the submarine class with the Soviet name Akula, see Typhoon class submarine. ...

Marine Nationale SSN classes (in service)

• Rubis class submarine
• Barracuda class submarines - in development

The Rubis type is a class of first-generation nuclear attack submarines of the French Navy. ... The Barracuda is the next generation of nuclear attack submarine of the French Marine Nationale, designed by the DCN to replace the Rubis class submarines. ...

People's Liberation Army Navy SSN classes (in service)

• Han class submarine (Type 091)
• Type 093 submarine

The 4,500/5,500-ton Type 091 (US Dept of Defense designation Han-class) was the first nuclear-powered submarine class (SSN) deployed by the Peoples Liberation Army Navy starting in 1974. ... The Type 093 is a nuclear powered attack submarine class (it is also referred to by the NATO reporting name Shang-class) deployed by the Chinese navy, the PLAN. These boats are expected to replace the older Type 091 (Han-class) SSNs currently in service. ...

SSN classes (retired)

• USS Nautilus (SSN-571) (unique)
• USS Seawolf (SSN-575) (unique)
• Skate (SSN-578)
• Skipjack (SSN-585)
• USS Triton (SSN-586) (unique)
• USS Halibut (SSN-587)
• USS Thresher/Permit (SSN-594)
• USS Tullibee (SSN-597) (unique)
• Sturgeon (SSN-637)
• USS Narwhal (SSN-671) (unique)
• USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) (unique)

For other ships named Nautilus, see USS Nautilus and Ships named Nautilus USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the worlds first operational nuclear-powered submarine and the first vessel to complete a submerged transit across the North Pole. ... USS Seawolf (SSN-575), a unique submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seawolf, a solitary fish with strong, prominent teeth and projecting tusks that give it a savage look, was the second nuclear submarine, and the only US submarine built with... The Skate-class submarines were the United States Navys first production run of nuclear powered submarines. ... The Skipjack class of United States Navy nuclear attack submarine was the replacement for the Skate class. ... For other uses, see Triton. ... USS Halibut (SSGN/SSN-587), a unique guided missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the halibut, a large species of flatfish found on both sides of the Atlantic. ... The Thresher/Permit class of United States Navy submarines was the result of a study commissioned in 1956 by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Arleigh Burke. ... USS Tullibee (SSN-597), a unique submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tullibee, any of several whitefishes of central and northern North America. ... The Sturgeon-class attack submarine (SSN) were the ships of the line of the submarine attack fleet throughout the Cold War. ... USS Narwhal (SSN-671), a unique submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the narwhal, a gray and white arctic whale that averages 20 feet in length, each of the males of which have single, long, twisted tusk. ... USS (SSN-685), a unique submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for that Congressman. ...

See also

• SS
• SSBN
• SSGN
• SSK
• list of United States submarine classes