USS FRANK CABLE (AS-40)

MISSION: Provide mobile base facilities capable of furnishing 
maintenance and logistic support for nuclear attack submarines, 
including the SSN 688 class.  
 
COMMENTARY: Naval auxiliary ships carry out a variety of missions 
in support of combatants. Included in this category are tenders. 
Along with destroyer tenders, the submarine tenders are the largest 
of the active auxiliaries. Their crews are formed mainly of 
technicians and repairmen.
 
The EMORY S. LAND and L.Y. SPEAR classes were designed and fitted 
to accommodate attack submarines, and can service four submarines 
moored alongside simultaneously.  USS PROTEUS was commissioned as 
a diesel sub tender in 1944 then overhauled and reconfigured in 
1959-60 to service FBM subs. In 1981, she was retired from FBM 
service and is now an attack submarine tender. 
The HUNLEY and SIMON LAKE classes are configured especially to  
service FBM submarines. 

L.Y.  SPEAR & EMORY S. LAND CLASSES 
Displacement:   Approximately 23,000 tons 
Length:       644 feet 
Beam:          85 feet 
Speed:         20 knots 
Power Plant: Two boilers, steam turbines, one shaft 
Aircraft:  None 
Armament:  Two 40mm guns, four 20mm guns 
Complement:   ASs 36 and 37, 605; 39-41, 617 
Builders:  ASs 36, 37, General Dynamics'  Quincy Shipbuilding Division;
                39-41, Lockheed Shipbuilding 

L.Y. SPEAR CLASS (AS-36) UNITS 
USS L .Y.SPEAR (AS-36); Norfolk, Va.
USS DIXON (AS-37); San Diego, Calif. 

EMORY S. LAND CLASS (AS-39) UNITS  
USS EMORY S. LAND (AS-39); Norfolk, Va.
USS FRANK CABLE (AS-40); Charleston, S.C.
USS MCKEE (AS-41); San Diego, Calif. 

SIMON LAKE CLASS (AS-33) 
Displacement: AS-33, 19,934 tons; 34, 21,089 tons 
Length:     644 feet 
Beam:        85 feet 
Power Plant:  Two boilers, steam turbines, one shaft 
Aircraft:   none 
Armament:   Four 20mm guns 
Complement:     601 
Builders:  AS-33, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard;
             34, Ingalls Shipbuilding 

SIMON LAKE CLASS UNITS: 
USS SIMON LAKE (AS-33); Holy Loch, Scotland
USS CANOPUS (AS-34); Kings Bay, Ga. 

HUNLEY CLASS (AS-31) 
Displacement:    19,000 tons full load 
Length:     599 feet 
Beam:  83 feet 
Speed:     19 knots 
Power Plant:     Diesel electric, one shaft 
Aircraft:  none 
Armament:   Four 20mm guns 
Complement:      603 
Builders:  AS-31, Newport News Shipbuilding;
              32, Ingalls Shipbuilding  

HUNLEY CLASS UNITS: 
USS HUNLEY (AS-31)
USS HOLLAND (AS-32); Charleston, SC 

FULTON (AS-11) & PROTEUS CLASSES <BI> 
Displacement:   ASs 11 and 18, 16,230 tons full load;
                    19, 19,200  tons full load 
Length:    ASs 11 and 18, 530.5 feet;
               19, 575 feet 
Beam: 73 feet 
Speed:     15.4 knots 
Aircraft:  None 
Armament:  Four 20mm guns 
Complement:     Approximately 557 
Builders:  AS-11, Mare Island, CA Navy  Yard;
              18, 19, Moore Shipbuilding and Drydock 

FULTON CLASS UNITS: 
USS FULTON (AS-11); New London, Conn.
USS ORION (AS-18); La Maddalena, Italy 

PROTEUS CLASS UNIT: 
USS Proteus (AS-19); Guam, Marshall Islands 

SOURCE: Department of the Navy (OP-02P); Washington, DC 
20350-2000; (202) 697-8704