U.S.S. Plunger
SSN-595
1976
(Trident alpha Ta-10221)
- Class: Thresher - 14 nuclear-propelled attack submarines of 1958-61
- Displacement: 3,750 tons standard / 4,300 tons submerged
- Dimensions: 278'6" (oa) x 31'9" x 29'
- Machinery: 1 pressurized-water S5W (Westinghouse) reactor; 1 steam turbine; 15,000 shp; 1 shaft = ~20 knots surfaced / ~30 knots submerged
- Torpedo Tubes: 4-21" amidships Mk 63
- ASW weapons: SUBROC; Mk 48 torpedoes
- Complement: 122-134
- Builder: Mare Island Naval Shipyard
- Keel Laid: 2 Mar 1960
- Launched: 9 Dec 1961
- Commissioned: 21 Nov 1962
- Decommissioned: 2 Feb 1990
- Notes: Lead ship of class, Thresher (SSN-593), was lost at sea 10 Apr 1963 while conducting diving tests; all 129 men on board perished. Remaining submarines are sometimes referred to as the Permit (SSN-594) class. Four including Plunger were originally ordered as SSGN to carry Regulus cruise missiles; reordered as attack submarines when the Regulus program was cancelled in Dec 1958.
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