USS Santa Fe (SSN-763)

Last updated

USS Santa Fe SSN-763.jpg
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Santa Fe
NamesakeThe City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Awarded21 March 1986
Builder General Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down9 July 1991
Launched12 December 1992
Sponsored byJoy Johnson
Commissioned8 January 1994
Homeport Naval Base Point Loma
Identification
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and type Los Angeles-class submarine
Displacement
  • 6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full
  • 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5% [1] [2]
  • 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp
  • 1 × shaft
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
Speed
  • Surfaced:20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h)
  • Submerged: +20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) (official)
Complement12 officers, 98 men
Sensors and
processing systems
BSY-1/BQQ-10 passive sonar, BQS-15 detecting and ranging sonar, WLR-8 fire control radar receiver, WLR-9 acoustic receiver for detection of active search sonar and acoustic homing torpedoes, BRD-7 radio direction finder
Armament4 × 21 in (533 mm) bow tubes, 10 Mk48 ADCAP torpedo reloads, Tomahawk land attack missile block 3 SLCM range 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km), Harpoon anti–surface ship missile range 70 nautical miles (130 km), mine laying Mk67 mobile Mk60 captor mines

USS Santa Fe (SSN-763), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Santa Fe, New Mexico. The contract to build her 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 9 July 1991. She was launched on 12 December 1992 sponsored by Mrs. Joy Johnson, and commissioned on 8 January 1994, with Commander Rodger P. Krull in command.

Contents

Operational history

Santa Fe's maiden deployment was in 1997 to the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific. In 1998, she completed a Selected Restricted Availability in Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. In 1999, she was again deployed to the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation and Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 2001, she deployed to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf earning two Meritorius Unit Commendations as well as earning her first coveted CSS-7 Battle E.

A portside bow view of the fore section of Santa Fe tied up at the pier in February 1994. The doors of the Mark 36 vertical launch system for the Tomahawk missiles are in the "open" position. USS Santa Fe (SSN-763) VLS doors open.jpg
A portside bow view of the fore section of Santa Fe tied up at the pier in February 1994. The doors of the Mark 36 vertical launch system for the Tomahawk missiles are in the "open" position.

Santa Fe deployed to the Western Pacific in September 2003 until March 2004. For this deployment she participated in ANNUALEX '03 with the Japanese Maritime Defense Force. The ship made port calls in Singapore, Guam, multiple times in Sasebo, Japan, and in Yokosuka, Japan in which she rode out a typhoon while in port. Santa Fe was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation, the second highest award given to a submarine, for actions completed on this deployment. She underwent a three-month Interim drydocking in October 2004.

After the ship completed sea trials and other various workups she then completed a two-month Eastern Pacific Deployment that started in May 2005. After returning to her homeport of Pearl Harbor in June 2005, she again deployed to the Western Pacific on 9 August 2005. During this deployment she participated in Exercise Malabar with the Indian Navy. Santa Fe was the second U.S. nuclear submarine to participate in the exercise and also to port in Goa, India. After Malabar, the ship made a brief stop in Phuket, Thailand. She was the first U.S. submarine to visit Phuket since 2001. The ship returned to Pearl Harbor in February 2006. She made the transit to the East Coast in July 2006, surfacing near the North Pole on the way and stopping in Brest, France.

After shipyard she completed a six-month Western Pacific deployment from May–November 2009, after stops in Singapore, Saipan, Guam, Okinawa, JP, and Yokosuka, JP. She received the Battle "E" Award in January 2010.

Santa Fe returned 24 August 2011 to Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam after successfully completing a six-month deployment to the western Pacific region. During this deployment Santa Fe skillfully conducted four operations of great importance to national security by safely operating in a demanding and challenging undersea environment, directly enhancing fleet, theater and national objectives. The crew displayed exceptional tactical skill, tenacity and perseverance while operating under extremely challenging conditions to prepare the battle space for future operations. Santa Fe's tactical acumen was further displayed by their highly successful participation in Exercise Malabar, a bilateral exercise with the Indian navy. Port calls included Sasebo, Japan (x3), Chinhae, South Korea; Yokosuka, Japan; Guam, and Subic Bay, Philippines. In recognition of their outstanding performance, Santa Fe received the COMSUBRON 7 Battle "E" Award and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation by the Secretary of the Navy.

Awards

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Swordfish</i> (SSN-579) Submarine of the United States

USS Swordfish (SSN-579), a Skate-class nuclear-powered submarine, was the second submarine of the United States Navy named for the swordfish, a large fish with a long, swordlike beak and a high dorsal fin.

USS <i>Providence</i> (SSN-719) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Providence (SSN-719), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fifth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Providence, Rhode Island. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 16 April 1979 and her keel was laid down on 14 October 1982. She was launched on 4 August 1984 sponsored by Mrs. William F. Smith, and commissioned on 27 July 1985.

USS <i>Omaha</i> (SSN-692) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Omaha (SSN-692), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Omaha, Nebraska. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 27 January 1973. She was launched on 21 February 1976 sponsored by Mrs. Victoria Kuncl Hruska, wife of Senator Roman L. Hruska, and commissioned on 11 March 1978.

USS Seadragon (SSN-584), a Skate-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seadragon, a name for some types of seahorse. She was a nuclear-powered submarine.

USS <i>Wahoo</i> (SS-565) Submarine of the United States

USS Wahoo (SS-565), a Tang-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the wahoo, a fast-moving predatory sportfish found in oceans worldwide.

USS <i>Plunger</i> (SSN-595) Submarine of the United States Photograph of Plunger is of the PORT bow.

USS Plunger (SSN-595), a Permit-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named "plunger", meaning a diver or a daring gambler.

USS <i>Flasher</i> (SSN-613) Submarine of the United States

USS Flasher (SSN-613), a Permit-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flasher, a member of the fish family Lobotidae, which have an unusual placement of the second dorsal and anal fins, posteriorly located on the body, close to the tail.

USS <i>OKane</i>

USS O'Kane (DDG-77) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, starting on 8 May 1997. The ship was commissioned on 23 October 1999. She is named for Medal of Honor recipient Rear Admiral Richard O'Kane.

USS <i>Salt Lake City</i> (SSN-716) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Salt Lake City, Utah. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 15 September 1977 and her keel was laid down on 26 August 1980. She was launched on 16 October 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Kathleen Garn, and commissioned on 12 May 1984.

USS <i>Tautog</i> (SSN-639) Submarine of the United States

USS Tautog (SSN-639), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tautog, a wrasse commonly found along the Northern Atlantic coast. The submarine was in service from 17 August 1968 to 31 March 1997.

USS <i>Aspro</i> (SSN-648) Submarine of the United States

USS Aspro (SSN-648) was a Sturgeon-class submarine launched in 1969 and decommissioned in 1995. Scrapping was completed in 2000.

USS <i>Drum</i> (SSN-677) Submarine of the United States

USS Drum (SSN-677), a Sturgeon-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the drum, also known as the croaker or hardhead, any of various fishes of the Sciaenidae family, capable of making a drumming noise and best known on the Atlantic coast of North America.

USS <i>Columbia</i> (SSN-771) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Columbia (SSN-771) is the 21st flight III, or Improved (688i) Los Angeles-class attack submarine of the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1995, the submarine is assigned to Submarine Squadron 7 and homeported in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

USS <i>Asheville</i> (SSN-758) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Asheville (SSN-758), is a Los Angeles-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine. She is the fourth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Asheville, North Carolina. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 26 November 1984 and her keel was laid down on 9 January 1987. She was launched on 24 February 1990, sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy Helms, and commissioned on 28 September 1991.

USS <i>Buffalo</i> (SSN-715) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Buffalo (SSN-715) was a Los Angeles-class submarine, the second vessel that actively served the United States Navy to be named for Buffalo, New York. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 23 February 1976, and her keel was laid down on 25 January 1980. She was launched on 8 May 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Joanne Kemp, wife of former Buffalo Bills quarterback and New York's 31st congressional district representative Jack Kemp, who was credited with winning approval to name the ship after the city in his district. Buffalo was commissioned on 5 November 1983, with Commander G. Michael Hewitt in command. Buffalo was decommissioned on 30 January 2019 after 35 years of service.

USS <i>Key West</i> (SSN-722) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Key West (SSN-722), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after Key West, Florida.

USS <i>Columbus</i> (SSN-762) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Columbus (SSN-762) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine and the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for Columbus, Ohio. The contract to build her 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 9 January 1991. She was launched on 1 August 1992 sponsored by Mrs. Margaret DeMars, wife of Admiral Bruce DeMars and commissioned on 24 July 1993.

USS <i>Charlotte</i> (SSN-766) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy

USS Charlotte (SSN-766), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charlotte, North Carolina. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 17 August 1990. Sponsored by Mrs. Mary McComack, she was launched on 3 October 1992 and commissioned on 16 September 1994. She arrived at her homeport of Naval Station Pearl Harbor on 17 November 1995.

USS <i>Hector</i> (AR-7)

USS Hector (AR-7) was a repair ship that served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1987 and as PNS Moawin in the Pakistan Navy from 1989 to 1994.

USS <i>Grasp</i> (ARS-24)

USS Grasp (ARS-24) was a Diver-class rescue and salvage ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her task was to come to the aid of stricken vessels.

References

  1. "International Panel on Fissile Materials". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). dspace.mit.edu. June 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2022.

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