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USS Jimmy Carter

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Jimmy Carter departs NSB Kings Bay, 11 August 2005.
History
NameUSS Jimmy Carter
NamesakeJimmy Carter
Ordered29 June 1996
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down5 December 1998
Launched13 May 2004
Christened5 June 2004
Commissioned19 February 2005
HomeportBangor Annex of Naval Base Kitsap, Washington
MottoSemper Optima ("Always the Best")
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeSeawolf-class submarine
Displacement7,568 tons light, 12,139 tons full, 1,569 tons dead
Length
  • 138 m (453 ft) overall,
  • 128.5 m (419 ft) waterline
Beam12.1 m (40 ft)
Draft10.9 m (36 ft)
PropulsionOne S6W reactor
Speed25+ knots (45+ km/h)
Complement15 officers, 126 enlisted
Armament8 × 26-inch torpedo tubes; Harpoon missiles; Tomahawk missiles; Mk-48 torpedoes; ability to lay mines

USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) is the third and last Seawolf-class submarine in the United States Navy. She is the first ship in the U.S. Navy to be named for Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States; Carter is the only President who had qualified in submarines, having served as a Communications Officer, Sonar Officer, Electronics Officer, Weapons Officer, and Supply Officer while on board USS Pomfret (SS-391).[1] Jimmy Carter is one of the few ships of the United States Navy (and only the third submarine) to have been named for a person who was alive at the time of the ship's naming, and the first submarine to be named for a living former president.

Ship history

The contract to build Carter was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 29 June 1996, and her keel was laid on 5 December 1998. Original schedules called for Carter to be commissioned in late 2001 or early 2002, but on 10 December 1999, Electric Boat was awarded a US $887 million extension to the Carter contract to modify the boat for highly classified missions and testing of new submarine systems, missions previously carried out by USS Parche (SSN-683).[2] During modification, her hull was extended 100 more feet to accommodate a 2,500-ton supplementary middle section with an ocean interface for divers, remotely operated vehicles, and special operation equipment; ROV handling system, storage and deployment space for mission systems; and a pressure-resistant passage between the fore and aft parts of the submarine to accommodate the Jimmy Carter's crew[3][4][5]

Jimmy Carter was christened on 5 June 2004. The ship sponsor was former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. One result of the changes was that the Carter was commissioned more than six years after the USS Connecticut (SSN-22) and almost 4 months after the commissioning of the first of the Virginia-class submarine subs, the USS Virginia. Her six year and two month construction time is probably the longest in the history of the U.S. Navy for any ship other than an aircraft carrier. (The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is expected to take over seven years to complete.)

Carter is roughly 100 feet (30 m) longer than the other two ships of her class, USS Seawolf (SSN-21) and USS Connecticut (SSN-22). This is due to the insertion of a plug (additional section) known as the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP), which allows launch and recovery of ROVs and Navy SEAL forces. The plug features a fairing over a wasp-waist shaped passageway allowing crew to pass between the fore and aft sections of the hull while providing a space to store ROVs and special equipment that may need to launch and recover from the submarine.[6]

Carter has additional maneuvering devices fitted fore and aft that will allow her to keep station over selected targets in odd currents.[citation needed] Past submarines outfitted this way[citation needed] were used to tap undersea cables, to intercept communications of foreign countries. Intelligence experts speculate that the MMP may find use in similar missions as an underwater splicing chamber for optical fiber cables.[7][8][9][10]

On 24 January 2004 Commander David Bartholomew Jr., commanding officer of PCU (Pre-Commissioning Unit) Jimmy Carter was relieved of command because of a "loss of confidence" in his ability "pending further administrative or disciplinary action as appropriate." Captain Robert D. Kelso, deputy chief of staff of Submarine Development Squadron 12 at Naval Submarine Base New London, took temporary command of the PCU until a new commanding officer could be named.

On 19 November 2004 Jimmy Carter completed alpha sea trials, her first voyage in the open seas. On 22 December, Electric Boat delivered Jimmy Carter to the US Navy, and she was commissioned 19 February 2005 at NSB New London.

Jimmy Carter began a transit from NSB New London to its new homeport at the Bangor Annex of Naval Base Kitsap, Washington on 14 October 2005 but was forced to return when an unusually high wave caused damage while the submarine was running on the surface. The damage was repaired and Carter left New London the following day, arriving at Bangor the afternoon of 9 November 2005.

On 16 June 2006 Commander David Honabach took command from Captain Kelso.[11]

On 17 January 2008 Jimmy Carter was awarded the 2007 Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as a "Battle E".[12]

In June 2009 Commander Brian Davies took command from Captain David Honabach.

In November 2010 Jimmy Carter was revealed as the first US asset to provide intelligence after the North Korean bombardment of Yeonpyeong. Reports indicated that a UAV from the boat was used shortly after the incident.[13]

In March 2012 Commander Brian Elkowitz relieved Commander Brian Davies as the Commanding Officer of Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter was awarded the 2012 Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as a "Battle E".

In May 2015 Commander Mel Smith relieved Commander Brian Elkowitz as the Commanding Officer of Jimmy Carter.

  • Former President Carter holding a model of the boat that carries his name.
    Former President Carter holding a model of the boat that carries his name.
  • Diagram of Carter, showing added features
    Diagram of Carter, showing added features
  • Carter during the submarine’s commissioning ceremony, 19 February 2005
    Carter during the submarine’s commissioning ceremony, 19 February 2005
  • Carter in the Magnetic Silencing Facility at Naval Base Kitsap for her first deperming treatment.
    Carter in the Magnetic Silencing Facility at Naval Base Kitsap for her first deperming treatment.
  • Carter during sea trials.
    Carter during sea trials.
  • Former President Carter on the bridge of the Carter.
    Former President Carter on the bridge of the Carter.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Lieutenant James Earle Carter, Jr., USN". Naval History & Heritage Command. United States Navy. 19 October 1997. Retrieved 18 June 2008.
  2. ^ Zimmerman, W. Frederick (2008). SSN-23 Jimmy Carter: U.S. Navy Submarine (Seawolf Class). Nimble Books. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-934840-30-6.
  3. ^ RADM Davis, J. P. USS JIMMY CARTER (SSN23): Expanding Future SSN Missions, Undersea Warfare, Fall 1999, pp. 16-18.
  4. ^ PCU Jimmy Carter Christened at Electric Boat, U.S. Navy, Story Number: NNS040609-07, Release Date: 6/9/2004
  5. ^ The Navy’s underwater eavesdropper, Reuters, July 19, 2013
  6. ^ Davis, USN, RADM John P. (Fall 1999). "USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23): Expanding Future SSN Missions". Undersea Warfare. 2 (1). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  7. ^ "New Nuclear Sub Is Said to Have Special Eavesdropping Ability". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Associated Press. 20 February 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  8. ^ Zorpette, Glenn (January 2002). "Making Intelligence Smarter". IEEE Spectrum. 39 (1). IEEE: 38–43. doi:10.1109/6.975021. ISSN 0018-9235. Retrieved 30 June 2009. {{cite journal}}: External link in |issue= (help)
  9. ^ Neil Jr. (23 May 2001). "Spy agency taps into undersea cable". ZDNet News. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  10. ^ "Jimmy Carter: Super Spy?". Defensetech.org. 21 February 2005. Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Popejoy, MC1 Mary (16 June 2006). "USS Jimmy Carter gets a new boss". The Northwest Navigator. Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 18 June 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Rowley, Eric (22 January 2008). "Pacific Northwest Sub Crews Win Battle "E"". Navy.mil. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  13. ^ http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/11/yeonpyeong-navy-notes-24-hours-later.html
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