Hunley-class submarine tender

Class overview
Name	Hunley-class submarine tender
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	USS Proteus (AS-19)
Succeeded by	Simon Lake class
Built	1960 - 1963
In commission	1962 - 1996
Completed	2
Scrapped	2
General characteristics
Type	Submarine tender
Displacement	19,000 tons
Length	599 ft (183 m)
Beam	83 ft (25 m)
Draft	23 ft 4 in (7.11 m)
Propulsion	Diesel–electric, 15.000 SHP
Speed	18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement	58 Officers, 1.023 Enlisted
Armament	4 × 3 inch/50 caliber guns

The Hunley-class was a class of two submarine tenders in service with the United States Navy from 1962 to 1996.

The Hunley-class was the first class of submarine tenders in the U.S. Navy being built from the keel up to service ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The early generations of SSBNs were equipped with the UGM-27 Polaris missile. To handle these missiles, a large 32 ton crane was installed aft that moved in a large circle. In 1973-1975 both ships were converted to handle the newer UGM-73 Poseidon missile. The massive crane was then replaced by two smaller ones.^[1] The ships were powered by ten Diesel engines, delivering 15.000 SHP on one shaft. ^[2] Both tenders were decommissioned following the retirement of the Poseidon-equipped SSBNs. After spending at least a decade in the Reserve Fleet, both ships were scrapped.

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