41 for Freedom refers to the US Navy Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines from the , , , , and es. All of these submarines were commissioned 1959–1967, as the goal was to create a credible, survivable sea-based deterrent as quickly as possible. These submarines were nicknamed "41 for Freedom" once the goal of 41 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) was established in the early 1960s. The 1972 SALT I Treaty limited the number of American submarine-launched ballistic missile tubes to 656, based on the total missile tubes of the forty-one submarines, in line with the treaty's goal of limiting strategic nuclear weapons to the number already existing.

Overview

The "41 for Freedom"

nuclear-power Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...

ballistic missile submarine A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – t ...

s (SSBNs) were armed with submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) to create a deterrent force against the threat of

nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear ...

with any foreign power threatening the United States during the Cold War. The United States had deployed nuclear weapons aboard submarines for the purpose of deterrence since 1959, using the SSM-N-8 Regulus

cruise missile A cruise missile is a guided missile used against terrestrial or naval targets that remains in the atmosphere and flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhea ...

. However, this was intended to act merely as a stop-gap, as the Regulus was limited both by its size – the greatest number of missiles capable of being taken to sea was five aboard – range and speed, as well as the fact that the submarine was required to surface to launch a missile. The intention was that the main element of the US Navy's contribution to the strategic nuclear deterrent be a

ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...

armed submarine. The US Navy created a new submarine classification for these boats: SSBN. The first of the "41 for Freedom" submarines to be completed was , which was commissioned on 30 December 1959. The final boat to enter service was , which was commissioned on 1 April 1967. These 41 were superseded by the submarines of the 1980–1992. , operating as a

SEAL Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

platform in her later years, was decommissioned on 2 April 2002, the last boat of the original "41 for Freedom" submarines in commission, and the oldest submarine in the US Navy. Almost 37 years old, she held the record for the longest service lifetime of any nuclear-powered submarine. As of 2014, two boats, and , though decommissioned, continue to serve as

moored training ship __NOTOC__ A moored training ship (MTS) is a United States Navy nuclear powered submarine that has been converted to a training ship for the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command's Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) at Naval Support Activity Charl ...

s, attached to Naval

Nuclear Power School Nuclear Power School (NPS) is a technical school operated by the U.S. Navy in Goose Creek, South Carolina as a central part of a program that trains enlisted sailors, officers, KAPL civilians and Bettis civilians for shipboard nuclear power p ...

at Charleston, South Carolina.

Submarines by Class

* Preserved as training vessels

Gallery

File:Weapons of the Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine Fleet.jpg, Weapons of the FBM submarines (left to right): Polaris A1, Polaris A2, Polaris A3, Poseidon, Trident I and Trident II File:USS Halibut SSGN-587.jpg, launches a

Regulus Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It has the Bayer designation designated α Leonis, which is Latinized to Alpha Leonis, and abbreviated Alpha Leo or α Leo. Re ...

missile – the limitations of the use of Regulus led to the development of the use of

s from submarines File:UGM-27C Polaris A3 launch.jpg, A Polaris A3 missile is launched from . The advent of Polaris allowed for a virtually undetectable launching platform, as the submarine no longer needed to surface to launch its weapons

References

External links

From the Federation of American Scientists: * * * * {{Benjamin Franklin class submarine Submarines Submarines of the United States Navy Ballistic missile submarines Cold War submarine-launched ballistic missiles of the United States

Overview

Submarines by Class

Gallery

See also

References

External links