Los Angeles Class Nuclear Attack Submarine (SSN-688) — Asbestos in the Cold War Fast Attack Submarine

The Los Angeles class nuclear fast attack submarines — 62 boats commissioned between 1976 and 1996, designated SSN-688 through SSN-773 — were the backbone of the United States Navy’s Cold War submarine force and the most numerous class of nuclear submarines ever built for the US Navy. Built primarily at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, Los Angeles class submarines used a single S6G pressurized water reactor providing steam to a single-shaft geared steam turbine arrangement, giving the class a speed advantage over the preceding Sturgeon class. The 62-boat Los Angeles class spanned a 20-year production run from 1976 through 1996, with the earlier boats commissioned during the late 1970s and early 1980s incorporating construction materials that reflected the transitional period in Navy submarine construction when asbestos-containing materials were being phased out. Early Los Angeles class submarines — particularly those commissioned 1976–1982 — incorporated asbestos-containing steam plant pipe insulation and interior construction materials consistent with the transitional construction specifications of that period, while later boats incorporated reduced or absent asbestos-containing materials as the phase-out progressed.

Early Los Angeles Class Steam Plant Asbestos

Early Los Angeles class submarines (SSN-688 through approximately SSN-710) incorporated transitional-era steam plant materials:

• Secondary steam system pipe insulation — the secondary steam loop piping aboard early Los Angeles class submarines commissioned in the late 1970s incorporated pipe insulation materials that may have included asbestos-containing insulation consistent with the transitional construction specifications of the early Los Angeles class production period. Engineering ratings working in Los Angeles class engine rooms accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing steam system insulation present in the propulsion plant
• Steam plant valve and equipment insulation — the steam stop valves, throttle valves, and steam distribution equipment in the Los Angeles class propulsion plant incorporated insulation materials consistent with the steam plant equipment manufacturing specifications of the construction period. Machinist’s Mates maintaining steam plant valve and equipment insulation in Los Angeles class engine rooms may have encountered asbestos-containing insulation materials during maintenance operations on early boats in the class
• Ship’s service turbine generator steam supply insulation — the steam supply piping serving the ship’s service turbine generators aboard early Los Angeles class submarines incorporated pipe insulation consistent with the construction period specifications. EM(N) and MM(N) ratings maintaining SSTG systems may have encountered insulation materials during SSTG maintenance on early Los Angeles class boats

Los Angeles Class Interior Construction Materials

Early Los Angeles class submarines incorporated transitional-era interior construction:

• Submarine pressure hull interior construction — Los Angeles class submarines commissioned in the late 1970s and early 1980s incorporated interior construction materials consistent with the transitional submarine construction specifications of the period. Some interior construction applications in the crew berthing areas, operations compartment, and engineering spaces of early Los Angeles class boats may have incorporated asbestos-containing construction materials during the transitional construction period before complete phase-out of asbestos from submarine construction was achieved
• Engine room construction materials — the Los Angeles class engine room overhead and bulkhead construction incorporated insulation and construction materials consistent with the construction specifications at the time of each boat’s construction. Engineering ratings working in Los Angeles class engine rooms during the submarine’s service accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing materials in the engine room construction

VA Claims for Los Angeles Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure aboard Navy nuclear submarines. Machinist’s Mates, Electrician’s Mates, and crew members who served aboard early Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarines 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.