Today, most submarines are divided into categories according to the weapons, or lack of, that they carry. Research submarines are the ones built in the smallest numbers and are shaped quite differently from most 'standard' subs. They are very mission specific. For military submarines, there are coastal defense versions that rely on torpedoes as their main armament. These are generally conventionally powered. Nuclear submarines are often divided into two classes. One are the long range missile carrying types or 'boomers' that have ICBM or IRBM subsurface to surface ballistic missiles. The others are more reminiscent of the submarines of WWII in that their main armament are torpedoes and these are the 'fast attacks'. Their job is not so much to hunt down surface shipping, though they can with their long range subsurface to surface cruise missiles, but to hunt enemy submarines.

With the fall of the Iron Curtain, both types have been steadily removed from service without a one for one replacement as in the past. The result is fewer boats of both types. However, those that remain are much more capable than the boats of the past and still able to provide the deterrent and attack capabilities as in the past. For example, most the the cruise missiles that fell on Baghdad during the Bush invasion of 2003 came from fast attack submarines cruising in the Red Sea. These were able to hit pin-point targets without damaging surrounding neighborhoods.

In this book, the author Jim Christley, himself a man who served on submarines, tells the story of the fast attack from its inception based on the US' first nuclear powered submarine USS Nautilus to the current fleet boats such as the USS Texas and USS Hawaii. All of the salient features of these boats, including their propulsion systems, weapons, sensor arrays and the very design of the hulls themselves are covered, making for a great primer on the subject. This is further enhanced by superb period photos and the excellent artwork of illustrator Tony Bryan.

Whether you are a long time fan of submarines or just learning about them, this is a book you will surely enjoy. It is one that I can readily recommend to you.

September 2007

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