12 Mind Blowing Facts About Los Angeles Attack Submarines! #usnavy #navy #submarine #usmilitary

Here are 12 mind-blowing facts about Los Angeles-class attack submarines, the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s undersea fleet for decades:

Longest Running Submarine Class
With 62 submarines built between 1976 and 1996, the Los Angeles class remains the largest and longest-running class of nuclear-powered submarines in U.S. history.

Nuclear Power for Unlimited Range
Each submarine is powered by a nuclear reactor, giving it essentially unlimited range and the ability to remain submerged for months at a time, limited only by the crew’s food supply.

Silent Hunters
The submarines were designed for stealth, with advanced sound-dampening technology, making them almost undetectable to enemy sonar systems.

Speeds Faster than 30 Knots
These submarines can travel underwater at speeds exceeding 30 knots (35 mph), making them one of the fastest submarines in the world.

Versatile Weapons Loadout
The Los Angeles-class subs are armed with Mk-48 torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, giving them the capability to attack land, sea, and underwater targets.

Vertical Launch System (VLS) for Missiles
Later variants of the class are equipped with 12 VLS tubes for launching Tomahawk missiles, allowing them to conduct land strikes without surfacing.

Can Dive to Extreme Depths
The submarines are rumored to be capable of diving deeper than 800 feet, though the exact depth is classified.

Cold War Warriors
These submarines were designed primarily to track and hunt Soviet ballistic missile submarines during the Cold War, playing a key role in the U.S.'s strategic deterrence efforts.

Covert Operations Specialists
Los Angeles-class submarines are capable of deploying special forces like Navy SEALs through lockout chambers for covert missions, including reconnaissance and sabotage.

Advanced Sonar Systems
Equipped with highly sensitive sonar arrays, these submarines can detect enemy vessels from hundreds of miles away and are often used to track potential threats.

Midlife Overhauls Extend Service Life
Many Los Angeles-class subs have undergone extensive refits, including nuclear reactor refueling, allowing them to serve for over 40 years.

Replacements in Progress
Although still in service, the Los Angeles class is gradually being replaced by the Virginia-class submarines, which feature more advanced stealth, sensors, and weapons systems.

The Los Angeles-class attack submarines remain a formidable force in undersea warfare, having adapted to changing threats and missions over several decades.

[ohusky]

my dad served on one of the LA class subs!

[HoldenOversoul]

Third image is at Pearl Harbor. That's battleship Missouri in the background on the left. You can see the 16" guns of turret two and that white awning next to it that covers the WWII Japanese surrender plaque.