The K-class of coastal defense submarines, although similar to the preceding H-class, were slightly larger. This followed a design trend by Electric Boat (EB) of simply scaling up a previous design to meet new performance requirements. In this design EB eliminated the watertight bulkheads that made the control room a separate space. The forward battery, control room, and after battery were one large space.[2] The small conning tower was surrounded by a streamlined fairwater, there was no enclosed bridge for surface operations. Later, a pipe-frame and canvas bridge structure would be erected atop of the fairwater to serve as a makeshift bridge. Since USN tactical doctrine of the time did not emphasize crash dives, the considerable time it took to deploy or dismantle was not seen as a liability.[3] Experience in World War I showed that this removable bridge was inadequate in the North Atlantic weather, and other submarines serving overseas in that war, E, K, and L-classes, had their bridge structures augmented with a "chariot" shield on the front of the bridge.
The K-class retained the rotating torpedo tube muzzle cap which was standard on previous classes. The cap was rotated so that two holes would line up with alternate torpedo tubes so that the weapons could be fired.[4]
Service
K-1, K-2, K-5, and K-6, began their careers on the US East Coast and were forward deployed to the Azores, in World War I, as convoy escorts, where their experience proved valuable in adapting future submarines for surfaced operations in rough weather. The remaining four were stationed on the West Coast, early in their careers, but were reassigned to Key West, Florida, for training and coastal security patrols in early 1918. All remained on the East Coast following the war for the rest of their careers.
Although considered to be successful submarines, the K-class coastal defense design was quickly overtaken by rapid advances in technology following World War I, and were of little use to the USN of the 1920s, with its new emphasis on global fleet operations. They were all discarded after only about nine years of service.[2]
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