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The Los Angeles-class attack submarines (SSN) are the most numerous class of nuclear powered submarines built by any nation, and form the bulk of the U.S. attack submarine force as of 2004. They were preceded by the ''Sturgeon''-class. Named after US cities, the class broke a long-standing Navy tradition of naming attack submarines after sea creatures. The boats are also colloquially referred to as "688-class" subs, after the hull classification symbol of the first boat, SSN-688. LA-class submarines are extremely fast—they are publicly acknowledged as being faster than 25 knots (46 km/h, 29 mph), and it is widely believed that they can exceed 35 knots (65 km/h, 40 mph) under good conditions. They carry about 25 torpedo-tube launched weapons. Any boat of this class may launch a Tomahawk cruise missile from its horizontal torpedo tubes. The last 31 boats of this class also have 12 vertical launch tubes specifically for the purpose of launching Tomahawks. The final 23 boats in the series, referred to as "688i," are even quieter, incorporate an advanced combat system, and are configured for under-ice operations (with diving planes on the bow and a reinforced sail). The Navy is phasing out older non-Vertical Launch System (VLS) Los Angeles-class attack submarines in favor of the ''Virginia''-class attack submarines. Specifications Homeported at the Naval Submarine Base New London|Naval Submarine Base, Groton, Connecticut Homeported at the Naval Submarine Base, Norfolk, Virginia Homeported at the Naval Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Homeported at the Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire Homeported at the Naval Submarine Base, San Diego, California Homeported at Naval Forces Marianas, Apra Harbor, Guam Homeported at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington Stricken, to be disposed of by submarine recycling Disposed of by submarine recycling Further information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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