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kcmadr · 05-29-2009, 11:03 PM

I was in Alaska last week on a cruise, and my wife and I were taking in the sunshine and the scenery on our deck chairs when we noticed this thing come sailing by in the opposite direction, closely followed by a US Coast Guard cutter...

Can anyone help me identifying what class of submarine this is? Or even which country it belongs to?

Last edited by kcmadr; 08-06-2009 at 06:20 PM.

Damn Brit · 05-30-2009, 01:30 AM

If I tell you, I'll have to kill you.

**RichardS** · 05-30-2009, 05:03 AM

More space behind the sail than in front of it suggests a missile boat. The tail fin is designed for underwater and the square top suggests at least 1970s (guessing - naval architecture tends to be way behind the bleeding edge). It hasn't got a fence ... do American boats have fences on their tail fins these days? Did they ever have fences? I/we used them on A Class catamarans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 10 years before Boeing put them on their aircraft wings, and that gets me confused about when technical advances happened.

Sorry. Lots of speculation but no facts

jem · 05-30-2009, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by kcmadr

Can anyone help me identifying what class of submarine this is? Or even which country it belongs to?

Looks to me like a Los Angeles class boat. Don't know which one.

pop4 · 05-30-2009, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by jem

Looks to me like a Los Angeles class boat. Don't know which one.

I second that guess, and it'll be one of the earlier ones since the diving fins are on the sail instead of on the hull. The fins on the sail also rules out the Virginia and Seawolf boats, while the hull profile doesn't fit the Ohio class ones.

**Ex Finn.** · 05-31-2009, 05:35 AM

You were in Alaska, right. It must be USS ALASKA, SSBN 732.

.

Cheers. Mike.

Blue · 05-31-2009, 08:27 AM

If it is a U.S. sub, I'm guessing it is in the Los Angeles class and it is quite possibly the USS San Francisco or one of her sisters. The only two U.S. subs that I'm aware of that had the fin rise above the deck line was the LA class and the Ethan Allen Class such as the old U.S.S. Thomas Edison. I thought all of the Ethan Allen class had been dismantled in 1997 or later.

The length of a sub behind the sail can be deceptive in U.S. subs due to some being fitted with a section for SEAL delivery.

Mike Cash · 05-31-2009, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by Blue

The length of a sub behind the sail can be deceptive in U.S. subs due to some being fitted with a section for SEAL delivery.

In those northern waters I get an image of them popping out the hatch and immediately being clubbed for their pelts.

kcmadr · 05-31-2009, 11:09 AM

Thanks to all the above for the input.

Although no expert or enthusiast, after some digging I am inclined to agree with the opinion of it being a Los Angeles Class US Submarine.

Interesting scenario that last one: ordinary seal hunter armed with club vs. US NAVY SEAL armed with who-knows-what.

lithos · 06-01-2009, 10:29 PM

Originally posted by RichardS

More space behind the sail than in front of it suggests a missile boat. The tail fin is designed for underwater and the square top suggests at least 1970s (guessing - naval architecture tends to be way behind the bleeding edge). It hasn't got a fence ... do American boats have fences on their tail fins these days? Did they ever have fences? I/we used them on A Class catamarans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 10 years before Boeing put them on their aircraft wings, and that gets me confused about when technical advances happened.

It's floating. So it's not a Collins class.

KrisK10D · 06-02-2009, 12:30 AM

Originally posted by lithos

It's floating. So it's not a Collins class.

I don't know that any non-aussie would get that but damn

Blue · 06-02-2009, 08:33 AM

Originally posted by KrisK10D

I don't know that any non-aussie would get that but damn

Come on now, what are a few little problems on a new boat such as the combat systems, noise and engine break downs.

d.bradley · 06-02-2009, 08:47 AM

Everyone knows you can't identify a sub with a photo. Do you have any underwater audio recordings you can post?

Blue · 06-02-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by d.bradley

Everyone knows you can't identify a sub with a photo. Do you have any underwater audio recordings you can post?

ping ping ping ping

Damn Brit · 06-02-2009, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by Blue

ping ping ping ping

That was a grey whale, now you're just trying to confuse people.

05-29-2009, 11:03 PM	#1
kcmadr Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Photos: Albums Posts: 614	Help identifying a submarine I was in Alaska last week on a cruise, and my wife and I were taking in the sunshine and the scenery on our deck chairs when we noticed this thing come sailing by in the opposite direction, closely followed by a US Coast Guard cutter... Can anyone help me identifying what class of submarine this is? Or even which country it belongs to? Last edited by kcmadr; 08-06-2009 at 06:20 PM.

05-31-2009, 05:35 AM	#6
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	You were in Alaska, right. It must be USS ALASKA, SSBN 732.. Cheers. Mike.

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05-30-2009, 01:30 AM	#2
Damn Brit Guest	If I tell you, I'll have to kill you.

05-30-2009, 05:03 AM	#3
RichardS Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia Posts: 2,418	More space behind the sail than in front of it suggests a missile boat. The tail fin is designed for underwater and the square top suggests at least 1970s (guessing - naval architecture tends to be way behind the bleeding edge). It hasn't got a fence ... do American boats have fences on their tail fins these days? Did they ever have fences? I/we used them on A Class catamarans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 10 years before Boeing put them on their aircraft wings, and that gets me confused about when technical advances happened. Sorry. Lots of speculation but no facts

05-30-2009, 07:28 AM	#4
jem Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 217	Originally posted by kcmadr Can anyone help me identifying what class of submarine this is? Or even which country it belongs to? Looks to me like a Los Angeles class boat. Don't know which one.

05-30-2009, 08:32 AM	#5
pop4 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: YMML Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,879	Originally posted by jem Looks to me like a Los Angeles class boat. Don't know which one. I second that guess, and it'll be one of the earlier ones since the diving fins are on the sail instead of on the hull. The fins on the sail also rules out the Virginia and Seawolf boats, while the hull profile doesn't fit the Ohio class ones.

05-31-2009, 08:27 AM	#7
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	If it is a U.S. sub, I'm guessing it is in the Los Angeles class and it is quite possibly the USS San Francisco or one of her sisters. The only two U.S. subs that I'm aware of that had the fin rise above the deck line was the LA class and the Ethan Allen Class such as the old U.S.S. Thomas Edison. I thought all of the Ethan Allen class had been dismantled in 1997 or later. The length of a sub behind the sail can be deceptive in U.S. subs due to some being fitted with a section for SEAL delivery.

05-31-2009, 10:25 AM	#8
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by Blue The length of a sub behind the sail can be deceptive in U.S. subs due to some being fitted with a section for SEAL delivery. In those northern waters I get an image of them popping out the hatch and immediately being clubbed for their pelts.

05-31-2009, 11:09 AM	#9
kcmadr Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC Photos: Albums Posts: 614 Original Poster	Thanks to all the above for the input. Although no expert or enthusiast, after some digging I am inclined to agree with the opinion of it being a Los Angeles Class US Submarine. Interesting scenario that last one: ordinary seal hunter armed with club vs. US NAVY SEAL armed with who-knows-what.

06-01-2009, 10:29 PM	#10
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Originally posted by RichardS More space behind the sail than in front of it suggests a missile boat. The tail fin is designed for underwater and the square top suggests at least 1970s (guessing - naval architecture tends to be way behind the bleeding edge). It hasn't got a fence ... do American boats have fences on their tail fins these days? Did they ever have fences? I/we used them on A Class catamarans in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about 10 years before Boeing put them on their aircraft wings, and that gets me confused about when technical advances happened. It's floating. So it's not a Collins class.

06-02-2009, 12:30 AM	#11
KrisK10D Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,274	Originally posted by lithos It's floating. So it's not a Collins class. I don't know that any non-aussie would get that but damn

06-02-2009, 08:33 AM	#12
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by KrisK10D I don't know that any non-aussie would get that but damn Come on now, what are a few little problems on a new boat such as the combat systems, noise and engine break downs.

06-02-2009, 08:47 AM	#13
d.bradley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 631	Everyone knows you can't identify a sub with a photo. Do you have any underwater audio recordings you can post?

06-02-2009, 01:13 PM	#14
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by d.bradley Everyone knows you can't identify a sub with a photo. Do you have any underwater audio recordings you can post? ping ping ping ping

06-02-2009, 03:59 PM	#15
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by Blue ping ping ping ping That was a grey whale, now you're just trying to confuse people.

Help identifying a submarine

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