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USS ''Narwhal'' (SSN-671), a unique submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the narwhal, a gray and white arctic whale with a unicorn-like, ivory tusk. Her keel was laid down on 17 January 1966 by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 9 September 1967 sponsored by Glynn R. Donaho, and commissioned on 12 July 1969 with Commander W. A. Matson in command. == Design == Very little of the ''Narwhal''s design was based on the submarine. Her power plant, engine room, and forward compartment layout was unlike any other U.S. submarine. Forward of her reactor compartment the crew enjoyed more available space and berthing than her , ''Sturgeon'', or sisters. Her engine room was spacious and well laid out. Elements of her propulsion were incorporated in later ship classes, especially the , but no other submarine has used all of ''Narwhal''s innovations. These innovations included a natural circulation reactor plant, scoop seawater injection (which was not repeated), the ability to cross connect main and auxiliary seawater systems, main air ejectors instead of noisy R-114 units for cooling, and a directly coupled main engine turbine. Her small reactor coolant pumps had two speeds: On and Off. The result was the quietest submarine of her era, and for many years to follow. Her silence was equaled only by the ''Ohio'' class and finally surpassed by the . ''Narwhal'' was fitted with a "turtleback" structure just forward of her rudder that may have been used for remote-controlled underwater vehicles, or for housing an experimental towed sonar array. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Narwhal (SSN-671)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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