Seawolf-Class: The U.S. Navy Submarine Legend That Can Do It All
Initially, 29 Seawolf-class SSNs were expected to be produced. However, production time on each submarine was lengthy and by the time the first USS Seawolf was commissioned, the geopolitical landscape had shifted
by Maya Carlin
Meet the Seawolf-Class: As the U.S. Navy’s sole seabed warfare submarine, the USS Jimmy Carter plays a significant role in the service. The ship is uniquely fitted for covert spy missions deep within the ocean, enabling it to perform mission sets that other vessels cannot reach.
Underwater infrastructure and cables have grown considerably over the last decade or so, culminating in the increase in seabed attacks. Last fall, a series of bombings and gas leaks damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. This notable incident indicated how seabed warfare and its associated consequences could play a role in future conflicts.
In order to combat the growing prevalence of seabed warfare, the U.S. is turning to its Virginia-class nuclear fast attack submarines. The latest iteration of this series of SSNs, the Block V class, will feature attributes that will allow it to defend underwater infrastructure.
However, the Navy actually already possesses a submarine built for these types of mission sets – the USS Jimmy Carter. Commissioned in the early 2000s, the Jimmy Carter is the third and last SSN in its Seawolf-class. Named to honor the 39th president of the U.S., this submarine is often described as a subclass considering her unique design to her sister vessels, like seabed warfare capabilities.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/seawolf-class-us-navy-submarine-legend-can-do-it-all-207288
