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USS Alexandria (SSN-757)
Encyclopedia
USS Alexandria (SSN-757), a Los Angeles-class
nuclear-powered
attack submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy
to be named for both Alexandria, Virginia
, and Alexandria, Louisiana
.
Division of General Dynamics
Corporation in Groton, Connecticut
on November 26, 1984. Her keel
was laid down on June 19, 1987.
begins with the staffing of what is known as the Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) Alexandria. CDR Wilbur Cooke was the Commanding Officer of the Unit. Construction delays necessitated the detachment of CDR Cooke on October 6, 1989, and the assignment of Commander Paul E. Normand in his place on December 11, 1989.
on June 23, 1990, sponsored by Mrs. Glenwood "Tookie" Clark, Jr., wife of retired Vice Admiral Glenwood Clark, on June 29, 1991. Commander Normand remained in command.
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USS Alexandria (SSN-757) was commissioned
at submarine base
New London
on June 29, 1991, CDR Normand commanding, and given the motto "Twice as Strong" in honor of her two namesake
s. Guest speakers at the ship commissioning ceremony were:
USS Cowpens (CG-63)
, the frigate
USS Gary (FFG-51)
, and P-3C Orion
maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, participated in Exercise Malabar
2004, a training exercise with the Indian Navy
off the southwest coast of India that ended October 11, 2004.
Some scenes for the movie Stargate: Continuum
take place on board Alexandria. The then-captain of Alexandria, Cmdr. Mike Bernacchi, and members of her crew played themselves. The ship was also used as a filming location in the JAG
/ NCIS
universe, although she was referred to there as the fictional USS Cathedral City.
_ice.jpg)
In March 2007, Alexandria was participating in the Joint U.S. Navy/Royal Navy
Ice Exercise 2007 (ICEX-2007), conducted in the Arctic Ocean
with the Trafalgar-class submarine
HMS Tireless (S88)
. The exercise took place on and under a drifting ice floe, about 180 nmi (333 km) off the north coast of Alaska
. The two submarines were taking part in joint testing of submarine operability and tactical development in Arctic waters. On March 21, Tireless experienced an explosion of a self-contained oxygen generation candle. Tireless suffered only superficial damage, but two crew members were killed and one injured.
Los Angeles class submarine
The Los Angeles class, sometimes called the LA class or the 688 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet. With 43 submarines on active duty and 19 retired, the Los Angeles class is the most numerous nuclear powered...
nuclear-powered
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
attack submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for both Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, and Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
.
Construction
The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric BoatElectric boat
While a significant majority of water vessels are powered by diesel engines, with sail power and gasoline engines also remaining popular, boats powered by electricity have been used for over 120 years. Electric boats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion...
Division of General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
Corporation in Groton, Connecticut
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
on November 26, 1984. Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid down on June 19, 1987.
Pre-commissioning Unit
The history of the Alexandria as a U.S. Navy warshipWarship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
begins with the staffing of what is known as the Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) Alexandria. CDR Wilbur Cooke was the Commanding Officer of the Unit. Construction delays necessitated the detachment of CDR Cooke on October 6, 1989, and the assignment of Commander Paul E. Normand in his place on December 11, 1989.
Launch
The ship was launchedShip naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on June 23, 1990, sponsored by Mrs. Glenwood "Tookie" Clark, Jr., wife of retired Vice Admiral Glenwood Clark, on June 29, 1991. Commander Normand remained in command.
Sea trials
The Pre-commissioning Unit Alexandria was placed in service on March 22, 1991. A series of sea trials began shortly thereafter:- April 16, 1991 — Underway Alpha trials
- April 16, 1991 — Underway Bravo trials
- May 17, 1991 — Underway Charlie trials
- June 4, 1991 — Underway Delta trials and Combined Acceptance Trial
Commissioning
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
at submarine base
Submarine base
A submarine base is a military base that shelters submarines and their personnel.Examples of present-day submarine bases include HMNB Clyde, Île Longue , Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Naval Submarine Base New London, and Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base .The Israeli navy bases its growing submarine...
New London
Naval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
on June 29, 1991, CDR Normand commanding, and given the motto "Twice as Strong" in honor of her two namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
s. Guest speakers at the ship commissioning ceremony were:
- COMmander, SUBmarine Force US AtLANTic Fleet (ComSubLantComSubLantCommander, Submarine Force Atlantic is the type commander for U.S. submarines in the Atlantic Fleet. Established on 7 December 1941, Rear Admiral Richard S. Edwards was assigned as the first Force Commander. U.S. submarine operations in the Atlantic, however, go back to before the First World War...
) - The Commander of Naval Sea Systems CommandNaval Sea Systems CommandThe Naval Sea Systems Command is the largest of the U.S. Navy's five "systems commands," or materiel organizations...
(NAVSEA) - The U.S. Navy Supervisor of Shipbuilding
- The Mayors of Alexandria, LouisianaAlexandria, LouisianaAlexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
and Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as... - U.S. Representative Ronald K. Machtley, (RRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area... - The Ship's Sponsor
Recent operations
Alexandria, together with the guided-missile cruiserCruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
USS Cowpens (CG-63)
USS Cowpens (CG-63)
USS Cowpens is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser currently in service with the United States Navy.-Overview:The USS Cowpens is currently forward-deployed and is homeported at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Yokosuka, Japan...
, the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
USS Gary (FFG-51)
USS Gary (FFG-51)
USS Gary is an in the United States Navy. She was named for Commander Donald A. Gary .Gary was laid down on 18 December 1982 at San Pedro, California, by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Co., Los Angeles Division; launched on 19 November 1983; and commissioned on 17 November 1984.- Recent news :Gary...
, and P-3C Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, participated in Exercise Malabar
Malabar 2007
Exercise Malabar is a multilateral naval exercise involving the United States, India, Japan, Australia, and Singapore. The annual MALABAR series began in 1992, and includes diverse activities, ranging from fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers, through Maritime Interdiction Operations...
2004, a training exercise with the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
off the southwest coast of India that ended October 11, 2004.
Some scenes for the movie Stargate: Continuum
Stargate: Continuum
Stargate: Continuum is a Canadian-American military science fiction film released through MGM Home Entertainment , written by Brad Wright and directed by Martin Wood. The film is a time-travel adventure and is the second sequel to Stargate SG-1, after Stargate: The Ark of Truth...
take place on board Alexandria. The then-captain of Alexandria, Cmdr. Mike Bernacchi, and members of her crew played themselves. The ship was also used as a filming location in the JAG
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
/ NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
universe, although she was referred to there as the fictional USS Cathedral City.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Ice Exercise 2007 (ICEX-2007), conducted in the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
with the Trafalgar-class submarine
Trafalgar class submarine
The Trafalgar class is a class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service with the Royal Navy. They are a direct follow on from the Swiftsure class and were, until the introduction of the Astute class, the Royal Navy's most advanced nuclear fleet submarines.Seven boats were built and...
HMS Tireless (S88)
HMS Tireless (S88)
HMS Tireless is a nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy and is the third vessel of her class. She is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to bear this name...
. The exercise took place on and under a drifting ice floe, about 180 nmi (333 km) off the north coast of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. The two submarines were taking part in joint testing of submarine operability and tactical development in Arctic waters. On March 21, Tireless experienced an explosion of a self-contained oxygen generation candle. Tireless suffered only superficial damage, but two crew members were killed and one injured.
See also
- Los Angeles-class submarineLos Angeles class submarineThe Los Angeles class, sometimes called the LA class or the 688 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet. With 43 submarines on active duty and 19 retired, the Los Angeles class is the most numerous nuclear powered...
- Naval Submarine Base New LondonNaval Submarine Base New LondonNaval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...