NR-1: This Tiny Vessel Ruthlessly Hunted Soviet Nuclear Submarines
Her slowness notwithstanding, one of the most remarkable features of NR-1 was her maneuverability.
As the one saying goes. “Good things come in small packages.” In the military context, one could argue that this truism was first demonstrated during the Old Testament battle between David and Goliath. Fast-forward roughly twenty-seven centuries, and you had the military genius of Napoleon Bonaparte.
As for more modern, higher-tech mechanical proofs of the proverb, we can fast-forward yet again, this time to the Cold War. For example, you had the Vought A-7 Corsair II jet-powered subsonic attack aircraft, which was affectionately nicknamed the “SLUF” (“Short Little Ugly Fellow,” in polite company) but was deadly effective. And then, in the realm of submarine warfare, you had the subject of this article. Say hello to the itty-bitty NR-1 submersible, the smallest nuclear submarine in U.S. military history.
NR-1 Initial History and Specifications
As noted by the Dark Skies MSN channel in the text caption to their video titled “The Tiny Hunter of Soviet Nuclear Submarines”:
“By the early 1960s, the global nuclear standoff had reached new and terrifying depths—literally. While the U.S. had once focused on tracking Soviet missile silos and intercepting bombers, the rise of nuclear-powered submarines changed the game. These stealthy underwater behemoths could patrol undetected for months, lurking just off the American coastline, ready to launch a devastating strike with almost no warning. With traditional defenses rendered useless, the U.S. needed a radical solution—enter the NR-1, the world’s smallest nuclear-powered submersible, designed to track and hunt Soviet submarines in the deep. In a desperate bid to contain the underwater nuclear threat, the NR-1 project became a crucial weapon in the silent war beneath the waves.”
Conceptualized in part by Admiral Hyman Rickover (the “Father of the Nuclear Navy”) and built by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, the Deep Submergence Vessel NR-1 (unofficially nicknamed “Nerwin”) was laid down on June 10, 1967, launched on January 25, 1969, and commissioned on October 27, 1969.
Just how tiny was “Nerwin?” Her tech specs and vital stats were as follows:
- Hull Length: 45 m (147 ft 8 in)
- Displacement: 400 tons
- Draft: 4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
- Beam Width: 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
- Max Speed: 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) surfaced; 3.5 knots (6.5 km/h; 4 mph) submerged
- Test Depth: 3,000 feet (910 m)
- Endurance: Twenty-five days for a thirteen-person crew
- Crew Complement: Three commissioned officers, eight enlisted sailors, two scientists
The reactor core of the NR-1 was roughly the size of a household refrigerator, a sharp contrast to the reactor core of full-sized nuclear subs (which had dimensions comparable to a three-story building). Her slowness notwithstanding, one of the most remarkable features of NR-1 was her maneuverability (thanks to her multiple thrusters pointing in every direction possible: she could accomplish a 180-degree turn within her own length!).
However, the vessel was definitely not designed for comfort or long-term missions, as she lacked shower facilities or a working galley.
“Nerwin” carried no armament, ergo, she could only be tasked with detecting and tracking the Soviet subs, not actually killing them.
NR-1 Operational History and Performance
Many of NR-1’s missions remain classified to this day. World War III luckily never happened (whether it could still happen now is a topic of discussion for a separate time and place), but that didn’t stop NR-1 from making history on multiple occasions.
- A 1976 mission wherein she was tasked with recovering parts of an AIM-54A Phoenix missile-equipped Grumman F-14 Tomcat that had been lost from the deck of an aircraft carrier
- Participating in the recovery effort in the wake of the tragic space shuttle Challenger disaster of 1986
- Exploring the wreck of the HMHS Britannic—sister ship of the RMS Titanic—in 1995
- Her thirty-nine years of faithful service made her the longest-serving submarine in U.S. history
Where Is NR-1 Now?
Alas, NR-1 was deactivated on November 21, 2008, and sent to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to be scrapped. Fortunately, some salvaged pieces of the splendid little sub have been preserved for posterity at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut; this museum, located on the banks of the Thames River (not to be confused with the River Thames in London), also happens to be the home of the legendary USS Nautilus (SSN-571).
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr was previously a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ) and 19FortyFive. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch, The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). If you’d like to pick his brain further, you can ofttimes find him at the Old Virginia Tobacco Company (OVTC) lounge in Manassas, Virginia, partaking of fine stogies and good quality human camaraderie.
Image: Wikipedia.
