USS Philadelphia (SSN-690)
Encyclopedia
USS Philadelphia (SSN-690), a Los Angeles-class
attack submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat
Division of General Dynamics
Corporation in Groton, Connecticut
on 8 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 12 August 1972. She was launched
on 19 October 1974 sponsored by Mrs. Hugh Scott, and commissioned
on 25 June 1977, with Commander Robert B. Osborne in command.
In 1988, Philadelphia became the first submarine to receive TLAM
-D capability.
In 1994, Philadelphia completed the first refueling overhaul of a Los Angeles-class submarine. This was completed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
in Kittery, Maine
.
In 1998, Philadelphia was modified to carry a Dry Deck Shelter
(DDS).
On 5 September 2005 Philadelphia was in the Persian Gulf
about 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) northeast of Bahrain
when it collided with a Turkish merchant ship, . No injuries were reported on either vessel. Damage to the submarine was described as "superficial." The Turkish ship suffered minor damage to its hull just above the water line, which the United States Coast Guard
inspected and found still seaworthy.
In 2006, Philadelphia completed the first-ever Pre-Inactivation Restricted Availability (PIRA) conducted at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
in Kittery, Maine.
On July 20, 2009 the US Navy announced that the submarine would be inactivated on June 10, 2010 and decommissioned at an undetermined later date.
episode "Sub Rosa" as the submarine where two agents were deployed in order to stop the release of a deadly gas into the submarine's air conditioning
system.
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...
attack submarine, was the sixth 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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat
Electric 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 8 January 1971 and her keel was laid down on 12 August 1972. She was launched
Ship 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 19 October 1974 sponsored by Mrs. Hugh Scott, and commissioned
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...
on 25 June 1977, with Commander Robert B. Osborne in command.
In 1988, Philadelphia became the first submarine to receive TLAM
BGM-109 Tomahawk
The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...
-D capability.
In 1994, Philadelphia completed the first refueling overhaul of a Los Angeles-class submarine. This was completed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
.
In 1998, Philadelphia was modified to carry a Dry Deck Shelter
Dry Deck Shelter
A Dry Deck Shelter is a removable module that can be attached to a submarine to allow divers easy exit and entrance while the boat is submerged...
(DDS).
On 5 September 2005 Philadelphia was in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
about 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) northeast of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
when it collided with a Turkish merchant ship, . No injuries were reported on either vessel. Damage to the submarine was described as "superficial." The Turkish ship suffered minor damage to its hull just above the water line, which the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
inspected and found still seaworthy.
In 2006, Philadelphia completed the first-ever Pre-Inactivation Restricted Availability (PIRA) conducted at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
in Kittery, Maine.
On July 20, 2009 the US Navy announced that the submarine would be inactivated on June 10, 2010 and decommissioned at an undetermined later date.
Deployments
1979 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
1980 | Western Pacific Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World... |
1982 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
1983 | North Atlantic |
1986 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
1989 | Eastern Atlantic |
1991 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... - Desert Storm |
1992 | North Atlantic |
1996 | North Atlantic |
1997 | North Atlantic Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area... |
1999 | North Atlantic Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area... Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
2001 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
2003 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... |
2005 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... /CENTCOM |
2007 | Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... /CENTCOM |
Awards
1983 | Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon Ney Memorial Award for Outstanding Food Service |
1987 | Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... "A" Award for Outstanding ASW Operations |
1988 | "A" Award for Outstanding ASW Operations |
1989 | Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... "A" Award for Outstanding ASW Operations |
1990 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon CINCLANTFLT Golden Anchor Award |
1991 | Southwest Asia Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War... - Desert Storm "A" Award for Outstanding ASW Operations |
1996 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon Ney Memorial Award as Atlantic Fleet Finalist for Food Service Excellence COMSUBLANT Battenberg Cup Nominee for Best All Around Unit Battenberg Cup The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and British naval... |
1997 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon CINCLANTFLT Silver Anchor Award |
1998 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon CINCLANTFLT Silver Anchor Award Communications Green "C" |
1999 | Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... Communications Green "C" Tactical White "T" Damage Control Red "DC" |
2000 | Tactical White "T" Deck "D" |
2001 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon Engineering Excellence "E" Supply Blue "E" |
2003 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... |
2005 | Navy Expeditionary Medal Navy Expeditionary Medal The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy... Communications Green "C" Damage Control Red "DC" Medical Yellow "M" |
2006 | Engineering Excellence "E" Supply Blue "E" |
2007 | Battle Efficiency "E" Ribbon Communications Green "C" |
In Popular Culture
The Philadelphia was seen in the NCISNCIS (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...
episode "Sub Rosa" as the submarine where two agents were deployed in order to stop the release of a deadly gas into the submarine's air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
system.
External links
- navso taurce.org: USS Philadelphia (SSN-690)
- Commander Submarine Group Two: USS Philadelphia (SSN-690)
- Navy NewsStand: USS Philadelphia Returns From Historic Deployment (2003)
- Navy NewsStand: USS Philadelphia Returns After Highly Successful Deployment (2007)
- USS Philadelphia (SSN-690) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command