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, boats are modified, sometimes extensively, while in service, creating departures from the class standard. However, in general, all boats of a class are noticeably similar.

Experimental use: an example is , which used an unprecedented hull design. In this list such single boat "classes" are marked with "(unique)".

Pre–World War I +Pre–World War IClass name No. Laid down Last comm. Notes 1 1861 1862 First submarine in the U.S. Navy. Purpose was to protect wooden ships against ironclads. 1 1896 1900 5 others were made; only entered the U.S. Navy as it was the first officially commissioned submarine purchased on 11 April 1900. Friedman 1995, p. 28. 7 1900 1903 Later renamed A class in November 1911, when Navy stopped naming submarines. Essentially enlarged, more powerful Holland. Viper 3 1905 1907 Last in series of Holland-like submarines. Later renamed to B class. Octopus 5 1905 1910 Designed by Lawrence York Spear. Later renamed to C class. Narwhal 3 1908 1910 Later renamed to D class. Designed to survive flooding in one compartment. E 2 1909 1912 First US Navy diesel-powered submarine. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. F 4 1909 1913 In 1920, the class was designated SS-20–SS-23. G 4 1909 1914 Used gasoline engine. set the submerged depth record in 1915, . was given the number 19½ because SS- numbers were given after her decommissioning; she was between SS-19 & SS-20. H 9 1911 1918 3 originally ordered by U.S. Navy. 17 ordered by the Imperial Russian Navy, 11 delivered. Other 6 bought by U.S. Navy. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. K 8 1912 1912 Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. , , , were the first U.S. submarines to see action in World War I. L 11 1914 1918 The first US submarines with a deck gun. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Designed for coastal defense. 1 1914 1918 Double-hull design. Twenty percent larger than the K class. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Considered failure by the submarine community. N 7 1915 1918 Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. Used for coastal patrol. O 16 1916 1918 Each cost $550,000. First submarines with reliable diesel engines. Every man had his own berth and locker. Known as "pig boats", or "boats", due to foul living quarters and unusual hull shape. O-11 through O-16 (built by Lake Torpedo Boat Company) also known as the "modified O-class". Modified boats proved to be disappointing and were scrapped in 1930; Lake went out of business in 1925. 3 1916 1922 Later renamed T class. Designed for at , but performed at . Prototype "fleet submarines"—submarines fast enough () to travel with battleships. Twice the size of any concurrent or past U.S. submarine. A poor tandem engine design caused the boats to be decommissioned by 1923 and scrapped in 1930.

World War I +World War IClass name No. Laid down Last comm. Notes R 20 1917 1918 Larger conning tower to serve as commanding officer's battle station. Fired Mark 10 torpedoes and traveled at . R-21 7 1917 1919 Designed by Simon Lake. Generally similar to R class, but smaller and reverted to 18-inch torpedo tubes. Scrapped in 1930; Lake went out of business in 1925. S 51 1917 1922 The S class is subdivided into four groups of different designs.

Interwar +InterwarClass name No. First ship laid down Last ship commissioned Notes Barracuda 3 and20 October 1921 22 May 1926 1 1 May 1925 2 April 1928 Unique submarine; mine-laying submarine 2 10 May 1927 1 July 1930 1 14 June 1930 1 June 1932 Unique submarine 2 7 October 1931 8 June 1934 Porpoise 10 24 October 1933 12 June 1937 6 15 April 1936 30 June 1938 10 12 May 1937 1 December 1939 12 16 January 1939 30 June 1941 2 6 October 1939 1 August 1941 77 11 September 1940 21 April 1944 USS Drum was only boat actually commissioned before US Entry to WWII

World War II +World War IIClass name No. First ship laid down Last ship commissioned Notes 120 31 March 1942 1 September 1948 62 cancelled 29 , , , and 8 February 1944 10 February 1951 51 cancelled

Cold War Diesel-Electric Submarines (SSs, SSKs, and SSGs) +Class NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotesSilhouette/ImageBarracuda31 July 194911 January 1952618 April 194921 November 195221 July 195430 August 1958Regulus missile submarines110 November 195420 October 1956Unique submarine318 May 195615 October 1959First production submarines with teardrop hull.U.S. Navy's last conventionally-powered submarines

Nuclear Attack Submarines (SSNs) +Class NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotesSilhouette/ImageNautilus114 June 195230 September 1954First nuclear submarine; hull design enlarged from fleet boatSeawolf17 December 195330 March 1957Unique submarine; liquid metal cooled (sodium) S2G reactor (replaced with a pressurized-water reactor in 1959)421 July 19555 December 1959629 May 195624 October 1961First nuclear submarine class with teardrop hull form. USS Scorpion lost at sea 1968.Thresher/Permit1428 May 195825 January 1968First class with bow sonar sphere. Known as Thresher class until the loss of the in 1963126 May 19589 November 1960Unique submarine; turbo-electric transmission3710 August 196316 August 1975Redesign of Thresher/Permit class using lessons learned from loss of Thresher.117 January 196612 July 1969Unique submarine; natural circulation S5G reactor15 June 197121 December 1974Unique submarine; turbo-electric transmission628 January 197213 September 1996325 October 198919 February 2005Planned successor of Los Angeles class. High costs caused only three to be built.

Nuclear Cruise Missile Submarines (SSGNs) +Note: Several boats were converted into cruise missile submarines after construction; the USS Halibut was the only purpose built SSGN of the US NavyClass NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotesPicture/Silhouette111 April 19574 January 1960Unique submarine; Regulus missile submarine

Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs) +Class NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotesPicture/Silhouette51 November 195711 March 1961514 September 19594 January 1963Ethan Allen was the only SSBN to fire live missile and detonate nuclear warhead at test range proving theory.917 January 196109 April 1964106 February 196219 December 19641225 May 19631 April 1967Redesigned using lessons learned from loss of Thresher.1810 April 19766 September 1997

Deep-submergence vehicles (DSVs) +Class NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotesPicture/SilhouetteTrieste class2Trieste (DSV-0)1958Trieste II (DSV-1)1969The Trieste was the first submarine which reached the Challenger Deep by Swiss Jacques Piccard and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh in 1960.Alvin class4Alvin (DSV-2)5 June 1964Nemo (DSV-5)1970NR-1110 June 196727 October 1969

Miscellaneous Submarines (SSTs, SSRs, AGSSs & SSRNs) +Class NameNo.First boat laid downLast boat commissionedNotes115 March 19526 December 1953Unique submarine; teardrop hull form; no weapons2USS T-1, later 1 April 1952USS T-2, later 20 November 1953Training and experimental submarines28 December 195325 August 1956Radar picket129 May 195610 November 1959Unique submarine; Radar picket; Twin S4G Nuclear Reactors19 November 196217 August 1968Unique submarine; research and development for deep diving technologies; last operational U.S. Navy diesel-electric submarine; Decommissioned 15 January 2007

Post–Cold War +Post–Cold WarClass name Number of boats First boat laid down Last boat commissioned Notes 24 (of 66 planned) 2 September 1999 March 28, 2026 Attack submarine. 12 (planned) (planned) Ballistic missile submarine

See also Submarines in the United States Navy List of submarines of the United States Navy List of Gato class submarines List of Balao class submarines List of Tench class submarines List of Sturgeon class submarines List of Los Angeles class submarines List of most successful American submarines in World War II Allied submarines in the Pacific War List of submarines of the Second World War List of ship classes of the Second World War List of United States Navy ships

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