Amphion-class submarine

HMS Alliance at Gosport submarine museum
Class overview
Builders
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byV class
Succeeded byExplorer class
In service1945 - 1974
Planned46
Completed16
Cancelled30
Preserved1
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement1,385 tons surfaced, 1,620 tons submerged
Length280.5 ft (85.5 m)
Beam22.3 ft (6.8 m)
Draught16.8 ft (5.1 m)
Speed
  • 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h) surfaced
  • 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged
Range
  • 10,500 nautical miles (19,400 km) at 11 knots (20 km/h) surfaced
  • 16 nautical miles (30 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h) submerged
Test depth500 feet (150 m)
Complement61 officers and men
Armament
  • 6 × 21 inch (533 mm) bow torpedo tubes (2 external, one-shot, later removed)
  • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) stern torpedo tubes (2 external, one-shot, later removed)
  • 16 torpedoes or 26 mines carried internally
  • 1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) gun (Mk XXII or Mk XXIII)
  • 1 × one Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
  • 3 × .303-caliber machine guns

The Amphion class (also known as the "A" class and Acheron class) of British diesel-electric submarines were designed for use in the Pacific War. Only two were completed before the end of hostilities, but following modernisation in the 1950s, they continued to serve in the Royal Navy into the 1970s.