List of United States Naval reactors is a comprehensive annotated list of all naval reactors

United States Naval reactor

United States Naval reactor refers to nuclear reactors used by the United States Navy aboard certain ships to produce power for propulsion, electric power, catapulting airplanes in aircraft carriers, and a few more minor uses. Such Naval nuclear reactors have a complete power plant associated with...

 designed, built, or used by the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

.

Reactor designations

Each nuclear reactor

Nuclear reactor

A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...

 design is given a three-character designation consisting of a letter representing the type of ship the reactor is intended for, a consecutive generation number, and a letter indicating the reactor's designer.

Ship types:

• "A" - aircraft carrier
  Aircraft carrier
  An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
  
  
• "C" - cruiser
  Cruiser
  A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
  
  
• "D" - destroyer
  Destroyer
  In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
  
  
• "S" - submarine
  Submarine
  A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
  
  

Contracted designers:

• "B" - Bechtel
  Bechtel
  Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
  
  
• "C" - Combustion Engineering
  Combustion Engineering
  Combustion Engineering was an American engineering firm and leading firm in the development of power systems in the United States with approximately 30,000 employees in about a dozen states at its peak. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, C-E owned over two dozen other companies including...
  
  
• "G" - General Electric
  General Electric
  General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
  
  
• "W" - Westinghouse
  Westinghouse Electric (1886)
  Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
  
  

Nuclear reactors of the United States Navy

Naval reactors of the United States Navy, listed alphabetically by ship type.

Aircraft carrier reactors

• A1B reactor
  A1B reactor
  The A1B reactor is a nuclear reactor being designed for use by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion for the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers...
  
  
  • s, the next generation class of supercarriers
• A1W reactor
  A1W reactor
  The A1W reactor is a prototype nuclear reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The A1W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 1 = First generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for USS Enterprise (CVN-65); located at Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility is located 52 miles northwest of Idaho Falls. The NRF is a United States Department of Energy-Naval Reactors facility where three nuclear propulsion prototypes A1W, S1W and S5G were located...
    
    
• A2W reactor
  A2W reactor
  The A2W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The A2W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• A3W reactor
  A3W reactor
  The A3W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The A3W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 3 = Third generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • designed for , but never installed
• A4W reactor
  A4W reactor
  The A4W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to propel warships and generate onboard electricity.The A4W designation stands for:* A = Aircraft carrier platform* 4 = Fourth-generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • s

Cruiser reactors

• C1W reactor
  C1W reactor
  The C1W reactor is a nuclear reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. C1W reactors, like all United States Naval reactors, are pressurized water reactors...
  
  
  • Long Beach class
    Long Beach class cruiser
    The Long Beach class cruiser is a single-ship class of the United States Navy. The class is noted as the world's first nuclear-powered surface combatant, and the last cruiser built in the US Navy to a cruiser design; all subsequent cruiser classes were built on scaled-up destroyer hulls, or, in...
    
     cruiser

Destroyer reactors

• D1G reactor
  D1G reactor
  The D1G reactor was a prototype naval reactor designed for the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The D1G designation stands for:* D = Destroyer platform* 1 = First generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for Bainbridge class cruiser; located at the Kesselring site
    Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory
    Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory is a research and development facility dedicated to the support of the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. KAPL is a government-owned, contractor operated laboratory run by Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation for the United States Department of Energy. KAPL is...
    
    
• D2G reactor
  D2G reactor
  The D2G reactor was a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The D2G designation stands for:* D = Destroyer platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • Bainbridge class
    Bainbridge class cruiser
    ' was a nuclear-powered version of the double-ended guided missile frigate. Originally a guided missile destroyer leader, the class was re-designated guided missile cruiser in 1975...
    
     cruiser
  • Truxtun
    Truxtun class cruiser
    The Truxtun class cruiser was a nuclear-powered class of single-ended guided missile cruisers based on a heavily modified version of the Belknap class...
    
     class cruiser
  • California class
    California class cruiser
    The California class cruisers were a set of two of nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers operated by the United States Navy between 1974 and 1998. Other than their nuclear power supply and lack of helicopter hangars, ships of the California class were comparable to other guided missile cruisers...
    
     cruiser
  • Virginia class
    Virginia class cruiser
    The Virginia-class nuclear guided-missile cruisers were a series of four double-ended guided-missile cruisers commissioned in the late 1970s, which served in the US Navy until the mid- to late-1990s...
    
     cruiser

Submarine reactors

• NR-1 reactor
  • one-of-a-kind reactor built for the U.S. Navy research submarine NR-1
• S1C reactor
  S1C reactor
  The S1C reactor was a prototype naval reactor designed for the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S1C designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 1 = First generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for USS Tullibee (SSN-597); located at Windsor, CT
• S1G reactor
  S1G reactor
  The S1G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S1G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 1 = First generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for USS Seawolf (SSN-575); located at Kesselring site
• S1W reactor
  S1W reactor
  The S1W reactor was the first prototype naval reactor used by the United States Navy to prove that the technology could be used for electricity generation and propulsion on submarines...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for USS Nautilus (SSN-571); located at Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility is located 52 miles northwest of Idaho Falls. The NRF is a United States Department of Energy-Naval Reactors facility where three nuclear propulsion prototypes A1W, S1W and S5G were located...
    
    
• S2C reactor
  S2C reactor
  The S2C reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S2C designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• S2G reactor
  S2G reactor
  The S2G reactor was a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships, and the only liquid metal cooled reactor yet deployed by the US Navy...
  
  
• S2W reactor
  S2W reactor
  The S2W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S2W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• S2Wa reactor
  S2Wa reactor
  The S2Wa reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S2Wa designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • replacement reactor for USS Seawolf (SSN-575)
• S3G reactor
  S3G reactor
  The S3G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S3G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 3 = Third generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype for USS Triton (SSN-586); located at Kesselring site
• S3W reactor
  S3W reactor
  The S3W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S3W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 3 = Third generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• S4G reactor
  S4G reactor
  The S4G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S4G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 4 = Fourth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• S4W reactor
  S4W reactor
  The S4W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S4W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 4 = Fourth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
• S5G reactor
  S5G reactor
  The S5G reactor was a prototype naval reactor designed for the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on submarines...
  
  
  • A land-based prototype located at Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility
    Naval Reactors Facility is located 52 miles northwest of Idaho Falls. The NRF is a United States Department of Energy-Naval Reactors facility where three nuclear propulsion prototypes A1W, S1W and S5G were located...
    
    , and
• S5W reactor
  S5W reactor
  The S5W reactor is a nuclear reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S5W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 5 = Fifth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • Skipjack class
    Skipjack class submarine
    The Skipjack class was a class of United States Navy nuclear submarines. This class was named after its lead ship, the . This new class introduced the teardrop hull and the S5W reactor to U.S. nuclear submarines. The Skipjacks were the fastest U.S...
    
     submarine (SSN-585 class)
  • George Washington class
    George Washington class submarine
    The George Washington class was a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines deployed by the United States Navy. The Navy ordered a class of nuclear-powered submarines armed with long-range strategic missiles on 31 December 1957, and tasked Electric Boat with converting two existing...
    
     submarine (SSBN-598 class)
  • Thresher/Permit class
    Thresher/Permit class submarine
    The Thresher/Permit-class was a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy from the 1960s until 1994. They replaced the class...
    
     submarine (SSN-593/SSN-594 class)
  • Ethan Allen class
    Ethan Allen class submarine
    The Ethan Allen class of fleet ballistic missile submarine was an evolutionary development from the George Washington class. The Ethan Allen, together with the , , , and classes comprise the "41 for Freedom."...
    
     submarine (SSBN-608 class)
  • Lafayette class
    Lafayette class submarine
    The Lafayette class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the of fleet ballistic missile submarine, slightly larger and generally improved...
    
     submarine (SSBN-616 class)
  • James Madison class
    James Madison class submarine
    The James Madison class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the of fleet ballistic missile submarine. They were identical to the Lafayettes except for being designed to carry the Polaris A-3 missile instead of the earlier A-2. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, select units were...
    
     submarine (SSBN-627 class)
  • Benjamin Franklin class
    Benjamin Franklin class submarine
    The Benjamin Franklin class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the of fleet ballistic missile submarine. Having quieter machinery and other improvements, they are considered a separate class. A subset of this class is the re-engineered 640 class starting with...
    
     submarine (SSBN-640 class)
  • Sturgeon class
    Sturgeon class submarine
    The Sturgeon class were a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy from the 1960s until 2004. They were the "work horses" of the submarine attack fleet throughout much of the Cold War...
    
     submarine (SSN-637 class)
• S6G reactor
  S6G reactor
  The S6G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S6G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 6 = Sixth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • Los Angeles class
    Los Angeles class submarine
    The Los Angeles class, sometimes called the LA class or the 688 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet. With 43 submarines on active duty and 19 retired, the Los Angeles class is the most numerous nuclear powered...
    
     submarine (SSN-688 class)
• S6W reactor
  S6W reactor
  The S6W reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S6W designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 6 = Sixth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • Seawolf class
    Seawolf class submarine
    The Seawolf class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The class was the intended successor to the , ordered at the end of the Cold War in 1989. At one time, an intended fleet of 29 submarines was to be built over a ten-year period, later...
    
     submarine (SSN-21 class)
• S7G reactor
  S7G reactor
  The S7G reactor was a prototype naval reactor designed for the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S7G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 7 = Seventh reactor designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • land-based prototype (MARF
    MARF
    MARF may refer to:* Master Area Reference File* Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation* Medical Acupuncture Research Foundation is a research arm of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture* Middle Age Rock Festival* Mobile Audio Recording Format...
    
    ) located at the Kesselring site
• S8G reactor
  S8G reactor
  The S8G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The S8G designation stands for:* S = Submarine platform* 8 = Eighth generation core designed by the contractor...
  
  
  • Ohio class
    Ohio class submarine
    The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines:...
    
     submarine (SSBN-726 class)
• S9G reactor
  S9G reactor
  The S9G reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on Virginia class submarines...
  
  
  • Virginia class
    Virginia class submarine
    The Virginia class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions...
    
     submarine (SSN-774 class)
• S1B reactor
  S1B reactor
  The S1B reactor is a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on OHIO Replacement Program submarines...
  
  
  • OHIO Replacement Program
    SSBN-X future follow-on submarine
    The SSBN-X Future Follow-on Submarine is a future United States Navy submarine designed to replace the Trident missile-armed ballistic missile submarines.-Overview:...
    
    

See also

• List of nuclear reactors
• Nuclear marine propulsion
  Nuclear marine propulsion
  Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
  
  
• United States Naval reactor
  United States Naval reactor
  United States Naval reactor refers to nuclear reactors used by the United States Navy aboard certain ships to produce power for propulsion, electric power, catapulting airplanes in aircraft carriers, and a few more minor uses. Such Naval nuclear reactors have a complete power plant associated with...