USS Annapolis (SSN-760)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Annapolis.

History
Name	USS Annapolis
Namesake	The City of Annapolis, Maryland
Awarded	21 March 1986
Builder	General Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down	15 June 1988
Launched	18 May 1991
Sponsored by	Mrs. Myra F. Kauderer
Commissioned	11 April 1992
Homeport	Groton, Connecticut
Motto	Born Free, Hope to Die Free
Status	in active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Los Angeles-class submarine
Displacement	6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light (surfaced) 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full (dived) 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length	110.34 m (362 ft 0 in)
Beam	10.06 m (33 ft 0 in)
Draft	9.75 m (32 ft 0 in)
Depth	122 m (400 ft)
Propulsion	S6G nuclear reactor
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)+
Complement	12 officers, 115 men
Sensors and processing systems	BQQ-10 Sonar; BPS-15 Surface Search Radar;
Armament	• 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes • 12 x Vertical Launch Tomahawk tubes • Mark 48 ADCAP torpedoes • Tomahawk missiles • CAPTOR mine

USS Annapolis (SSN-760), is the tenth "improved" Los Angeles-class submarine. Homeported in Groton, CT, she is assigned to Submarine Development Squadron 12. USS Annapolis is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, site of the United States Naval Academy.

History

The contract to build USS Annapolis (SSN-760) was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 21 March 1986 and her keel was laid down on 15 June 1988. She was launched on 18 May 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Myra F. Kauderer, and commissioned on 11 April 1992, with Commander Richard Severinghaus in command.

Completing sea trials in April 1993, the ship had her first port visit to her namesake city, Annapolis, MD. She then entered Post Shakedown Availability in January 1993. After completing PSA in July 1993, the ship had her first port visit to Bermuda.

November 1993, USS Annapolis deployed on its first mission to the North Atlantic. Later that year it was awarded the Submarine Group Two Silver Anchor Award for enlisted retention. Annapolis returned to Groton, CT for the Christmas holidays and then continued on deployment in the Northern Atlantic in January 1994. During this time the boat made her first visit to Bergen, Norway where some members of the crew had an opportunity to attend a few of the 1994 Winter Olympic events, including the Men's Gold Medal Hockey Match, before returning to Groton in March. During this deployment the boat and crew earned the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon. Following an in-port refit period, Annapolis participated in a six month pre-deployment workup with USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), and on October 20, 1994, began her first six-month Mediterranean Deployment with the Eisenhower Battle Group. During the deployment, the crew had a chance to make port calls in places as diverse as Gibraltar; Toulon, France; La Maddalena, Italy; Limasol, Cyprus; and Haifa, Israel. During this deployment Annapolis earned her first Sea Service Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal and Meritorious Unit Commendation. Upon the boat's return, Annapolis was "adopted" by the town of Montville, Connecticut in an effort to strengthen community relations.

The boat's next deployment was not until October 1997, when it returned to the Mediterranean Sea with the George Washington Battle Group. In November 1997, in response to an emergent political and military crisis in the Persian Gulf, Annapolis transited the Suez Canal en route to the Middle East. While on station, Annapolis played a key role as a Tomahawk strike platform as well as serving as a public affairs platform by hosting news crews from both ABC and CBS networks.

Port calls were limited but the crew did get ashore in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While in the Gulf, the boat earned its second Sea Service Ribbon and a Naval Unit Commendation. In March 1998 Annapolis was relieved of her duties by the USS Providence (SSN-719) and began the long voyage home.

After more than two years of local operations and extensive upkeep, Annapolis transited back to the Mediterranean in the summer of 2000 for a six-month independent submarine deployment. While in the Mediterranean, the boat had a chance to participate in several multi-national exercises as well as in real-world operations in the Adriatic. Crew members had significant liberty in Gibraltar; Rota, Spain; Toulon, France; and La Maddalena, Italy, and earned its third Sea Service Ribbon and second Naval Expeditionary Medal. The boat returned from this deployment in January 2001.

Annapolis entered Portsmouth Navy Yard for an extended overhaul on 23 April 2003. She set sail 16 May 2004, after completing a Depot Modernization Period one month ahead of schedule.

On 28 February 2008, Annapolis returned to homeport Groton from a six-month deployment. The deployment included visits to Rota, Spain; Toulon and Brest, France; Praia, Cape Verde; and Ghana. Annapolis was the first U.S. submarine to make a port visit to Africa (Cape Verde) outside of the Mediterranean. In addition to functions supporting national security, Annapolis participated in the African Partnership Station (APS) 2007, an initiative with regional maritime services in West and Central Africa.

In March 2009 Annapolis took part in Ice Exercise 2009.

References

This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.

Annapolis rests in the Arctic Ocean after surfacing through three feet of ice during Ice Exercise 2009 on March 21, 2009. The two-week training exercise, which is used to test submarine operability and war-fighting capability in Arctic conditions, also involved the USS Helena, the University of Washington and personnel from the Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory.