The Tambors attained the top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h) and range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km) (allowing patrols in Japanese home waters) of the preceding Sargo class, and improvements included six bow torpedo tubes, a more reliable full diesel-electric propulsion plant, and improved combat efficiency with key personnel and equipment relocated to the conning tower.

[7] Early U.S. submarine designs of World War I assigned to escort shipping revealed that they had minimal ability to deter an aggressive threat.

Following the Armistice, and after testing the capabilities of German design via captured U-boats, the U.S. Navy began to see the potential for extended offensive submarine operations.

[8] These qualities would later prove vital in commerce raiding during World War II, though this was largely absent from prewar planning due to the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty.

[9] The huge advancement in American technology required to fill that role with "a new all-purpose fleet submarine" also became apparent.

A different direction, that of a large, long-range "cruiser" submarine with moderate speed, was taken with Argonaut, Narwhal, and Nautilus, the second trio of V-boats launched 1927–30.

[12] They found a role inserting raiders and supplying guerrillas in World War II, famously in the Makin Island raid but also in the Philippines.

Although the new "S" class had a faster "composite" power plant combining direct drive and diesel-electric components, they were somewhat lacking in reliability and firepower.

Hart stubbornly defended the building of small, coastal defense boats (without "luxuries" like air conditioning, whose primary function was not comfort but the elimination of prevalent electrical shorts).

Through determination and skilled political maneuvering, the design of Lockwood's team prevailed (though Hart would consent to only a 3-inch (76 mm) gun).

As with other classes, the small gun was to prevent submarines from attempting to engage heavily armed escorts on the surface.

[5] Combat efficiency was improved by relocating the sonar operators and the Torpedo Data Computer into an enlarged conning tower to enable direct communication with the captain, and a new periscope with a small head to avoid detection was equipped.

[14] As with many other submarines that started the war with the 3"/50, the remaining Tambors received 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber guns removed from old S-boats that were being withdrawn from combat service.

The full diesel-electric propulsion plant found in a few Sargos was continued, and probably improvements over the Porpoise class eliminated the arcing that had plagued those boats.

The Tambors were lucky; twelve of the subsequent Gato-class boats were initially equipped with HORs, apparently to speed up production.

Postwar, Tuna was a target in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946, but was only lightly damaged.