The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) transits the Pacific Ocean during Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX 21G). ANNUALEX is a yearly bilateral exercise with the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

USS Seawolf (SSN-21), the lead ship of her class, is the fourth submarine of the United States Navy named for the seawolf, a solitary fish with strong, prominent teeth and projecting tusks that give it a savage look. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics and Newport News Shipbuilding on 9 January 1989 and her keel was laid down on 25 October 1989. She was launched on 24 June 1995, sponsored by Mrs. Margaret Dalton, and commissioned on 19 July 1997 with Commander David M. McCall in command.

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海狼級"核動力攻擊潛艇 ，是洛杉磯級攻擊型核潛艇的繼任者，在冷戰末期(1989年)開始建造。海狼級潛艇造價高昂，預計單價達到十億美金，同時也被認為是最安靜的核潛艇。最初美國海軍打算在10年間以每年3艘的速度，建造29艘海狼級潛艇，由於蘇聯解體冷戰結束、刪減國防預算和部分的技術問題，造價過於高昂的海狼級建造計劃被取消。海狼級第三艘吉米卡特號造價高達32億美元，高成本導致在1995年海狼級潛艇的訂單被全面取消，美國海軍只批准建造了三艘海狼級潛艇，其部分任務改由較小的NSSN百夫長級，也是後來的維吉尼亞級所取代 .

海狼級潛艇比舊洛杉磯級潛艇更安靜、更大且更快，共有8具660毫米口徑魚雷管發射管，這8具魚雷管發射管都較過去的口徑大，以便未來可安裝新服役的武器，如當時在洛杉磯級潛艦曼菲斯號（Memphis　SSN-691）所裝設的實驗性762毫米發射管。海狼級潛艇沒有艦載垂直發射系統，這也呈現了它海戰優勢的設計思想。

本潛艇設計深海作戰優勢，為了捕殺當時蘇聯海軍先進彈道飛彈潛艇，如颱風級，以及阿庫拉級核潛艇。但是他們也有廣泛的設備用作淺水作戰，其中包括一個浮筒倉能夠部署八個作戰蛙人及其裝備。該船還可以攜帶多達50個戰斧巡弋飛彈攻擊陸地和船舶的目標。海狼級潛艦設計的長寬比頗低，且具有六片艦艉平衡翼，有利其操控性的提升。而艦艏平衡翼可收縮至艦體，以利冰下操控。

海狼級潛艇能夠用極為安靜的方式在水下以20節的速度航行，除了使海狼級潛艇更難被偵測到外，也不會受到潛艦本身的噪音影響搜尋，海狼級以HY-100高張力鋼板建造，性能超過HY-80鋼，最大潛深可達610米。

 The Seawolf class is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines (SSN) in service with the United States Navy. The class was the intended successor to the Los Angeles class. Design work began in 1983. At one time, an intended fleet of 29 submarines was to be built over a ten-year period, later reduced to twelve submarines. The end of the Cold War and budget constraints led to the cancellation in 1995 of any further additions to the fleet, leaving the Seawolf class limited to just three boats. This, in turn, led to the design of the smaller Virginia class. The Seawolf class cost about $3 billion ($3.5 billion for USS Jimmy Carter) making it the most expensive SSN submarine and second most expensive submarine ever after the French SSBN Triomphant class.

 卡特號（Jimmy Carter）比其餘兩艘海狼級潛艇長大約100英尺（30米），因為它要安裝一節多任務平台（MMP），它能夠派出和回收的遙控載具及海豹部隊。該多任務平台也可被用來作為一個水下剪接室竊聽海底光纖電纜。這個角色的前身是由退役美國海軍星座號（SSN-683）所擔任的，卡特目前駐紮在華盛頓州Bangor基地。2006年，美國海軍宣布全部海狼級潛艇都將會駐紮在這個基地。