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War History Online
This Tiny Shark Caused Big Trouble for the US Navy's Nuclear Submarines
By Clare Fitzgerald,
2024-07-15
Several factors have resulted in submarines being decommissioned during underwater explorations, including encounters with sea mines and torpedos, accidents and intentional scuttling . However, an unforeseen event caused considerable damage on a US Navy fleet, compelling a submarine to return to port. The surprising cause? A shark the size of a cat.
The US Navy's nuclear fleet was effected
This peculiar scenario unfolded within the US Navy's nuclear fleet - notably affecting the Ohio -class submarines - during the Cold War .
The Ohio -class comprises four guided missile submarines (SSGNs) - the USS Ohio , Michigan , Florida and Georgia - along with 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) — the USS Henry M. Jackson , Alabama , Alaska , Nevada , Tennessee , West Virginia , Kentucky , Pennsylvania , Nebraska , Maryland , Rhode Island , Louisiana , Wyoming and Maine .
What makes the Ohio -class unique?
Distinguished as the largest submarines ever constructed for the Navy and among the world's largest, they trail behind only the Russian Navy's Typhoon -class and Borei -class. Notably, the Ohio -class boasts a greater armament capacity, as each submarine is equipped with 24 Trident II missiles, surpassing the 16 on the Borei -class and 20 on the Typhoon -class.
Issues with technology started during the Cold War
The submarines were some of the most sophisticated weapons technology of the Cold War. As they operated underwater, officials started to observe occasional problems. These included leaking oil lines, missing segments from electrical cables, damaged sonar domes, and sound probes that would unexpectedly fail.
Frequently, the damage was serious enough to necessitate the vessels returning to their bases for repairs.
Cookiecutter shark was the culprit
At first, the Navy believed that the damage was inflicted by a new Soviet weapon, but it was actually caused by something much more surprising: the cookiecutter shark.
For those who don’t know, the cookiecutter shark, also called the cigar shark, usually reaches a length of 16-20 inches and can be found in oceans across the globe. The shark is named for the round wounds it leaves on its prey, which are often much larger animals and look like they were made with a cookie cutter.
Cookiecutter shark bites have been found on a wide variety of sea-life and have even been noted on manmade structures, such as oil rigs, as they attack any soft area that is exposed. The Navy eventually realized the shark was behind the damage to its nuclear submarines and decided the best way to counter it was to place a fiberglass dome around the vessels' most sensitive parts.
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