James Madison class submarine
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USS John C. Calhoun (SSBN-630) entering Holy Loch, Scotland on completion of the thousandth Polaris nuclear deterrent patrol, 18 May 1972.
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| Class overview | |
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| Builders: | |
| Operators: |
 United States Navy
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| Preceded by: | Lafayette-class submarine |
| Succeeded by: | Benjamin Franklin-class submarine |
| Built: | 1962–1964 |
| In commission: | 1964–1995 |
| Completed: | 10 |
| Retired: | 10 |
| Preserved: | 1 (As Training Vessel - SSBN-635) |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Nuclear-powered Ballistic Missile Submarine |
| Displacement: |
Surfaced: 7,325 long tons (7,443 t) Submerged: 8,251 long tons (8,383 t) |
| Length: | 425 ft (130 m) |
| Beam: | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draft: | 28 ft 6 in (8.69 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Test depth: | 1,300 feet (400 m) |
| Complement: | Two crews of 14 officers and 126 enlisted |
| Armament: | 16 Polaris A3 or Poseidon C3 or Trident I C4 missiles, 4 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 12 torpedoes |
Surfaced: 7,325 long tons (7,443 t)
The James Madison class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the Lafayette class of fleet ballistic missile submarine. They were identical to the Lafayettes except for being initially designed to carry the Polaris A-3 missile instead of the earlier A-2. This class, together with the George Washington, Ethan Allen, Lafayette, and Benjamin Franklin classes, composed the "41 for Freedom" that was the Navy's primary contribution to the nuclear deterrent force through the late 1980s. This class and the Benjamin Franklin class are combined with the Lafayettes in some references.
In the early 1970s all were modified for the Poseidon C-3 missile. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, six boats were further modified to carry the Trident I C-4 missile, along with six Benjamin Franklin-class boats. These were James Madison, Daniel Boone, John C. Calhoun, Von Steuben, Casimir Pulaski, and Stonewall Jackson.
The James Madisons were decommissioned between 1986 and 1995 due to a combination of SALT II treaty limitations as the Ohio class SSBNs entered service, age, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. One (Sam Rayburn) remains out of commission but converted to a Moored Training Ship (MTS-635) with the missile compartment removed. She is stationed at Nuclear Power Training Unit Charleston, South Carolina, along with USS Daniel Webster (MTS-626).
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