Function: One-of-a-kind prototype built off of the Sturgeon class SSN design.





History: Literally in a class by herself, the USS Narwhal was the only submarine of the Sturgeon class to be built with a prototype natural circulation nuclear reactor. Because the natural circulation powerplant did not need noise generating pumps to circulate the reactor coolant, at the time of her construction the Narwhal was the quietest submarine in the world. Coupled with the most advanced sensors and combat systems available, the Narwhal was without peer in the performance of her duties. Given her superior performance, Narwhal was ideally suited to perform intelligence gathering eavesdropping missions; during the course of her career Narwhal deployed overseas seventeen times and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, five Battle Efficiency "E" awards, four Engineering "E" awards, the Antisubmarine Warfare "A", the Communications "C", and the Supply "E" awards.





General Characteristics, USS Narwhal



Builders:

General Dynamics Electric Boat Division





Power Plant:

One S5W nuclear reactor, two steam turbines, one shaft, 15,000 shaft horse power





Date Deployed:

July 12, 1969; decommissioned January 5, 1999





Length, Overall:

314 feet (95.7 meters)





Beam:

38 feet (11.58 meters)





Draft:

28.8 feet





Displacement:

5,350 tons submerged





Speed:

20+ knots (23.02+ miles per hour, 37.05 +kph)





Crew:

120





Armament:

Mk 48 ADCAP Torpedoes, launched from 4 533mm torpedo tubes



Harpoon anti-ship missiles (tube launched)



Tomahawk anti-ship/ land attack missiles (tube launched)







Radar:

1 AN/BPS-14/15 navigation and fire control radar





Sonar:

1 TB-16 passive towed sonar array



1 TB-23 passive "thin line" towed sonar array



1 AN/BQG-5 wide aperture flank array



1 AN/BQQ-2/5 low frequency spherical bow sonar array



1 AN/BQS-12/13 active sonar array



1 AN/BQR-6 active sonar array (in submarines equipped with the BQQ-2)



1 AN/BQR-7 passive sonar array (in submarines equipped with the BQQ-2)





Optics:

1 Type 2 attack periscope



1 Type 18 search periscope





Countermeasures:

WLR-9 acoustic intercept receiver



WLQ-4 ESM