Subs
Polaris sub - newsreel

1953 - USS Tunny equipped to launch Regulus missile.

1954 - USS Nautilus commissioned Sept. 30 as the first nuclear-powered submarine.

1958 - USSR commissioned its first nuclear-powered submarine, the Leninskiy Komsomol, a modified November class sub with the number K-3.

1959 - USS George Washington was the first of 41 Fleet Ballistic Missile subs designed to launch Polaris A-2 and A-3 missiles (SLBM) underwater.

1960 - Russia began deployment of the Hotel class submarine, the first to carry missiles, adding 15 to the fleet by 1967. The first Hotel sub was the K-19 that carried 3 R-19 missiles in verticle containers able to be fired when the sub was surfaced. After 1963, the subs were modified to fire missiles submerged. The K-19 suffered a series a accidents, starting in 1961, losing 22 men to radiation in a pump accident June 4, the subject of the 2002 film K-19: The Widowmaker, then colliding in 1969 with the USS Gato in the Barens Sea, then losing 28 crewmen in a fire in 1972.

1964 - U.S. equipped the Polaris A-3 with 3-warhead multiple independently-targeted reentry vehicle (MIRV).

1967 - Russia began deployment of the Yankee class submarine, adding 34 to the fleet by 1974. Each carried 16 R-27U missiles with MIRV warheads.

1971 - U.S. deployed the Poseidon C-3 missile with MIRV warhead.

1972 - Russia began deployment of the Delta I class submarine, adding 18 to the fleet by 1977. Each carried 12 R-29 missiles

1972 - Tomahawk cruise missile became operational.

1973 - Russia began deployment of the Delta II class submarine, adding four to the fleet by 1975. Each carried 16 R-29 missiles.

1973 - Russia began deployment of the Delta III class submarine, adding 14 to the fleet by 1982. Each carried 16 R-29R missiles with MIRV warheads.

1977 - Navy fleet of 523 ships included 115 nuclear subs.

1980 - Russia commissioned the first 941 Akula class, or "Typhoon" submarine; by 1989 six of this class each carrying 20 R-39 missiles were added to the Northern fleet.

1981 - USS Ohio was the first of 14 subs built to carry the C-4 Trident missile.

1985 - Russia began deployment of the Delta IV class "Dolphin" submarine, adding 7 to the fleet by 1990. Each carried 16 R-29RM missiles with MIRV warheads, and each had four multi-purpose torpedo tubes.

1991 - The U.S. Co-operative Threat Reduction program (CTR) was funded by Congress; $2.3 billion would be spent over the next 10 years to dismantle the Russian nuclear sub fleet, as required by the START treaty.

2000 - Aug. 12 the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk exploded and sank with the loss of all 188 crew.

2003 - Aug. 30 the Russian nuclear submarine K-159 sank in the Barents sea while being towed for dismantlement, killing nine of its 10 crew members.

Sources:

revised 4/20/06 by Schoenherr | Cold War Policies | Links | Books | Films | Maps