USS Skipjack (SSN-585) USS Skipjack (SSN-585) USS "Skipjack" (SSN-585), the lead ship of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after the Skipjack tuna. Her keel was laid down on 29 May 1956 by the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 26 May 1958, sponsored by Helen Mahon, wife of Representative George H. Mahon from the 19th District of Texas, and commissioned on 15 April 1959 with Commander W. W. Behrens, Jr., in command. On the "Skipjack", there were many design changes that
Skipjack-class submarine torpedo room and AMS for ballast tanks. The design was improved on the "Thresher"s, the one-off , and subsequent attack submarines by relocating the torpedo room into the operations compartment via angled midships torpedo tubes to make room for a large sonar sphere in the bow. The "George Washington" class, the first SSBNs, were derived from the "Skipjack"s, with rebuilt from the incomplete first . The hull of "Scorpion" was laid down twice, as the original hull was redesigned to become the "George Washington". Also, the material for building was diverted into building , which delayed "Scamp"s progress. The bow