USS Los Angeles (SSN-688)

Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine

United States | 1976

"The USS Los Angeles was part of one of the largest submarine groups constructed during the Cold War."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/30/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.

The nuclear-powered USS Los Angeles (SSN-668) attack submarine represented the lead ship of the largest group of vessels constructed for the United States Navy during the Cold War, totaling 62 boats in the Los Angeles-class. The class was purposefully designed for anti-submarine operations centered on countering Soviet boats that - in the event of all out war - would more than likely be targeting important US naval carrier battle groups. Built and launched between 1976 and 1996, the class continues to serve in force as of 2013 and was led by its first in class - the USS Los Angeles (SSN-688).

At its core, the USS Los Angeles was categorized as an "attack submarine" and, as such, the vessel was appropriately armed with several primary weapon types to accomplish her offensive-minded task. This included four 21" bow-mounted torpedo tubes supporting the Gould Mark 48 torpedo series. Tomahawk cruise missile and Harpoon anti-ship missile capability was also a part of the Los Angeles' forte as were a host of onboard defensive suites - Mk 60 captor naval mines, Mk 67 Mobile naval mines and the Emerson Electric Mk 2 torpedo decoy system among others. Electronics of the SSN-688 consisted of a BPS-15 surface search radar and several types of passive/active search and attack low-frequency sonar systems. Additionally, the class could also call upon a sonar array, the MIDAS suite and a TB-18 passive towed-sonar array.

The USS Los Angeles was powered by a single S6G pressurized, water-cooled nuclear reactor (based on the D2G) which, in turn, drove 2 x turbines developing 35,000 horsepower to a single shaft at the stern. An auxiliary motor provided an additional, on-call 325 horsepower output. Maximum submerged speed (though still classified) was estimated to be approximately 30 knots with a surface speed nearing 25 knots. Range was essentially unlimited due to the nuclear-nature of the drive system.

As designed, the Los Angeles took on a conventional modern submarine appearance with a well-contoured, tubular hull tapered at both ends for hydrodynamic efficiency. The sail was set ahead of midships and contained the requisite optics, sensor and communications masts. At the stern as a dorsal and ventral rudder assembly with outboard stabilizers added. The multi-blade propeller was the extreme aft of the vessel. The boat displaces at 5,700 tons on light load and 6,070 tons when full. Dimensions included a running length of 362 feet, a beam of 32 feet, 10 inches feet and a draught of 30 feet, 10 inches. The Los Angeles was officially tested to depths of 950 feet. Its crew complement was typically 134 personnel made up of 13 officers and 121 enlisted.

The USS Los Angeles was first laid down in 1972 by Newport News Shipbuilding, launched in 1974 and officially commissioned in 1976 after the west coast city of Los Angeles. She made her homeport at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii during her tenure. As the Los Angeles-class holds a pedigree dating back to the Cold War 1970s, many of her class have already been retired as of this writing (2013). It is noteworthy that the Los Angeles-class as a whole became the second most expensive submarine class in USN service after the Seawolf-class. Due to the changes offered to later models of the Los Angeles class, original batch boats are designated "688" while "VLS" represents USS Providence through USS Newport News and "688I" covered USS San Juan through USS Cheyenne.

The USS Los Angeles was removed from USN service on February 1st, 2010 and officially decommissioned on February 4th, 2011. Her name was struck from the Naval Register a few days prior on February 2nd, 2011.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for USS Los Angeles (SSN-688).

1 x S6G pressurized water-cooled nuclear reactor feeding 2 x turbines producing 35,000 horsepower to a single shaft; 1 x auxiliary motor producing 325 horsepower.
Propulsion

25.0 kts
28.8 mph
Surface Speed

30.0 kts
34.5 mph
Submerged Speed

Essentially Unlimited
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of USS Los Angeles (SSN-688).

134
Personnel
Complement

361.0 ft
110.03 meters
O/A Length

32.0 ft
9.75 meters
Beam

30.0 ft
9.14 meters
Draught

6,072
tons
Displacement

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of USS Los Angeles (SSN-688).

4 x 21" bow tubes for Gould Mk 48 torpedoes (26 x Mk 48 torpedoes).
Tomahawk (TLAM-C/TLAM-D) surface-to-surface cruise missiles.
Harpoon surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles.

Ships-in-Class (62)
Notable series variants as part of the USS Los Angeles (SSN-688) family line as relating to the Los Angeles-class group.

USS Los Angeles (SSN-688); USS Baton Rouge (SSN-689); USS Philadelphia (SSN-690); USS Memphis (SSN-691); USS Omaha (SSN-692); USS Cincinnati (SSN-693); USS Groton (SSN-694); USS Birmingham (SSN-695); USS New York City (SSN-696); USS Indianapolis (SSN-697); USS Bremerton (SSN-698); USS Jacksonville (SSN-699); USS Dallas (SSN-700); USS La Jolla (SSN-701); USS Phoenix (SSN-702); USS Boston (SSN-703); USS Baltimore (SSN-704); USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705); USS Albuquerque (SSN-706); USS Portsmouth (SSN-707); USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (SSN-708); USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709); USS Augusta (SSN-710); USS San Francisco (SSN-711); USS Atlanta; USS Houston (SSN-713); USS Norfolk (SSN-714); USS Buffalo (SSN-715); USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716); USS Olympia (SSN-717; USS Honolulu (SSN-718); USS Providence (SSN-719); USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720); USS Chicago (SSN-721); USS Key West (SSN-722); USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723); USS Louisville (SSN-724); USS Helena (SSN-725); USS Newport News (SSN-750); USS San Juan (SSN-751); USS Pasadena (SSN-752); USS Albany (SSN-753); USS Topeka (SSN-754); USS Miami (SSN-755); USS Scranton (SSN-756); USS Alexandria (SSN-757); USS Asheville (SSN-758); USS Jefferson City (SSN- 759); USS Annapolis (SSN- 760); USS Springfield (SSN- 761); USS Columbus (SSN- 762); USS Santa Fe (SSN- 763); USS Boise (SSN- 764); USS Montpelier (SSN- 765); USS Charlotte (SSN- 766); USS Hampton (SSN- 767); USS Hartford (SSN- 768); USS Toledo (SSN- 769); USS Tucson (SSN- 770); USS Columbia (SSN- 771); USS Greeneville (SSN- 772); USS Cheyenne (SSN- 773)

Operators
Global operator(s) of the USS Los Angeles (SSN-688). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

Shipbuilder(s): Newport News Shipbuilding - USA

[ United States ]

1 / 1

Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to seaborne requirements.

BLUE WATER SERVICE

SUBMERGED ATTACK

MARITIME PATROL

FLEET SUPPORT

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
USS Los Angeles (SSN-688) Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine appears in the following collections:

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