USS San Juan (SSN-751)
USS San Juan in the Atlantic Ocean, 29 August 2023
History
United States
NameSan Juan
NamesakeThe City of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Awarded30 November 1982
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down9 August 1985
Launched6 December 1986
Sponsored byMrs. Sherrill Hernandez
Commissioned6 August 1988
HomeportNaval Submarine Base New London
Identification
MottoTechnology and Tradition
StatusIn active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeLos Angeles-class submarine
Displacement
  • 5,790 long tons (5,883 t) light
  • 6,197 long tons (6,296 t) full
  • 407 long tons (414 t) dead
Length110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Installed powernuclear
Propulsion
  • 1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5%[2][3]
  • 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp
  • 1 × shaft
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
SpeedClassified
Complement12 officers, 98 men
Sensors and
processing systems		BSY-1 sonar suite combat system
Armament
  • 4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 12 × vertical launch Tomahawk missiles

USS San Juan (SSN-751), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named San Juan, though only the second named for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 30 November 1982 and her keel was laid down on 9 August 1985. She was launched on 6 December 1986 sponsored by Mrs. Sherrill Hernandez, wife of VADM Diego E. Hernández,[4] and commissioned on 6 August 1988.

During the early evening of 13 March 2007, units of the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) received a series of indications that USS San Juan (SSN-751), a Los Angeles-class submarine conducting pre-deployment training with the Enterprise CSG, was in distress.[5]

The submarine established communications in the early morning hours of 14 March, and indicated that there were no problems; hence, units were able to stand down from the search and rescue that was already well underway.[5]

History

San Juan was the first of the Flight III or 688i for "improved" design, that received a number of significant improvements to the previous boats in the class. San Juan and all subsequent boats in her class are quieter and incorporate an advanced AN/BSY-1 sonar suite combat system. Another improvement includes the ability to lay mines from their torpedo tubes. San Juan's sail was also strengthened, enabling the ability to break through ice.[6]

First 688i through-ice surfacing

USS San Juan through-ice surface

In 1993 San Juan conducted the first through-ice surfacing for a 688i-class submarine in the Arctic.[7]

Collision with USS Kentucky

On 19 March 1998 off the coast of Long Island, New York, the submerged San Juan collided with the surfaced fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky (SSBN-737). There were no injuries reported as a result of the collision.[8]

Lost communication

San Juan in May 2007

On 13 March 2007, San Juan was the subject of a search and rescue mission by the carrier USS Enterprise and elements of her Carrier Strike Group off the coast of Florida, when contact with the submarine was lost, and a red flare was spotted in her projected vicinity, suggesting an emergency. Communications were re-established early the next day when San Juan surfaced, and no problems were indicated.[9]

Visit to South Africa

On 4 November 2009 San Juan arrived at Simon's Town, South Africa. The ship engaged in at-sea maneuvers with the South African Navy for the first time in U.S. history.[10]

2010 overhaul

San Juan undocking at PNSY, 2011

San Juan arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY), Maine, on 8 April 2010 for an engineered overhaul (EOH); for maintenance and system upgrades.[11]

As of 2012 San Juan was assigned to Submarine Group Two. Submarine Group Two was disestablished in 2014, and San Juan became part of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT).

Awards

References

  1. ^ NVR.Navy.mil: USS San Juan, Retrieved 12 February 2012
  2. ^ "International Panel on Fissile Materials". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "USS San Juan (SSN-751)". seaforces.org. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b Affairs, This story was written by Commander, Submarine Force U. S. Atlantic Fleet Public. "SUBLANT Statement Regarding USS San Juan and Missing Submarine Procedures". navy.mil. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "USS San Juan arrives at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard". seacoastonline.com. 9 April 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Arctic Submarine Laboratory Historical Timeline". US Navy. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  8. ^ "2 U.S. submarines collide off Long Island". CNN. 19 March 1998. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  9. ^ "Billion-Dollar U.S. Sub Disappears Overnight for Several Hours". United States: ABC News. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
  10. ^ "San Juan Makes Historic Visit to South Africa". US Navy. Archived from the original on 14 November 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  11. ^ Navy.mil: USS San Juan Arrives at PNSY for Overhaul, retrieved 12 February 2012
  12. ^ "Unit Awards for San Juan SSN 751". US Navy. Retrieved 20 September 2016.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "USS San Juan Receives Battle 'E'". US Navy. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  14. ^ "CSS-12 Commodore presents USS San Juan (SSN-751) with Battle E". US Navy. Retrieved 19 January 2017.[permanent dead link]


This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Navy.

External links

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Los Angeles-class submarines
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1998
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