USS Florida (SSGN-728)
USS Florida (SSGN-728)
History
United States
NamesakeU.S. state of Florida
Ordered28 February 1975
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down4 July 1976
Launched14 November 1981
Commissioned18 June 1983
HomeportKings Bay, Georgia
Motto
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 Florida (SSBN-728/SSGN-728), an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine, is the sixth vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the U.S. state of Florida. 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.

Construction and commissioning

The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 28 February 1975 and her keel was laid down on the bicentennial of the United States independence, 4 July 1976. The boat was unnamed at the keel-laying ceremony.

The initial boat's crew formed the precommissioning unit on 8 July 1980. The first duty watches were stationed on 14 February 1981 to support the operational control transfer of engineering systems to boat's force control. The Secretary of the Navy finally named her on 19 January 1981.

Florida was launched on 14 November 1981 sponsored by Mrs. Marcia M. Carlucci, wife of then Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci. The reactor was initially taken critical on 13 November 1982; the boat went into service and the crew moved onboard on 21 January 1983. Florida commenced initial builders' sea trials on 21 February 1983 and was subsequently delivered to the Navy on 17 May 1983, 43 days ahead of schedule. She was commissioned on 18 June 1983, with Captain William L. Powell in command of the Blue Crew and Captain George R. Sterner in command of the Gold Crew.

Operational history

Both crews successfully completed the demonstration and shakedown operations, each culminated by the successful launch of a Trident C-4 missile. Florida transited the Panama Canal in February and arrived in Bangor, Washington on 25 March 1984. She completed her first strategic deterrent patrol on 25 July 1984.

As of November 2002, Florida had successfully completed 61 strategic deterrent patrols. She won the Battle E in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1999, and 2002. In 1991, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award. In 1997, Florida's skipper, Commander Michael J. Alfonso, was relieved of command "because he had been unable to foster an effective command team so necessary to the success of the U.S. submarine force."[6]

Florida's command history for 1997 states:

...Concerned about Commander Alfonso's leadership style and the low morale displayed by his crew, Rear Admiral Sullivan (Commander, Submarine Group Nine) took the extraordinary step of relieving the Blue crew captain of his command. On 12 August, Commander Gregory M. Billy, USN, assumed command of Florida (Blue) in a brief ceremony.[7][8]

Conversion to SSGN

Florida entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard in July 2003 to undergo a refueling and conversion from an SSBN to an SSGN. Florida completed her conversion in April 2006 and is homeported in Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. On 25 May 2006 she had a return to service ceremony at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Ms. Carlucci was the boat's sponsor for her recommissioning in Mayport in May 2006.

USS No Name (SSBN-728) patch
The patch designed by the pre-commissioning crew, prior to the naming. Rumors said the boat was to be named Iowa.

Operation Odyssey Dawn

On 19 March 2011, in conjunction with other U.S. Navy and Royal Navy warships and submarines, Florida fired scores of Tomahawk missiles at Libyan air defense targets as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn.[9][10] The Tomahawk missile strikes allowed British, French, and allied warplanes to begin enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya, preventing Muammar Gaddafi from using his air force to attack rebels in his country.[10] This was the first combat action for the Florida or any other Ohio-class submarine.[11] During Operation Odyssey Dawn, Florida launched 93 Tomahawk missiles, with 90 effective, out of her total magazine of about 160 missiles.[12]

Of the four Ohio-class SSGNs in the U.S. Navy, Florida was the only one that was available for use in Operation Odyssey Dawn since she was the only one that had been assigned to cruise the Mediterranean Sea. Some other Tomahawk missiles were fired by American surface ships and by a few Royal Navy nuclear submarines.

On 28 June 2010, Florida was one of three Ohio-class submarines involved in a US response to Chinese missile testing in the contested East China Sea. Florida, Ohio, and Michigan all surfaced simultaneously in the waters of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea respectively.[13][14]

2023

Florida was sent to the Persian Gulf in autumn 2023, during the Israel-Hamas war.[15] Earlier that year in April, the Navy reported that Florida was one of two Ohio-class SSGNs, cruising through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea, while operating in the Middle East.[16]

Awards

On 15 February 2013, Florida's crew was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation having "distinguished itself in action against the enemy" during Operation Odyssey Dawn in 2011.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "SSBN-726 Ohio-Class FBM Submarines". Federation of American Scientists. 9 February 2000. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 "Submarine Frequently Asked Questions". Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "In a First, Submarine Commander Is Ousted". The New York Times. 9 September 1997.
  7. ↑ Graham, Bradley (18 September 1997). "Admiral Cites Crew Intimidation as Reason Trident Sub Skipper Was Removed". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016.(subscription required)
  8. ↑ "A Skipper's Chance to Run A Trident Sub Sinks at Sea". The Wall Street Journal. 20 November 1997.(subscription required)
  9. ↑ Axe, David (20 October 2011). "Tomorrow's Missile Subs: Smaller, Cheaper, With Lots of Robot Pals". Wired.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 Burns, Robert (20 March 2011). "First wave of allied assault: 112 cruise missiles". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Navy Accomplishes Several Firsts During Operation Odyssey Dawn". Navy News Service. globalsecurity.org. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Kimber, James (29 April 2011). "Florida Returns from Historic Submarine Deployment". CHINFO. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  13. ↑ "In 2010, the U.S. Navy Surfaced Three Missiles Subs as a Warning to China". War is Boring. Medium. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  14. ↑ Torode, Greg. "US submarines emerge in show of military might". Viet-Studies. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Capaccio, Tony (7 November 2023). "U.S. attack submarine enters Persian Gulf in message to Iran". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Bloomberg.
  16. ↑ "In rare announcement, US says guided missile sub has arrived in Middle East, a message of deterrence to adversaries". CNN. 5 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "USS Florida awarded unit commendation". Kings Bay Periscope. 20 February 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
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