USS San Juan (SSN-751)
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| Career |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS San Juan |
| Namesake: | The City of San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Awarded: | 30 November 1982 |
| Builder: | General Dynamics Electric Boat |
| Laid down: | 9 August 1985 |
| Launched: | 6 December 1986 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Sherrill Hernandez |
| Commissioned: | 6 August 1988 |
| Homeport: | Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine |
| Motto: | Technology and Tradition |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2012[update] |
| Badge: |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Los Angeles-class submarine |
| Displacement: | 5,790 long tons (5,883 t) light 6,197 long tons (6,296 t) full 407 long tons (414 t) dead |
| Length: | 110.3 m (361 ft 11 in) |
| Beam: | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Draft: | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion: | S6G nuclear reactor |
| Complement: | 12 officers, 98 men |
| Armament: | • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes • 12 × vertical launch Tomahawk missiles |
USS San Juan (SSN-751), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 30 November 1982 and her keel was laid down on 9 August 1985. She was launched on 6 December 1986 sponsored by Mrs. Sherrill Hernandez, and commissioned on 6 August 1988, with Commander Charles Young in command.
San Juan was the first Los Angeles class (688-class) submarine to receive a number of significant improvements to the class's basic design, creating the 688I (for "improved 688"). San Juan and all following submarines in her class are quieter, incorporated an advanced AN/BSY-1 "busy one" combat control system/sonar suite, and have dedicated tubes for vertical launch of the Tomahawk cruise missile. The externally visible changes are also significant, as San Juan had her forward diving planes moved from the sail (fairwater planes) to the bow and made retractable. Together, the retractable bow planes, strengthening of the sail, and installation of additional depth control and support systems make it possible for San Juan to break through polar and near-polar ice as a part of 'normal' ship operations.
Minor Collision
On 19 March 1998, south of Long Island, New York, San Juan collided with the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky (SSBN-737). Kentucky suffered damage to her rudder but no injuries occurred on either ship; San Juan's forward ballast tank was breached, but she was able to surface and return to port.
Notable Deployments
San Juan fired the Mark 48 torpedo that deliberately sank the former ammunition ship USNS Butte (T-AE-27) in a target exercise on 3 July 2006. In 2009 the USS San Juan went on what would become a Battle E winning deployment. During her time out, San Juan became the first US nuclear submarine to make a port visit in the country of South Africa.
San Juan is often used by the Navy for testing of advanced weapons, sensors and tactics.
Submiss Incident
On 13 March 2007, San Juan was the subject of a search and rescue mission by elements of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group when a red flare was spotted in her projected vicinity, suggesting an emergency. Communications were established by the early hours of the next day when San Juan surfaced, and no problems were indicated.[1]
Current Employment
In early 2010, the San Juan changed homeport to the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, ME to undergo a routine Engineered Overhaul (EOH). In June 2010, the USS San Juan became the first submarine in PNSY history to perform Dual Media Discharge (DMD) as part of an EOH. "San Juan" holds the unofficial record for fastest 688 DMD at PSNY.
[edit] References
- ^ "Billion-Dollar U.S. Sub Disappears Overnight for Several Hours". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2950740&page=1. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
[edit] External links
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