List of submarine classes of the United States Navy

The USS Holland (SS-1) was the first submarine ever commissioned by the United States Navy, marking the beginning of the Navy’s undersea fleet. Designed by John Philip Holland and built by the Holland Torpedo Boat Company, it represented a major breakthrough in naval engineering at the turn of the 20th century.
Launched on May 17, 1897, and commissioned on October 12, 1900, the Holland was 53 feet (16 m) long and displaced about 75 tons on the surface. The submarine featured a dual propulsion system — a gasoline engine for surface navigation and electric motors for submerged operation. This configuration became the standard for conventional submarines for more than half a century.
Armament consisted of a single 18-inch (460 mm) torpedo tube and a pneumatic dynamite gun, designed to fire explosive projectiles underwater. Although the vessel never saw combat, it was instrumental in testing and refining early submarine tactics, propulsion systems, and underwater control methods.
Technologically, the Holland introduced several features that would define future submarine design: ballast tanks, compressed air systems, controlled diving and surfacing, and an early periscope for visual navigation while submerged. Operated by a six-man crew, the vessel demonstrated stable underwater performance and practical endurance for its time.
The U.S. Navy purchased the Holland for $150,000, and it became the prototype for the subsequent Plunger-class (A-class) submarines. It remained in service primarily as a training and experimental platform until 1905, when it was decommissioned.
Today, the legacy of USS Holland lives on through museum exhibits and full-scale replicas, including displays at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut. Its pioneering design laid the foundation for more than a century of U.S. submarine innovation, establishing many of the core principles that modern submarines still follow.