Barbel Class Submarines (SS) — Asbestos in the Last Conventional Attack Submarines

Barbel class submarines — three boats (USS Barbel SS-580, USS Blueback SS-581, USS Bonefish SS-582, commissioned 1959) — were the last diesel-electric attack submarines built for the US Navy and the first US submarines to incorporate the Albacore teardrop hull form, which achieved superior underwater speed and maneuverability compared to conventional submarine hull forms. Built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (Kittery, Maine) and Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics (Groton, Connecticut), these boats served through the 1970s and 1980s in Pacific Fleet ASW training and reserve submarine roles. USS Blueback was the final diesel-electric submarine decommissioned from the US Navy, in 1990, and is preserved as a museum ship in Portland, Oregon.

Diesel-Electric Engineering and Asbestos

Barbel class submarines used diesel-electric propulsion with asbestos in the engineering systems:

• Auxiliary steam and heating system insulation — the steam-heated auxiliary systems serving Barbel class boats — heating, potable water, and fuel heating systems — used asbestos-insulated steam and hot water distribution piping in the submarine’s pressure hull compartments. Enginemen maintaining these heating systems worked in the confined submarine spaces in proximity to asbestos-insulated piping throughout the boat’s 25-30 year service life
• Diesel engine and exhaust insulation — the diesel engine exhaust manifolds and associated high-temperature components aboard Barbel class boats used asbestos-containing thermal insulation to reduce heat in the confined machinery spaces. The teardrop hull’s compact engineering arrangement placed crew in close proximity to insulated diesel components during normal machinery space work
• Late 1950s construction materials — the late 1950s construction of Barbel class boats used interior materials consistent with the construction era, including asbestos-containing products in the deck covering and interior construction of the pressure hull compartments before asbestos alternatives became standard in submarine construction

Albacore Teardrop Hull Configuration

The Barbel class teardrop hull created more confined engineering spaces:

• The teardrop hull form’s compact internal arrangement placed machinery, propulsion equipment, and crew spaces in a more tightly integrated arrangement than conventional hull submarines, meaning engineering crew members working in the machinery spaces were in closer proximity to insulated components throughout their duties

Extended Service Life

Barbel class boats served for approximately 25-30 years in active Navy service:

• The extended service of Barbel class boats through the 1980s meant crew members who served during the 1970s and 1980s were serving aboard submarines with original late 1950s construction materials — including asbestos-containing products — that had been present throughout the boat’s entire service life

VA Claims for Barbel Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy attack submarines. Enginemen, Electrician’s Mates, and crew members who served aboard Barbel class submarines (SS-580, SS-581, SS-582) and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.