Submarine Specifications
Submarine Specifications
•Displ. - Displacement, the amount of water a submarine displaces, analogous to weight.
•Surf. Prop. - The number and type of surface propulsion internal combustion engines.
•Subm. Prop. - The number and manufacturer of submerged propulsion electric motors.
•Battery Cells - The number represents the number of batteries and the number of cells in each battery.
•Kts - Knots, or one nautical mile per hour.
•Test Depth - The maximum depth at which the submarine can routinely operate without damage. Most USN submarines have a safety factor of 1.5 built into its design, meaning that the collapse depth of the hull (implosion depth) is 1.5 times test depth.
•Tubes (B/S) - The number of torpedo tubes in the bow (B) or stern (S).
•Torp Load - The total number of torpedoes carried.
•Gun - If present, listed numbers represent bore diameter in inches and the barrel length in calibers.
•Crew (O/E) - The crew size, with the numbers representing officers and enlisted.
For the Surfaced Propulsion column, the number of engines, the manufacturer, and the type of engine are listed. If the exact engine model number is known, it is listed as well.
The early boats had gasoline or diesel direct drive (GD or DD) engines, i.e. the engine was connected to the propeller shaft and directly turned the propeller. Motors and generators were connected to the same shaft via clutches. Boats with more than one engine on a shaft had those engines arranged in tandem (GDT or DDT).
Later boats used diesel electric (DE) engines that drove only generators. Motors attached to the shaft turned the propellers. Some boats had DD main propulsion diesels and one or more DE engines that were used to charge batteries.
Salmon and Sargo-class fleet boats used diesel electric direct composite plants (DEDC) with both DD engines and DE engines in one engine room.
Other abbreviations used in this table:
•EB - Electric Boat
•NELSECO - New London Ship and Engine Company (an EB subsidiary)
•BuENG - The U.S. Navy's Bureau of Engineering
•M.A.N. - Maschinenfabrik-Augsburg-Nurnberg, a German engine company that sold manufacturing leases to the USN & EB
•GM - General Motors Winton Division
•HOR - Hooven, Owens, Rentschler
•FM - Fairbanks Morse Company
•ALCO - American Locomotive Company
| Class | Length (Ft-In) | Beam (Ft-In) | Surf. Displ. (Tons) | Subm. Displ. (Tons) | Surf. Prop. | Subm. Prop. | Battery Cells | Surf. Speed (Kts) | Subm. Speed (Kts) | Test Depth (Ft) | Tubes (B/S) | Tube Size (In) | Torp Load | Deck Gun | Crew (O/E) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holland | 53-10 | 10-3 | 64 | 74 | 1xOtto (GD) | 1xElectro Dynamic | 1x60 | 6 | 5.5 | 75 | 1/0 | 18 | 3 | No | 1/6 |
| A-class | 63-10 | 11-10 | 105.5 | 122.5 | 1xOtto (GD) | 1xElectro Dynamic | 1x60 | 8.5 | 7.2 | 150 | 1/0 | 18 | 3 | No | 1/6 |
| B-class | 82-5 | 12-5 | 145 | 170 | 1xEB/Craig (GD) | 1xElectro Dynamic | 1x60 | 9.2 | 8.2 | 150 | 2/0 | 18 | 4 | No | 1/9 |
| C-class | 105-3 | 13-10 | 240 | 273 | 2xEB/Craig (GD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 1x120 | 11 | 9 | 200 | 2/0 | 18 | 4 | No | 1/14 |
| D-class | 134-10 | 13-10 | 288 | 337 | 2xEB/Craig (GD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 1x120 | 13 | 9.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 4 | No | 1/14 |
| E-class | 135-2 | 14-7 | 287 | 342 | 2xEB/Vickers (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 1x120 | 13 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 1/19 |
| F-class | 142-7 | 15-5 | 330 | 400 | 2xEB/Vickers (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 1x120 | 13 | 11.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 1/21 |
| G-1 | 161-0 | 13-1 | 400 | 516 | 2xWhite-Middleton (GD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 14.7 | 10.6 | 200 | 2/0 | 18 | 6 | No | 1/23 |
| G-2 | 161-0 | 14-4 | 375 | 481 | 4xWhite-Middleton (GDT) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 3/1 | 18 | 8 | No | 1/23 |
| G-3 | 161-0 | 14-4 | 393 | 468 | 2xSulzer 6U32 (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 1x120 | 14 | 9.5 | 200 | 4/2 | 18 | 10 | No | 2/23 |
| G-4 | 157-5 | 17-4 | 370 | 352 | 4x Fiat (GDT) | 2xDiehl | 1x124 | 14.4 | 9.5 | 200 | 2/2 | 18 | 8 | No | 2/18 |
| Class | Length (Ft-In) | Beam (Ft-In) | Surf. Displ. (Tons) | Subm. Displ. (Tons) | Surf. Prop. | Subm. Prop. | Battery Cells | Surf. Speed (Kts) | Subm. Speed (Kts) | Test Depth (Ft) | Tubes (B/S) | Tube Size (In) | Torp Load | Deck Gun | Crew (O/E) |
| H-class | 150-3 | 15-9 | 358 | 434 | 2xNELSECO 240V8FS (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 2/23 |
| K-class | 153-6 | 16-8 | 392 | 520 | 2xNELSECO 240V8FS (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 2/26 |
| L-class EB | 168-5 | 17-4 | 450 | 548 | 2xNELSECO (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | 3"/23 (1917) | 2/26 |
| L-class Lake | 165-0 | 14-9 | 451 | 527 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M100 (DD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 2/26 |
| M-1 | 197-0 | 19-0 | 488 | 676 | 2xNELSECO 70/6MS (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 14 | 10.5 | 150 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | 3"/23 | 2/26 |
| N-class EB | 147-3 | 15-9 | 347 | 414 | 2xNELSECO 240V8FS (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 13 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 2/23 |
| N-class Lake | 155-0 | 14-6 | 331 | 385 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M50 (DD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 13 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | No | 3/26 |
| O-class EB | 172-4 | 18-0 | 520 | 629 | 2xNELSECO 6-EB-14 (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 14 | 10.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | 3"/23 | 2/27 |
| O-class Lake | 175-0 | 16-7 | 485 | 566 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M85 (DD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 14 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 18 | 8 | 3"/23 | 2/27 |
| R-class EB | 186-3 | 18-0 | 574 | 685 | 2xNELSECO 6-EB-14 (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 12.5 | 9.3 | 200 | 4/0 | 21 | 8 | 3"/50 | 3/26 |
| R-class Lake | 175-0 | 16-7 | 497 | 652 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M85 (DD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 14 | 11.4 | 200 | 4/0 | 18? | 8 | 3"/50 | 3/23 |
| Class | Length (Ft-In) | Beam (Ft-In) | Surf. Displ. (Tons) | Subm. Displ. (Tons) | Surf. Prop. | Subm. Prop. | Battery Cells | Surf. Speed (Kts) | Subm. Speed (Kts) | Test Depth (Ft) | Tubes (B/S) | Tube Size (In) | Torp Load | Deck Gun | Crew (O/E) |
| S-1 & S-18 to S-41 | 219-3 | 20-8 | 930 | 1094 | 2xNELSECO 8-EB-15 (DD) | 2xRidgeway | 2x60 | 13 | 9 | 200 | 4/0 | 21 | 12 | 4"/50 | 4/39 |
| S-2 | 207-0 | 19-7 | 800 | 977 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M150 (DD) | 2xDiehl | 1x120 | 15 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 21 | 12 | 4"/50 | 4/34 |
| S-3 & S-14 groups | 231-0 | 21-10 | 876 | 1088 | 2xNELSECO 8-EB-16 (DD) or 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M150 (DD) | 2xWestinghouse | 1x120 | 15 | 11 | 200 | 4/0 | 21 | 12 | 4"/50 | 4/34 |
| S-10 group | 231-0 | 21-10 | 930 | 1138 | 2xBuENG M.A.N. S6V45/42 (DD) | 2xWestinghouse | 1x120 | 14 | 11 | 200 | 4/1 | 21 | 14 | 4"/50 | 4/34 |
| S-42 group | 225-4 | 20-11 | 963 | 1135 | 2xNELSECO 8-EB-15 (DD) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 12.5 | 9.5 | 200 | 4/0 | 21 | 12 | 4"/50 | 4/39 |
| S-48 group | 240-0 | 21-11 | 903 | 1230 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M150 (DD) | 2xRidgeway | 1x120 | 14.8 | 11 | 200 | 4/1 | 21 | 16 | 4"/50 | 4/34 |
| T-class | 268-9 | 22-4 | 1106 | 1487 | 4xNELSECO 6-EB-19 (DDT) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x60 | 20 | 10.5 | 150 | 4/0 (4 deck T-1 only, later removed) | 18 | 12 (16 on T-1) | No (later 4"/50 on T-1 only) | 4/50 |
| Barracuda class | 341-6 | 27-6 | 2119 | 2506 | 2xBusch-Sulzer 6M375 (DD) & 2xBusch-Sulzer (DE) | 2xElliot | 2x60 | 21 | 9 | 200 | 4/2 | 21 | 18 | 5"/51 | 7/80 |
| Argonaut | 381-0 | 33-9 | 3046 | 4164 | 2xBuENG 6A20 ⅞-R (DD) & 1xBuENG 6A13 ¾-N (DE) | 2xRidgeway | 2x120 | 15 | 8 | 300 | 4/2 stern mine | 21 | 14+60 mines | 2x6"/53 | 7/80 |
| Narwhal class | 371-0 | 33-3 | 2730 | 3900 | 2xBuENG 10A20 ⅞-R (DD) & 2xBuENG 6A13 ¾-N (DE) | 2xWestinghouse | 2x120 | 17 | 8 | 300 | 4/2 | 21 | 18 | 2x6"/53 | 9/80 |
| Class | Length (Ft-In) | Beam (Ft-In) | Surf. Displ. (Tons) | Subm. Displ. (Tons) | Surf. Prop. | Subm. Prop. | Battery Cells | Surf. Speed (Kts) | Subm. Speed (Kts) | Test Depth (Ft) | Tubes (B/S) | Tube Size (In) | Torp Load | Deck Gun | Crew (O/E) |
| Dolphin | 319-3 | 27-11 | 1718 | 2240 | 2xBuENG 6A20 ⅞-R (DD) & 2xBuENG 6A13 ¾-N (DE) | 2xElectro Dynamic | 2x120 | 17 | 8 | 300 | 4/2 | 21 | 18 | 4"/50 | 7/56 |
| Cachalot class | 274-0 | 24-1 | 1110 | 1650 | 2xBuENG M.A.N. M9V (DD) & 1xBuENG M.A.N. (DE) | 2xWestinghouse | 2x120 | 17 | 8 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 16 | 3"/50 | 6/39 |
| Porpoise group | 301-0 | 24-11 | 1310 | 1934 | 4xGM 16-201A (DE) | 4xElliot | 2x120 | 19 | 8 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 16 | 3"/50 | 5/49 |
| Shark group | 298-0 | 25-0 | 1316 | 1968 | 4xGM 16-201A (DE) | 4xElliot | 2x120 | 19.5 | 8.25 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 16 | 3"/50 | 5/49 |
| Perch Group | 300-6 | 25-0 | 1350 | 1997 | 4xGM 16-201A, FM 38A8, or HOR 89DA (DE) | 4xGeneral Electric | 2x120 | 19.25 | 8.75 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 16 | 3"/50 | 5/49 |
| Salmon group | 308-0 | 26-1 | 1435 | 2198 | 4x HOR 99DA or GM 16-248 (DEDC) | 4xElliot | 2x120 | 21 | 9 | 250 | 4/4 | 21 | 24 | 3"/50 | 5/54 |
| Sargo/Seadragon group | 310-6 | 26-10 | 1450 | 2350 | 4x HOR 99DA or GM 16-248 (DEDC or DE) | 4xGeneral Electric | 2x126 | 21 | 8.75 | 250 | 4/4 | 21 | 24 | 3"/50 | 5/54 |
| Tambor/Gar class | 307-2 | 27-3 | 1475 | 2370 | 4xFM 38D8⅛ or GM 16-248 (DE) | 4xGeneral Electric | 2x126 | 20.4 | 8.75 | 250 | 6/4 | 21 | 24 | 3"/50 | 6/54 |
| Mackerel | 243-1 | 22-1 | 825 | 1190 | 2xEB 16VM1 (DD) | 4xGeneral Electric | 2x60 | 14.5 | 9 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 12 | 3"/50 | 4/33 |
| Marlin | 238-11 | 21-7 | 800 | 1165 | 2xAlco Model 540 (DD) | 4xGeneral Electric | 2x60 | 14.5 | 9 | 250 | 4/2 | 21 | 12 | 3"/50 | 4/34 |
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