LOS ANGELES class nuclear submarine

A portside bow view of the fore section of USS Santa Fe tied up at the pier in February 1994: The doors of the Mark 36 vertical launch system for the Tomahawk missiles are in the "open" position.

The Los Angeles class (also known as the 688-class) is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (SSN) in service with the United States Navy. They represent two generations and close to half a century of the U.S. Navy's attack submarine fleet. A further four boats were proposed by the Navy, but later cancelled. The class had more operating nuclear submarines than any other in the world. All submarines of this class are named after American towns and cities (e.g. Key West, Florida, and Greeneville, Tennessee), the exception being the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709). This system of naming broke a long-standing tradition in the U.S. Navy of naming attack submarines for creatures of the ocean (e.g. USS Nautilus (SSN-571)).

In 1982 after building 31 boats, the class underwent a minor redesign, the following 8 that made up the second "flight" of subs had 12 new vertical launch tubes that could fire Tomahawk missiles. The last 23 saw a significant upgrade with the 688i improvement program. These boats are quieter, with more advanced electronics, sensors, and noise reduction technology. Externally they can be recognized quickly as their retractable diving planes were placed at their bows rather than on their sails.

Deathlands

The Kings Point Naval Station military base survived the nuclear holocaust unscathed due to a faulty comp control in the missile that was targeted at it. A single LOS ANGELES class nuclear submarine survived. A man who later came to call himself Poseidon took control of the base and began to hire mercenaries to build his own personal navy. For several years he traded peacefully with the locals, until he finally had the power to start calling the shots. Admiral Poseidon had plans to obtain nuclear weapons that survived the war and use them to create a huge empire. But, after he captured and lost Ryan, he chased the big man into the nuclear sub and they launched. A group of mutants, known as the Dwellers used a mine and sink the sub. Ryan fought the Admiral and escaped the dying sub, which settled deep in the depths, the madman still trapped inside. (Watersleep)