View source for Engineering:Cruiser submarine

{{Short description|Type of large war submarine}}
[[File:Surcouf FRA.jpg|thumb|''Surcouf'' had the largest guns of any cruiser submarine.]]
A '''cruiser submarine''' was a very large submarine designed to remain at sea for extended periods in areas distant from base facilities. Their role was analogous to surface [[Engineering:Cruiser|cruiser]]s, cruising distant waters, commerce raiding, and scouting for the battle fleet. Cruiser submarines were successful for a brief period of [[Social:World War I|World War I]], but were less successful than smaller submarines during [[Social:World War II|World War II]]. Large submarines remained vulnerable to damage from defensively equipped merchant ships (DEMS), were slow to dive if found by aircraft, offered a large sonar echo surface, and were less able to defensively maneuver during depth charge attacks.<ref name=cb1>Blair, p.501</ref>

==History==
The cruiser submarine concept originated during the unrestricted submarine warfare campaign of 1917. Three [[Engineering:German Type U 139 submarine|German Type U 139 submarine]]s and seven former [[Engineering:German Type U 151 submarine|merchant submarines]], each armed with two {{convert|15|cm|in|sing=on}} guns, patrolled areas distant from their North Sea bases to sink Allied merchant shipping as part of an effort to end World War I by starving the [[History:United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]]. These distant patrols enjoyed unique immunity to the defensive convoy measures which limited successful submarine attacks in the vicinity of the [[Place:British Isles|British Isles]].<ref>Tarrant, pp.44-60</ref>

The First World War combat experience of these submarines encouraged all major navies to build submarine cruiser [[Engineering:Prototype|prototype]]s between the world wars, but their cost discouraged most from further production. Developments were further limited by the London Naval Treaty of 1930, under which each signatory was permitted to possess no more than three large submarines, each above 2,000 tons (2,032 metric tons) but not exceeding 2,800 tons (2,845 metric tons) standard displacement, with guns not exceeding 6.1 in (150 mm) in caliber.

Japanese focus on the distances of their Pacific trade routes encouraged development of the widest variety of submarine cruisers, including the [[Engineering:Type A1 submarine|A]], [[Engineering:Type B1 submarine|B]] and [[Engineering:Type J1 submarine|J types]]. Germany decided against building projected 3,140-ton type XI U-boats with an aircraft hangar and four {{convert|5|in|cm|sing=on}} guns.<ref>Lenton, pp.198&199</ref> Long-range submarines with less impressive deck guns, including Type IXD2 U-boats and United States Navy [[Engineering:Fleet submarine|fleet submarine]]s, evolved through the Second World War; and may be identified as cruiser submarines in comparison to submarines designed for shorter patrols over lesser distances.<ref name=cb1/>

==Examples==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Name
!Nation
!Surface displacement
!Submerged displacement
!Speed
!Guns
!Torpedo tubes
!Crew
!Year
!Reference
|-
|''Ettore Fieramosca''
|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
|1,530 tons
|2,094 tons
|{{convert|15|kn}}
|1&nbsp;×&nbsp;12cm (4.7 in) 45 caliber
|14
|78
|1929
|
|-
|''Surcouf''
|{{flag|France}}
|3,250 tons
|4,304 tons
|{{convert|18|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;203mm (8in) 50 caliber
|10<ref>[http://www.avalanchepress.com/Surcouf.php Avalanch Press page on ''Sucouf''] says 8 external tubes (2x4), apparently one each 55cm & 40cm (1x4 each), but not how many in the hull.</ref>
|118
|1934
|<ref>le Masson, p.157</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:V-boat#V-5 and V-6—Narwhal and Nautilus|''Narwhal''-class]]
|{{navy|USA|name=USA}}
|2,730 tons
|4,050 tons
|{{convert|17|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;6"/53 caliber
|6
|90
|1928
|<ref name=phs>Silverstone, p.186</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:German Type U 139 submarine|Type U-139]]
|{{navy|German Empire|name=Germany}}
|1,930 tons
|2,483 tons
|{{convert|15|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|6
|62
|1916
|<ref name=eag>Gray, p.227</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:German Type U 151 submarine|Type U-151]]
|{{navy|German Empire|name=Germany}}
|1,512 tons
|1,875 tons
|{{convert|12|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|6
|56
|1917
|<ref name=eag/>
|-
|[[Engineering:Type J1 submarine|Type J1]]
|{{navy|Empire of Japan|name=Japan}}
|2,135 tons
|2,791 tons
|{{convert|18|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|14|cm|in|abbr=on}}/40 caliber
|6
|80
|1926
|<ref>Watts, p.167</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:Type B1 submarine|Type B1]]
|{{navy|Empire of Japan|name=Japan}}
|2,584 tons
|3,654 tons
|{{convert|23|kn}}
|1&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|14|cm|in|abbr=on}}/40 caliber
|6
|100
|1940
|<ref>Watts, p.185</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:Type AM submarine|Type AM]]
|{{navy|Empire of Japan|name=Japan}}
|3,603 tons
|4,762 tons
|{{convert|16|kn}}
|1&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|14|cm|in|abbr=on}}/40 caliber
|6
|100
|1944
|<ref>Watts, p.200</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:HMS X1|HMS X1]]
|{{navy|UK}}
|2,780 tons
|3,600 tons
|{{convert|19|kn}}
|4&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|5.2|in|cm|abbr=on}}
|6
|110
|1923
|<ref>Lenton & Colledge, p.136</ref>
|-
|{{sclass2|Kaidai|submarine|4}}
|{{navy|Empire of Japan|name=Japan}}
|1,833 tons
|2,602 tons
|{{convert|23|kn}}
|1&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|12|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|6
|80
|1930
|<ref>Watts, p.188</ref>
|-
|[[Engineering:Soviet K-class submarine|K-class]]
|{{navy|Soviet Union|name=Soviet Union}}
|1,490 tons
|2,104 tons
|{{convert|22.5|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|10
|67
|1939 
|<ref name="Taylor, p.104">Taylor, p.104</ref>
|-
|Type IXD2
|{{navy|Nazi Germany|name=Germany}}
|1,616 tons
|1,804 tons
|{{convert|19|kn}}
|1&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|10.5|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|6
|57
|1938
|<ref name="Taylor, p.104"/>
|-
|{{sclass|Cagni|submarine|4}}
|{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Italy}}
|1,461 tons
|2,136 tons
|{{convert|18|kn}}
|2&nbsp;×&nbsp;{{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}
|14
|85
|1940
|<ref>Kafka & Pepperburg, p.790</ref>
|-
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last=Blair |first=Clay |title =Hitler's U-Boat War |publisher =Random House |volume =The Hunters 1939-1942 |date =1996 |location =New York |isbn =0-394-58839-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Gray |first=Edwyn A. |title =The Killing Time |publisher =Charles Scribner's Sons |date =1972 |location =New York }}
* {{cite book |last1=Kafka |first1=Roger |last2=Pepperburg |first2=Roy L. |title =Warships of the World |publisher =Cornell Maritime Press |date =1946 |location =New York }}
* {{cite book |last=le Masson |first=Henri |title =Navies of the Second World War |publisher =Doubleday & Company |volume =The French Navy 1 |date =1969 |location =Garden City, New York }}
* {{cite book |last=Lenton |first=H.T. |title =German Warships of the Second World War |publisher =Arco Publishing Company |date =1976 |location =New York |isbn =0-668-04037-8}}
* {{cite book |last1=Lenton |first1=H.T. |last2=Colledge |first2=J.J. |title =British and Dominion Warships of World War II |publisher =Doubleday & Company |date =1964 |location =Garden City, New York }}
* {{cite book |last1=Potter |first1=E.B. |last2=Nimitz |first2=Chester W. |title =Sea Power |publisher =Prentice-Hall |date =1960 |location =Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey }}
* {{cite book |last=Silverstone |first=Paul H. |title =U.S. Warships of World War II |publisher =Doubleday & Company |date =1968 |location =Garden City, New York }}
* {{cite book |last=Tarrant |first=V.E. |title =The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945 |publisher =Cassell & Company |date =1989 |location =London |isbn =1-85409-520-X}}
* {{cite book |last=Taylor |first=J.C. |title =German Warships of World War II |publisher =Doubleday & Company |date =1966 |location =Garden City, New York }}
* {{cite book |last=Watts |first=Anthony J. |title =Japanese Warships of World War II |publisher =Doubleday & Company |date =1966 |location =Garden City, New York }}


[[Category:Submarines by type]]

{{Sourceattribution|Cruiser submarine}}