USS Halibut Submarine

General Product Description

Our MyMahoganyModel USS Halibut Submarine exhibits unique, unrivaled quality and detailed design to come as close as possible to the accuracy of the actual craft. It comes as standard with a robust, durable base or stand which is available in a variety of different finishes designed to match your own personal requirements including solid wood, wood with polished metal supports or adjustable wood wall mount and will be ready within about 9-10 weeks from placement of order.

The USS Halibut Submarine is made of the finest kiln dried renewable mahogany wood (commonly known as Lauan or Meranti) which has undergone many stages of carving and meticulous and careful sanding giving the beautiful, finished museum quality masterpiece. Many collectors and model connoisseurs demonstrate their preference for genuine handmade and hand painted mahogany wood models rather than plastic or die cast (diecast) alternatives due to the overall look and totally different feel of the item - we trust you will find the same. We can however, if required produce the same model in Solid Cast Resin so just click and contact us for further information. Our craftsmen and gifted artisans ensure that our finely handcrafted model watercraft match the precise blueprint details of the original version. The paint scheme, markings and parts are closely matched, reflecting the original. This stylish top-quality desktop replica model will surely enthrall anyone who receives this as a gift and for sure one of the most appropriate and desirably collectable gifts for any boat, ship or similar enthusiast and avid collector whilst also displaying a perfect resemblance to the actual craft itself.

If you require, we can also make the All-round marine Boat Dinghy Model in any other private livery, markings or colour scheme you require and if necessary, in a different size or scale. Just click here to contact us with a description or photographs of what you require and we will let you have a quotation for the necessary customization by return email. We can also make bespoke scale replicas of any other private / civil commercial airliner or airliners, helicopter, glider, gliders with engines, military jet, warplane jets, propeller warplanes, biplane, triplane, tail fin, spacecraft, rocket or NASA model you require in any airline, military or civilian livery or colors. We also produce boat and ship collectibles. Wall plaque or seal for military, government or private customers. Again, by clicking here to contact us just let us know exactly what you need.

USS Halibut (SSGN-587): The Spy Submarine That Redefined Undersea Warfare

The USS Halibut (SSGN-587) was one of the most unique and secretive submarines in the history of the United States Navy. Originally built as a guided missile submarine during the early Cold War era, Halibut went on to play a critical — and clandestine — role in undersea espionage. From carrying the Regulus cruise missile to executing daring intelligence missions deep inside Soviet waters, Halibut pushed the limits of submarine warfare and covert technology.

A Nuclear First: Design and Purpose

Commissioned on January 4, 1960, USS Halibut was the only submarine of her class and the first U.S. submarine specifically built to launch the Regulus nuclear cruise missile. She was powered by a nuclear reactor, giving her virtually unlimited range and endurance — a crucial asset during a time when nuclear deterrence required stealth and persistence.

Halibut was 350 feet long, displaced about 5,000 tons submerged, and featured a large hangar on her deck for storing and launching up to five Regulus I or Regulus II cruise missiles. These missiles were an early form of naval nuclear strike capability, predating the more advanced submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) like Polaris.

Transformation: From Missile Carrier to Intelligence Platform

With the advent of SLBM-equipped submarines such as the George Washington class, the Regulus system quickly became obsolete. However, the Navy saw new potential in Halibut. In 1965, she underwent an extensive conversion at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, emerging as a Special Operations submarine equipped with state-of-the-art intelligence-gathering tools.

The modifications were extensive and shrouded in secrecy. The submarine was outfitted with underwater cameras, sophisticated sonar systems, remote-operated vehicles (ROVs), cable tapping devices, and a special chamber for divers. She was also fitted with skids to land on the ocean floor — an essential capability for her most legendary mission.

Operation Ivy Bells: Tapping the Soviet Undersea Network

Halibut’s most famous mission, though classified for decades, was Operation Ivy Bells, a joint CIA-Navy operation in the early 1970s. The objective was to tap an undersea communication cable in the Sea of Okhotsk, which linked Soviet military command centers and was assumed to be secure because it was entirely underwater within Soviet territorial waters.

Navigating treacherous currents and evading detection in enemy-controlled waters, Halibut deployed a specially trained team of divers and equipment to locate the cable and install a recording device — a feat of precision and daring. The recordings provided invaluable intelligence on Soviet submarine deployments and communications for years.

These missions, often conducted in near-total secrecy, demonstrated the growing role of submarines in espionage and information warfare, far beyond their traditional wartime functions.

Later Service and Decommissioning

After years of classified missions, Halibut was reclassified as an attack submarine (SSN-587) in 1968. She continued to serve in intelligence-gathering and experimental roles, including testing advanced sonar, undersea surveillance systems, and ocean engineering projects.

After an eventful and unconventional career, USS Halibut was decommissioned on June 30, 1976, and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register the following year. She was eventually scrapped, but her legacy lived on in the Navy’s Special Projects submarines that followed — including the USS Parche and USS Seawolf — designed for deep-sea espionage and reconnaissance.

Conclusion

USS Halibut was not just another Cold War submarine — she was a pioneer of undersea espionage and innovation. From launching early nuclear cruise missiles to executing one of the most daring intelligence operations of the Cold War, Halibut proved that submarines could be powerful tools not only of warfare, but of strategic information gathering. Her legacy helped shape the future of naval intelligence and demonstrated the vital role of stealth, technology, and daring beneath the surface of the world’s oceans.