A US Navy deep-diving ‘research’ submarine caught fire and flooded

What you need to know: In May 2002, the Navy research submarine USS Dolphin caught fire and partially flooded near San Diego while surfacing to recharge batteries.

-All 43 crew survived, but two civilians fell overboard and were rescued by the Coast Guard. THE DolphinKnown for its deep-sea research capabilities, it underwent three years of repairs before returning to service.

-However, budget constraints led to its dismantling in 2006. Built in the 1960s, the Dolphin it was known for record depth capabilities and numerous technological innovations. Today, it is on display at the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Like the Navy Submarine USS Dolphin Survived a fire and flood off the coast of San Diego

More than two decades ago, a Navy research submarine caught fire and partially flooded off the coast of San Diego. USS Dolphin (AGSS-555) was manned by forty-three crew members at the time, who survived the incident. As this vessel functioned as the Navy’s only diesel-electric research submarine at the time, its eventual decommissioning was a blow to the service.

USS Dolphin Overview

Built under the guidance of the Ship Characteristics Board, the USS Dolphin was developed to provide essential capabilities to the service. Specifically, Dolphin was designed to be easily modified internally and externally and allow for the incorporation of military and civilian research equipment.

In the early 1960s, her keel was laid at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Maine and launched a few years later. Uniquely, Dolphin’s hull number “555” has been removed from the sequential order. The submarine’s “555” designation was derived from the canceled Tench class of submarines that were discontinued after World War II.

What made the Dolphin So essential

Unlike its predecessors, which were built for speed, the Dolphin it was primarily designed to be able to withstand the strong pressures found at extreme depths. The powerful research submarine was said to be capable of operating at greater depths than any other submarine in the entire world during the period of its commissioning.

THE Dolphin could sail so deep underwater that engineers incorporated a single hatch into the submarine to “keep any hull irregularities such as hatches to a minimum,” according to the Defense Medium Network.

In terms of technologies, Dolphin it was equipped with the then modern Submarine Safety Monitoring System (SSMS). This sensor not only tracked vital measurements such as pressures and temperatures, but also sounded the alarm if necessary. The Navy and civilian research groups have employed Dolphin to support deepwater and coastal research, sensor testing and weapons testing.

Throughout his years of service, Dolphin achieved many “firsts,” including launching a torpedo from the deepest depth ever fired. Additionally, the research submarine conducted the first successful test of the BQS-15 sonar system and the first ship of its type to successfully perform submarine-to-aircraft optical communications.

The Incident

While sailing near San Diego in May 2002 Dolphin suffered flooding while returning to the surface to recharge its batteries. A fire was then caused after the influx of water resulted in short circuits on board. Although the disaster was averted by the heroic actions of the crew members, those on board still had to be evacuated and two civilians had to be rescued by the Coast Guard after falling into the water. Dolphin it would then spend the next three years in repairs and return to service in 2005.

However, a year later, the Navy decided to deactivate the research submarine due to budgetary constraints. Dolphin was officially transferred to the San Diego Maritime Museum in 2008, where it remains available for public viewing to this day.

About the author: Maya Carlin, defense expert

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer at The National Interest, is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

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