USS Barracuda class of Submarines

The result of Project Kayo, a research and development program started shortly after World War II by the United States Navy to develop submarines capable of attacking and destroying other submarines.

Given the designation SSK (there was only one other submarine with such a designation, a converted Gato-class submarine USS Croaker), the three Barracuda class submarines were designed to be smaller than other attack submarines of the era, as well as simpler in design and construction. It was reasoned that cheaper, easier to produce submarines would be needed to keep pace with the Soviet Union in the event of a conventional war. The simplicity of the design would allow shipyards without submarine construction experience and aircraft contractors with mass-production backgrounds to churn out more of the vessels.

The Barracuda was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Conn. Her keel was laid on July 1, 1949; she was launched on March 2, 1951. She was commissioned on Nov. 10, 1951. The second member of the class, the Bass, was awarded to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Mare Island, Calif. Her keel was laid down on Feb. 23, 1950; she was launched on May 2, 1951. She was commissioned on Nov. 16, 1951. The Bonita, the third and final member of the Barracuda class, was originally awarded to the New York Shipbuilding Corp. of Camden, N.J., but was later transferred Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Mare Island, Calif. Her keel was laid down on May 19, 1950; she was launched on June 21, 1951. She was commissioned on Jan. 11, 1952.

The Barracuda class were the first submarines to use a low-frequency passive bow sonar system. With the sonar system placed in the bow, the forward torpedo tubes were moved back and angled outward. That design feature has been used in every American submarine class produced since.

In spite of this design breakthrough, it was quickly determined that the theory represented by the Barracuda class was an outright failure. The three submarines were slow and had limited endurance, leading to their rapid removal from front-line duties. After several years of service as experimental and training platforms, they were decommissioned. The Bass, after less than six years of active service, was decommissioned on Oct. 1, 1957. The Bonita was decommissioned in November 1958, and the Barracuda was withdrawn from service in August 1959.

Class overview Builders:

Electric Boat Company, Groton, Connecticut (Barracuda)
Mare Island Naval Shipyard (Bonito & Bass)
Operators: United States Navy
Preceded by: Tench-class attack submarine
Succeeded by: Tang-class submarine
Built: 1949-1951
In commission: 1951-1959
Completed: 3

General characteristics

Type: Diesel-electric hunter-killer submarine
Displacement: 765 tons (777 t) surfaced
1,160 tons (1179 t) submerged
Length: 196 ft 1 in (59.8 m) overall
Beam: 24 ft 7 in (7.5 m)
Draft: 14 ft 5 in (4.4 m) mean
Propulsion: 3 × General Motors diesel engines, total 1050 bhp (0.8 MW)
2 × General Electric electric motors
Two screws
Speed: 13 knots (24 km/h) surfaced
8.5 knots (15.7 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 400 ft (120 m) Complement: 37 officers and men
Armament: 4 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes

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