What is the USS Narwhal?

There have been at least three Naval vessels that carried the name USS Narwhal. The first was a submarine commissioned in 1909. The second was a submarine commissioned in 1930, and the third was a submarine commissioned in 1969.

The first USS Narwhal was renamed in 1911 and called the USS D-1 (SS-17). It was the lead ship of the D-class submarines of the U.S. Navy during its commission.

The second USS Narwhal (SS-167) was also the lead ship of its submarine class. It was designed for endurance without an emphasis on speed for long trips.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, the third Narwhal (SSN-671) was built as the prototype platform for an ultra-quiet natural circulation reactor design.