Halibut-class (SSGN-587)
Summary
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Category | Submarine |
| Subtype | Nuclear missile submarine |
| Manufacturer | Mare Island Naval Shipyard |
| Year commissioned | 1960 |
| Units | SSGN-587 HALIBUT |
Description
USS Halibut (SSGN-587) served as a unique vessel in the US Navy's submarine fleet with a varied operational history that began as a nuclear-powered guided missile submarine and later transitioned to a specialized attack submarine for covert operations. Commissioned on January 4, 1960, Halibut was the second ship named after the halibut fish.
In its early years, USS Halibut set a precedent as the first submarine designed explicitly for guided missile launching. Equipped with automated missile systems for firing Regulus I and II nuclear cruise missiles, Halibut's design featured a high main deck to function as a "flight deck." The submarine went on to perform several missile firing exercises and training cruises, including successful launches during Southeast Asia Treaty Organization demonstrations. Halibut completed a total of seven deterrent patrols and participated in evaluating the attack capabilities of the Permit-class submarine before being replaced by Polaris-equipped subs.
In 1965, Halibut underwent a transformation for special operations, driven by Operation Sand Dollar. The conversion outfitted the submarine with advanced electronics, sonar systems, photographic and video equipment, and special oceanographic gear. Halibut then embarked on a series of clandestine missions that lasted until 1976. These included the famous tapping of a Soviet communication line under Project Ivy Bells and the exploration of the sunken Soviet submarine K-129 prior to the CIA’s Project Azorian.
Operational history saw Halibut traveling between Pearl Harbor and the West Coast for various activities, contributing to ASW operations, and serving with the Pacific Fleet and Submarine Development Group One. The submarine’s intelligence gathering laid the groundwork for modern undersea espionage.
USS Halibut’s service ended with her decommissioning on June 30, 1976. She rested at the Keyport/Bangor Trident Base until she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register a decade later, ultimately being disposed of through the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program in 1994.
Technical specifications
| Halibut | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 3655 tons |
| Displacement submerged | 5000 tons |
| Range | Unlimited, except by food supplies |
| Crew | 97 members |
| Width | 8.8 m (28.9 ft) |
| Length | 110.0 m (360.9 ft) |
| Propulsion | 1 Westinghouse S 3W nuclear reactor with a power of 7,300 hp - 2 propellers |
| Armament | 5 SSM-N-8 Regulus missiles + 6 533mm TLTs (4 forward, 2 aft) |
| Maximum speed | 20 knots |
| Max. speed submerged | 20 knots |
Photo of Halibut class
