Submarine Squadron 20

Submarine Squadron 20
Active	present
Country	United States
Garrison/HQ	Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia
Commanders
Current; commander	Captain Thomas R. Buchanan

Last updated February 25, 2019

Submarine Squadron 20 is a United States Navy unit responsible for the maintenance and operation of five Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.

A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – the SS denotes submarine, the B denotes ballistic missile, and the N denotes that the submarine is nuclear powered. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capability. They can fire missiles thousands of kilometers from their targets, and acoustic quieting makes them difficult to detect, thus making them a survivable deterrent in the event of a first strike and a key element of the mutual assured destruction policy of nuclear deterrence. Their deployment has been dominated by the United States and the Soviet Union / Russia, with smaller numbers in service with France, the United Kingdom, China, and India.

Military service

The Squadron is currently stationed at the Kings Bay Naval Base, Georgia and operates alongside the guided missile submarines of Squadron 16 under the broader umbrella of Submarine Group Trident. The five Ohio-class submarines under the command of Squadron 20 are USS Alaska, USS Tennessee, USS West Virginia, USS Maryland, and USS Wyoming.^[1] These submarines carry the Trident missile and act as components of the United States' global presence for strategic deterrence. ^[2] As a result, the Squadron is responsible for the continued operation, maintenance and certification of all U.S. ballistic missile submarines in the Atlantic fleet.^[3]

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, on the North River in southeastern Georgia, and 38 miles (61 km) from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines armed with Trident missile nuclear weapons. This submarine base covers about 16,000 acres of land, of which 4,000 acres are protected wetlands.

Georgia is a state in the Southeastern United States. It began as a British colony in 1733, the last and southernmost of the original Thirteen Colonies to be established. Named after King George II of Great Britain, the Province of Georgia covered the area from South Carolina south to Spanish Florida and west to French Louisiana at the Mississippi River. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. In 1802–1804, western Georgia was split to the Mississippi Territory, which later split to form Alabama with part of former West Florida in 1819. Georgia declared its secession from the Union on January 19, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. Georgia is the 24th largest and the 8th most populous of the 50 United States. From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing, second only to Texas. Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South. Atlanta, the state's capital and most populous city, has been named a global city. Atlanta's metropolitan area contains about 55% of the population of the entire state.

Submarine Squadron 16 is a United States Navy unit that served in World War II and the Cold War before being deactivated in the 1990s. It was reactivated in 1997 and now is responsible for the maintenance and operation of three guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) based in Kings Bay, Georgia.

In December 2011, two of the Squadron's submarines, USS Georgia and USS Wyoming, become some of the first US submarines to include women officers in their crews. Though women had been allowed to serve in combat roles in the rest of the Navy since 1993, there was concern that the cramped spaces onboard and long tours of submarine crews were unsuitable for women.^[4] This was the first step in the plan to fully integrate women onto all US Navy submarines. It was begun on the ballistic missile submarines because of their larger size as compared to the attack submarines, though there was the intent to eventually include those vessels as well in the future (and did begin in January 2015).^[5]^[6] Beginning in 2016, the Navy planned to add female non-commissioned officers to submarine crews that already included female officers with the intent to eventually bring the number of women among the enlisted crew up to 20%.^[6] Despite a few setbacks, including allegations that male sailors had secretly videotaped female shipmates in dressing areas, this process of integration continued. The first group of enlisted female sailors joining the crew of a submarine, though not one of Squadron 20's, in 2016.^[7]

USS Georgia (SSBN-729/SSGN-729), an Ohio-class submarine, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the fourth state.

Related Research Articles

The Ohio class of nuclear-powered submarines is the sole class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) currently in service with the United States Navy. Fourteen of the eighteen boats are SSBNs, which, along with U.S. Air Force strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles, constitute the nuclear-deterrent triad of the U.S. The remaining four have been converted from their initial roles as SSBNs to cruise missile submarines (SSGNs). The Ohio-class boats, each displacing 18,750 tons submerged, are the third largest submarines in the world, behind the 48,000-ton Typhoon class and 24,000-ton Borei class of the Russian Navy. The Ohio class replaced the Benjamin Franklin- and Lafayette-class SSBNs.

The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV). Originally developed by Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation, the missile is armed with thermonuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Trident missiles are carried by fourteen US Navy Ohio-class submarines, with American warheads, and four Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarines, with British warheads. The missile is named after the mythological trident of Neptune.

USS <i>Ohio</i> (SSGN-726) lead Ohio-class submarine

USS Ohio (SSBN-726/SSGN-726), the lead boat of her class of nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarines, was the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the 17th state. She was commissioned with the hull designation of SSBN-726, and with her conversion to a guided missile submarine she was re-designated SSGN-726.

USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) is the 18th and last ship of the United States Navy's Ohio class of nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarines. She carries Trident ballistic missiles and has been in commission since 1997. She is the fourth commissioned ship to bear the name of the U.S. state of Louisiana.

USS Michigan (SSBN-727/SSGN-727) is an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that has been converted into a guided missile submarine and is part of the United States Navy. She is the third ship to bear the name of the state of Michigan.

USS Alabama (SSBN-731) is the sixth Ohio-class nuclear-powered fleet ballistic missile submarine, and the seventh United States ship to be named for the state of Alabama. The ship's motto duplicates the state's motto, Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere.

USS Florida (SSBN-728/SSGN-728), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine, is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 27th state. She was commissioned with the hull designation of SSBN-728; with her conversion to a cruise missile submarine, from a ballistic missile submarine, she was re-designated SSGN-728.

USS <i>Mahan</i> (DDG-72) guided missile destroyer

USS Mahan (DDG-72) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer currently in service with the United States Navy. She is named for seapower naval theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan being the fourth Navy ship to bear the name. This ship is the 22nd destroyer of her class. USS Mahan was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and construction began on 17 August 1995. She was launched and christened on 29 June 1996. On 14 February 1998 she was commissioned in Tampa, Florida. Mahan is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and as of 2012 is attached to Destroyer Squadron 2. By 2016, the ship was part of Destroyer Squadron 22.

USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) is the 14th Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, and the second United States Navy ship to be named in honor of Nebraska, the 37th state. She carries Trident ballistic missiles.

USS Maryland (SSBN-738) is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. Maryland is the 13th of 18 of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, and has been in commission since 1992.

USS Wyoming (SSBN-742) is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine which has been in commission since 1996. She is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named USS Wyoming, although it was only the third named after the state of Wyoming.

USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. She has been in commission since 1990. She is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for West Virginia, the 35th state, and the 11th of 18 Ohio-class submarines.

USS Alaska (SSBN-732), is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine which has been in commission since 1986. She is the fourth US Navy ship to be named for the Territory or State of Alaska.

USS James Monroe (SSBN-622), a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for James Monroe. She served with the United States Navy from 1963 to 1990.

USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN-657), a Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine, was the only submarine of the United States Navy to be named for Francis Scott Key (1779–1843), an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet who wrote the poem "The Defense of Fort McHenry", which became the words to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner". During WW 2 there was a liberty ship USS Francis Scott Key 0016

Terry D. Scott is a former United States Navy sailor who served as the 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, from April 22, 2002 to July 10, 2006.

HMSVigilant is the third Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Vigilant carries the Trident ballistic missile, the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

References

↑ "COMSUBGRU 10". US Navy. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
↑ Nelson, Rex (March 19, 2014). "Change of Command for Sub Squadron 20". The Florida Times Union. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
↑ "Captain William J. Houston". US Navy. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
↑ Grogan, Jennifer (February 27, 2010). "Navy Preparing for Women Submariners". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
↑ Jackson, Gordon (October 22, 2010). "2 Kings Bay subs to get Female Officers in December 2011". The Florida-Times Union. Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
1 2 Jackson, Gordon (December 5, 2014). "Kings Bay Sailor Accused of Videotaping Female Officers". The Brunswick News. Brunswick, Georgia. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
↑ Bergman, Julia (June 24, 2015). "Navy Picks First Enlisted Women to Serve in Silent Service". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

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[COMSUBGRU_10-1] "COMSUBGRU 10". US Navy. Retrieved November 29, 2016.

[Nelson-2] Nelson, Rex (March 19, 2014). "Change of Command for Sub Squadron 20". The Florida Times Union. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[Houston-3] "Captain William J. Houston". US Navy. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[Grogan-4] Grogan, Jennifer (February 27, 2010). "Navy Preparing for Women Submariners". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[Jackson-5] Jackson, Gordon (October 22, 2010). "2 Kings Bay subs to get Female Officers in December 2011". The Florida-Times Union. Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[Jackson2-6] 1 2 Jackson, Gordon (December 5, 2014). "Kings Bay Sailor Accused of Videotaping Female Officers". The Brunswick News. Brunswick, Georgia. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[Bergman-7] Bergman, Julia (June 24, 2015). "Navy Picks First Enlisted Women to Serve in Silent Service". The Day. New London, Connecticut. Retrieved December 6, 2016.