Undersea

The fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton Aug. 21, following a six-month deployment. During the deployment, Seawolf conducted routine submarine operations, which included scheduled under-ice transits and under-ice operations. “The crew performed superbly on multiple operations in the 6th Fleet area of …

By Rear Adm. Joseph E. Tofalo Director, Undersea Warfare Division (N97) This weekend, we celebrated the anniversary of the first SSBN patrol. For the uninitiated, SSBN means Ship Submersible Ballistic (Nuclear) with the “Nuclear” referring to the ship’s propulsive power (not the ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads).  The United States’ first nuclear …

The Navy will commission its newest attack submarine, North Dakota, during an 11 a.m. (EDT)  ceremony Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, at Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. Before we commission North Dakota, go inside the Navy’s newest attack submarine. Click on the graphic to enlarge it.  

By Rear Adm. Dave Kriete Commander, Submarine Group 9 Today marks an important milestone for our Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) force – the 30th anniversary of the commissioning of USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730). The ship, its crew and the ship’s sponsor, Anna Marie Laurence, are hosting a …

Today, the nation commemorates the 4000th strategic deterrent submarine patrol by conducting dual ceremonies at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., and SUBASE Bangor, Wash. What is a strategic deterrent submarine patrol and why does it matter? Check out the infographic below for the answer. You can also read Adm. …

By Adm. Cecil D. Haney Commander, U.S. Strategic CommandToday, the nation commemorates the 4,000th strategic deterrent submarine patrol with dual ceremonies at SUBASE Kings Bay, GA and SUBASE Bangor, WA. While all U.S. submarines have nuclear propulsion, the SSBNs (Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear), nicknamed “Boomers,” are capable of carrying ballistic missiles …

By Rear Adm. Joseph Tofalo Director, Undersea Warfare Division (N97) Last Friday USS North Dakota (SSN 784) delivered to the fleet under budget and two days earlier than its contractual delivery date.  As part of the Navy’s acceptance, North Dakota was evaluated in the areas of construction and equipment operation …

By Rear Adm. Joseph Tofalo Director, Undersea Warfare Division (OPNAV N97) In response to the recent release of the Navy’s 30-year ship building plan, there have been a number of articles in the media highlighting the impact of procuring the Ohio Replacement (OR) SSBN on other Navy shipbuilding programs. These articles …

By Capt. Fuzz Harrison Deputy for Diving and Sub Rescue, OPNAV N97 Navy diving operations are an integral part of the Navy and personnel safety is the primary consideration in all Navy diving operations. As the Deputy for Diving on the Navy Staff, I recently served as the co-lead for the …

By Lt. Cmdr. Benjamin Amdur Director, Submarine Force Museum and Officer-in-Charge, Historic ship Nautilus We now live in an age where every new car, smart phone and skincare product claims it will transform our lives. The meaning of the phase “revolutionary technology” has lost much of its clout. However, 60 …