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USS Georgia (SSGN-729)

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

USS Georgia (SSGN-729)
USS Georgia (SSGN-729)
USS Georgia (SSGN-729)
History
United States
NamesakeState of Georgia
Ordered20 February 1976
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down7 April 1979
Launched6 November 1982
Sponsored bySheila M. Watkins
Commissioned11 February 1984
HomeportKings Bay, Georgia, U.S.
MottoFurtim, Incurso, Mutatio (English: Stealth, Attack, Change)
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeOhio-class submarine
Displacement
  • 16,764 long tons (17,033 t) surfaced[1][2]
  • 18,750 long tons (19,050 t) submerged[1]
Length560 ft (170 m)
Beam42 ft (13 m)[1]
Draft38 ft (12 m)
Propulsion
SpeedGreater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[5]
Test depthGreater than 800 feet (240 m)[5]
Complement
Armament

USS Georgia (SSBN-729/SSGN-729), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine, is the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Georgia.

Construction and commissioning

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The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 20 February 1976 and her keel was laid down on 7 April 1979. She was launched on 6 November 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Sheila M. Watkins, wife of James D. Watkins, the then-Chief of Naval Operations, and commissioned as a fleet ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) on 11 February 1984, with Captain A. W. Kuester commanding the Blue crew and Captain M. P. Gray commanding the Gold crew. This boat was later converted to a guided missile submarine (SSGN) for carrying guided cruise missiles instead of fleet ballistic missiles in its missile compartment.

Operational history as SSBN

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USS Georgia's ship's crest when she was an SSBN

From March to April 1984 she went on her shakedown cruise and test-launched a Trident C-4 missile in the Eastern Test Range on 7 April 1984.[6] In November 1984, she arrived in her home port of Bangor, Washington. In January 1985 she started her first strategic deterrence patrol. As an element of Task Unit 14.7.1 from September 1983 to May 1986, she was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation. She was awarded her second Meritorious Unit Commendation for Submarine Operations between February 1986 to August 1986.

On 22 March 1986, three miles south of Midway Island, harbor tug USS Secota (YTM-415) had just completed a personnel transfer from Georgia, picking up a submarine crewman who was going on emergency leave, when Secota lost power and got hung up on Georgia's starboard stern plane while the sub's propeller continued to turn.[7] That sank Secota within two minutes. Ten people were rescued, including the Georgia crewman who had just transferred to Secota. Two Secota crewmen trapped in her engine room were lost. While Lt. Cmdr. John Carman, a Navy spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, told the media that the Georgia was undamaged,[8][9] a report sent by the Commanding Officer of the Georgia indicates that after returning the surviving Secota crew members to Hawaii, Georgia underwent emergency repairs for minor damage sustained in the collision.[10]

Her Gold crew was awarded the Comsubron Seventeen Battle Efficiency Award for 2001.

On 30 October 2003, Georgia returned from her 65th and last deterrent patrol.

On 7 November 2003, while Georgia was docked at Bangor, Washington, her C-4 Trident I missiles were offloaded. The process proceeded smoothly until tube number 16. When each tube was opened, a ladder was lowered into the tube so a sailor could climb down and attach a hoist to lift the missile. After attaching the hoist to the missile in tube 16, the sailor climbed out, and the crew took a break without removing the ladder. When they returned, they began to hoist the missile, pulling against the ladder and cutting a nine-inch (230 mm) hole in its nose cone. No radioactive material was released.

Three enlisted men in the missile handling team faced a court-martial. The Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific was immediately shut down and inspected by the Navy, and failed to pass. SWFPAC's commanding officer, Captain Keith Lyles, was relieved of command on 19 December 2003, followed by his executive officer, Commander Phillip Jackson, weapons officer, Commander Marshall Millett, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Command Steven Perry. SWFPAC reopened after passing inspection under a new commanding officer on 9 January 2004. Georgia's crew was unaffected.

Conversion to SSGN

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Georgia was redesignated to SSGN on 1 March 2004. In October 2004 she participated as the command node of Exercise Silent Hammer to validate and showcase the new Joint Warfare and ISR capabilities.[11]

In March 2005, Georgia entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for her scheduled Engineered Refueling Overhaul. The SSGN conversion took place concurrently.[12][13] The conversion and refitting work was completed in February 2008.[14] After the refit, Georgia moved to her new home port in Kings Bay, Georgia.[15]

Operational history as SSGN

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Georgia was officially welcomed home in Kings Bay, Georgia, on 28 March 2008 in a return to service ceremony attended by Governor Sonny Perdue.[16][17][18] In August 2009, Georgia began first SSGN deployment.[19] In January 2010, Georgia earned a Squadron Sixteen battle efficiency "E" for 2009 together with an Engineering Red "E", Navigation Red and Green "N".[20]

In December 2010 a bolt was left in the submarine's reduction gears. It caused $2.2 million in damage and forced the boat into three months of repairs. One officer and several enlisted sailors were disciplined over the event.[21]

On 25 November 2015, Georgia struck a channel buoy and subsequently grounded[22] while entering the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. The boat was placed into drydock for inspection and repairs which cost about $1 million. The navy stated that the damage was limited to the exterior of the sub and the hull was not compromised. The commanding officer of the Blue crew at the time of the accident - Captain David Adams - was relieved of duty on 4 January 2016 by Rear Adm. Randy B. Crites.[23]

The Spanish Foreign Ministry lodged an official protest when Georgia docked at Gibraltar in April 2022.[24]

In August 2024, Georgia was ordered by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to move from the Mediterranean Sea into the waters of the Middle East as a deterrent against an anticipated Iranian attack on Israel.[25]

In fiction and documentary

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  • The Discovery Channel documentary Submarines: Sharks of Steel (1993) features Georgia and her crew.
  • Georgia is featured in the 1996 science fiction film Independence Day.
  • Georgia is featured prominently in the 2012 naval thriller Fire of the Raging Dragon by Don Brown.
  • Georgia is featured in the 2020 medical thriller The End of October by Lawrence Wright.

References

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This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register and various press releases.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "SSBN-726 Ohio-Class FBM Submarines". Federation of American Scientists. 9 February 2000. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Frost, Peter. "Newport News contract awarded". Daily Press. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  3. ^ "US study of reactor and fuel types to enable naval reactors to shift from HEU fuel". Fissile Materials. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  4. ^ Brendan Patrick Hanlon (July 2015). Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors (PDF) (Master thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Submarine Frequently Asked Questions". Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Florida Today Space and Missile Launch Database". Florida Today. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2006.
  7. ^ "Sub sinks a tug boat". YouTube. 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Tugboat Sinks After Collision With Trident Submarine". Associated Press. Honolulu, HI. 23 March 1986. p. A4. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Tugboat Sinks". The Orlando Sentinel. 24 March 1986. p. A8. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  10. ^ "USS Georgia (SSBN 729 Command History)" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 15 April 1987. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
  11. ^ Duryea, Dave, Capt., USN. "USS Georgia – The Silent Hammer". Undersea Warfare. Archived from the original on 7 May 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Conversion of USS Georgia From SSBN to SSGN". Strategypage.com. 17 October 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  13. ^ "USS Georgia SSBN Enters Conversion to SSGN "Tactical Trident" SpecOps Sub". Defense Industry Daily. Archived from the original on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  14. ^ "Four SSGNs, No Waiting". Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  15. ^ "Isakson Praises Navy's Decision to Move USS Georgia to Kings Bay". Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  16. ^ "Navy Marks USS Georgia's Return To Service". Atlanta Metropolitan Council, Navy League of the United States. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
  17. ^ "Return to service". USS Georgia. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  18. ^ "Navy Marks USS Georgia's Return To Service". CBS 4 News Jacksonville. Retrieved 28 September 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ "USS Georgia goes on patrol". The Kings Bay Periscope. 13 August 2009.[dead link‍]
  20. ^ Clifford, Kimberly (8 January 2010). "Battle 'E' Awarded to USS Georgia". U.S. Navy. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  21. ^ Fellman, Sam (14 May 2012). "$2.2 Million Sub Mishap Was 'Avoidable,' Report Says". Military Times.
  22. ^ "Commanding Officer of USS Georgia Relieved of Duty". Military.com. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  23. ^ Lendon, Brad (5 January 2016). "$1M accident costs sub captain his job". Cable News Network. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  24. ^ di Santolo, Alessandra Scotto (14 April 2022). "Spain outraged as massive US nuclear-powered submarine arrives in Gibraltar". Daily Express. Retrieved 15 April 2022. The arrival of a USS Georgia submarine in the port of Gibraltar has sparked a diplomatic row between Spain and the US. The Spanish Foreign Ministry has confirmed that it has lodged an official protest with the US. The Spanish authorities wanted the submarine to anchor at the Rota naval base instead, where the US Georgia had already been based in August 2020. The reasons and the duration for the stopover of the submarine remain unknown.
  25. ^ Liebermann, Oren (12 August 2024). "Defense secretary orders submarine to Middle East, accelerates arrival of strike group ahead of anticipated Iran attack | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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