Seawolf-class submarine submarine class Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: Table Of Contents Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/technology/Seawolf-class-submarine Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Don Vaughan Don Vaughan is a freelance writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Don Vaughan Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jan 2, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the Seawolf-class submarine known for? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Seawolf-class submarine is known for its speed and advanced weapons and for being extremely quiet underwater." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Why was the Seawolf class designed? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Seawolf class was designed in the 1980s to replace the Los Angeles-class attack submarines and maintain the United Statesu2019 advantage in quieter submarines over the Soviet Union." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How many Seawolf submarines were built? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Only three Seawolf submarines were built: Seawolf, Connecticut, and Jimmy Carter." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is unique about the design of the Jimmy Carter submarine? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Jimmy Carter submarine features a novel 100-foot hull extension with an hourglass configuration, filled with seawater, for carrying out undersea missions." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What weapons do Seawolf-class submarines have? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Seawolf-class submarines have eight torpedo tubes, can store as many as 50 MK 48 anti-submarine torpedoes, and are equipped with land-attack and anti-ship Tomahawk missiles." } } ] } Top Questions What is the Seawolf-class submarine known for? The Seawolf-class submarine is known for its speed and advanced weapons and for being extremely quiet underwater.

　　Why was the Seawolf class designed? The Seawolf class was designed in the 1980s to replace the Los Angeles-class attack submarines and maintain the United States’ advantage in quieter submarines over the Soviet Union.

　　How many Seawolf submarines were built? Only three Seawolf submarines were built: Seawolf, Connecticut, and Jimmy Carter.

　　What is unique about the design of the Jimmy Carter submarine? The Jimmy Carter submarine features a novel 100-foot hull extension with an hourglass configuration, filled with seawater, for carrying out undersea missions.

　　What weapons do Seawolf-class submarines have? Seawolf-class submarines have eight torpedo tubes, can store as many as 50 MK 48 anti-submarine torpedoes, and are equipped with land-attack and anti-ship Tomahawk missiles.

　　Seawolf-class submarine, class of three U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines known for their speed and advanced weapons and for being extremely quiet underwater. Seawolf-class submarines were manufactured by the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics.

　　The Seawolf class was designed in the 1980s to replace the Los Angeles-class attack submarines and to maintain the United States’ advantage in quieter submarines over the Soviet Union. Seawolf-class submarines employ acoustic cladding to dramatically reduce their sound signature in the water and are armed with advanced defensive and offensive weapons technology.

　　However, as Cold War tensions cooled and sea missions started focusing more on littoral, or shore, activities, Seawolf submarines were deemed too expensive, and the program was halted. The U.S. Navy decided in 1993 to build only three Seawolf submarines: Seawolf (commissioned in 1997), Connecticut (commissioned in 1998), and Jimmy Carter (commissioned in 2005). Seawolf and Connecticut cost $3 billion to build, and Jimmy Carter cost $3.5 billion. By the time Jimmy Carter was commissioned, the navy had already transitioned to the smaller and cheaper Virginia-class (SSN 774) nuclear-powered attack submarines.

　　The Seawolf and Connecticut are 353 feet (107.6 meters) in length, have a hull diameter of 40 feet (12.2 meters), and displace 9,137 tons when submerged. Seawolf submarines have a top speed of 25 knots submerged, a maximum diving depth of 800 feet (244 meters), and a crew of about 140, including 14 officers.

　　Jimmy Carter is larger than the other two submarines, with a total length of 453 feet (138 meters). It features a novel 100-foot (30-meter) hull extension, which reportedly has an hourglass configuration with a “wasp waist” passage connecting the submarine’s fore and aft. The rest of the section is filled with seawater for carrying out undersea missions, such as possibly tapping undersea communication cables.

　　Attack submarines locate and destroy enemy submarines and ships using a variety of weapons systems. Seawolf submarines do not have vertical launch systems as Los Angeles-class submarines do, but they make up for it with eight torpedo tubes and the capacity to store as many as 50 MK 48 anti-submarine torpedoes and other weapons in the torpedo room. Seawolf submarines are also equipped with land-attack and anti-ship Tomahawk missiles, which can fly at subsonic speeds at altitudes of about 330 feet (100 meters) or lower.