USS Albuquerque (SSN-706)

Albuquerque surfaces in the Atlantic Ocean while participating in Majestic Eagle 2004, a multinational exercise being conducted off the coast of Morocco
Career (US)
Name:	USS Albuquerque
Namesake:	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Awarded:	31 October 1973
Builder:	General Dynamics Corporation
Laid down:	27 December 1979
Launched:	13 March 1982
Commissioned:	21 May 1983
Homeport:	San Diego, California
Motto:	Silentum Excubitor (Latin for "Silent Sentinel")
Status:	in active service, as of 2015
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Los Angeles class submarine
Displacement:	5,758 tons light, 6,120 tons full, 362 tons dead
Length:	110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam:	10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft:	9.7 m (31 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	S6G nuclear reactor
Speed:	Surfaced: 20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) Submerged: +20 knots (23 mph; 37 km/h) (official)
Complement:	12 officers, 98 men
Armament:	4 × 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 Albuquerque (SSN-706), a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 October 1973 and her keel was laid down on 27 December 1979. She was launched on 13 March 1982 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy L. Domenici, and commissioned on 21 May 1983 with Captain Richard H. Hartman in command.

1983-1986

In October 1983, Captain Hartman was replaced as Commanding Officer by Captain Scott L. Sears. Albuquerque spent the remainder of 1983 engaged in operations at sea completing a variety of tests, examinations, certifications, and inspections.

^[1] At the beginning of 1984, Albuquerque reentered Electric Boat Shipyard for post-shakedown availability, returning to sea on 15 April. In May, she transited to the Florida coast for weapons and combat systems certifications. During the summer, she participated in a fleet exercise and took part in a midshipman training cruise. In August, Albuquerque began normal operations from her home port. October and November brought extended operations at sea in the Atlantic Ocean, and, in December, she underwent additional repairs at Electric Boat.

Albuquerque began 1985 with sonar training and weapons systems drills in her local operating area. In February, she completed preparations for a two-month patrol that began on 27 February, returning home at the beginning of May. Operations along the East Coast occupied her time until mid-June when Albuquerque went back to sea. Two months later, she returned and took up local duty until November when she cruised to Florida to serve as a school ship for prospective commanding officers. Albuquerque resumed local operations out of her home port in December.

On 14 January 1986, Albuquerque entered Electric Boat Shipyard for a two-month restricted availability. In March, she began alternating between local evolutions and upkeep in her home port until late May. Between 19 May and 14 September, Albuquerque remained at sea, making port calls in Scotland and England. She returned home in mid-September and, after post-deployment standdown, reported to Exuma Sound late in October for sound trials. She returned to Groton briefly at the beginning of November, but put to sea on 4 November to take part in two fleet exercises. Upkeep at New London, Connecticut, took up the period between 24 November and 7 December and an ASW exercise consumed most of December. On 3 December 1986, Captain Sears was replaced as Commander by Captain John T. Byrd.

1996-1999

The United States Navy confirms that Albuquerque was operating off the coast of Long Island, New York during the evening of 17 July 1996, but had nothing to do with the loss of TWA Flight 800.

In 1999, Albuquerque participated in a six-month Mediterranean cruise as a part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt battlegroup. She fired 10 Tomahawk (TLAM) cruise missiles at targets in Serb-controlled Yugoslavia, setting records for number of TLAMs fired from a Flight-I 688 class submarine, as well as the shortest time from tasking to firing on a target, earning her the nickname of "Sure Shooter". The ship pulled into several liberty ports during this cruise, including Naples, La Maddalena, and Toulon.

2003-2009

USS Albuquerque completed a Dual Media Discharge (DMD) in preparation for Engineering Refueling Operation (ERO). The Albuquerque was commended for being the fastest and most cost-effective nuclear reactor refueling operation in history during the shipyard period, 22 months in length. During this time, CDR Burroughs was relieved of command by CDR Stuart Munch. USS Albuquerque returned to Groton in early 2003, after completing the major overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The rest of 2003 was spent conducting local operations, an ORSE, and a weapons system upgrade. Most of 2004 was spent at sea preparing for the ship's first overseas deployment since the shipyard. This included a two month overseas surge deployment with a port call in Rota, Spain.

USS Albuquerque conducted a six month deployment as part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group from 13 October 2004 to 12 April 2005. The ship made port calls in Scotland, Portugal, Bahrain, Seychelles, and Crete. During this deployment, USS Albuquerque was awarded the Squadron 2 Battle Efficiency Award for 2004. Albuquerque was homeported in Groton, Connecticut, as part of Submarine Group 2.

On 27 June 2005, CDR Robert Douglass relieved CDR Stuart Munsch [spelling discrepancy from above] as Commanding Officer.

In July 2005, a fire-control technician named Ariel Weinmann deserted from Albuquerque and remained at large until he was arrested in early August 2006. In addition to desertion, he was charged with espionage. He allegedly tried to pass sensitive information about Albuquerque to agents of unspecified foreign governments on at least three occasions: in March 2005 in Manama, in October 2005 in Vienna, and in March in Mexico City .

On 6 August 2009, Albuquerque completed her change of homeport from Groton, Conn., to Naval Base Point Loma in order to maintain 60 percent of the submarine force in the Pacific in line with the 2006 QDR.^[2]

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

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