USS Connecticut (SSN-22)

USS Connecticut (SSN-22) is a Seawolf-class nuclear powered fast attack submarine operated by the United States Navy. Connecticut is the fifth active United States Ship to be named for the U.S. state of Connecticut, going back to 1776. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 3 May 1991 and her keel was laid down on 14 September 1992. She was launched on 1 September 1997 sponsored by Patricia L. Rowland, wife of the Governor of Connecticut, John G. Rowland, and commissioned on 11 December 1998.

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

USS Connecticut (SSN-22) departing on her first scheduled deployment on 1 May 2002.
History
United States
Name: USS Connecticut
Namesake: The U.S. State of Connecticut
Ordered: 3 May 1991
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down: 14 September 1992
Launched: 1 September 1997
Commissioned: 11 December 1998
Homeport: Kitsap Naval Base, Bremerton, Washington
Motto: "Arsenal of the Nation"
Status: in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: Seawolf-class submarine
Displacement: 7,568 tons light, 9,137 tons full, 1,569 tons dead
Length: 107.5 meters (353 feet) overall, 107.5 meters (353 feet) waterline
Beam: 12.1 meters (40 feet)
Draft: 10.9 meters (36 feet)
Propulsion: One S6W reactor
Complement: 15 officers, 101 men
Armament: Eight 26-inch torpedo tubes, 40 torpedoes and missiles, or 100 mines

History

1999 was spent conducting shakedown operations that evaluated Connecticut's weapons systems, sensors, stealth and engineering proficiency. She participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 2-99 as an opposing force asset, and completed acoustic trials, a shallow water exercise, and an anti-submarine warfare exercise.

In September 1999 Connecticut began a Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) at the Electric Boat shipyard. Despite 100 percent growth in the amount of PSA work, making this the submarine force's most demanding PSA, Connecticut completed all work ahead of schedule. Additionally, this PSA concluded as the safest in the 100-year history of Electric Boat.

In April 2003, Connecticut surfaced through the Arctic ice at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS). While there, she came under attack by a polar bear, which gnawed on her rudder for a while before disengaging.[1]

Connecticut breaks polar ice and is encountered by a polar bear.

On 31 March 2004 Connecticut put to sea in support of the War on Terrorism as part of the Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), returning to NSB New London on 2 September with a pierside band blasting Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town". For the next three years, Connecticut was largely confined to port as she underwent a prolonged maintenance cycle.

In early 2007, it was announced that Connecticut would be transferred to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, in Washington's Puget Sound, following a six-month deployment commencing on 25 July 2007.[2] She would be the last of the Navy's three Seawolf-class submarines to be transferred from New London to Kitsap as part of a larger U.S. Navy realignment shifting 60 percent of the fleet's submarines to the Pacific.[3][4] Upon arrival at Kitsap on 30 January 2008, Connecticut joined her Seawolf sisters in Submarine Development Squadron Five.[1][5]

In early 2011, Connecticut participated in ICEX 2011 in order to "train today’s submarines in the challenging Arctic environment,” as well as "refine and validate procedures and required equipment."[6]

The Connecticut received extensive overhauls from 2012 to 2017 following extensive underways. After, she then returned to operation where In early 2018, Connecticut once again returned to the North to participate in ICEX 2018.[7] She later that year deployed to the western Pacific before returning on January 30, 2019.[8]

From March 26 through August 19, 2019, Connecticut underwent maintenance and modernizing in a drydock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.[9] The US $17 million project involved 30,000 worker days and included use of a hull-climbing robot to inspect the ship's hull.[9][10]

The Navy has plans to extend a submarine pier to be able to moor Connecticut and USS Seawolf together with USS Jimmy Carter at Naval Submarine Base Bangor.[11]

References
  1. Friedrich, Ed (29 January 2009). "Feels Just Like Old Home to USS Connecticut Crew". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  2. Grogan, Jennifer (16 July 2007). "Connecticut's Namesake Sub Leaving Groton For New Home". The Day. New London, CT. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
  3. 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review Report (PDF) (Report). U.S. Department of Defense. 6 February 2006. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  4. Barber, Mike (1 February 2008). "Navy's fast-attack submarine signals new mission in Pacific". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  5. Rowley, Eric (30 January 2008). "USS Connecticut Arrives Home to Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton". Navy.mil. Retrieved 10 June 2009.
  6. "Navy Announces Submarines Participating in ICEX 2011". Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  7. Barker, Corey B. "Submarines USS Hartford, USS Connecticut Surface Together in the Arctic Circle". www.navy.mil. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  8. "USS Connecticut, among Navy's most secret subs, returns to Bremerton". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  9. Farley, Josh. "Shipyard returns USS Connecticut to fleet". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  10. Miller, Nathanael (13 May 2019). "Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and NUWC Division, Keyport Climb into the Future". www.navy.mil. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  11. Stanford, Julianne (3 April 2018). "Navy moves closer to starting construction on submarine pier extension at Bangor". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved 7 September 2019.

Based on the Naval Vessel Register, various press releases and former shipmates.

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