SUBRON
Encyclopedia
SUBRON is the United States Navy
(USN) abbreviation for Submarine Squadron. A SUBRON usually consists of three or more submarine
s. It is the submarine force equivalent to a Destroyer Squadron or DESRON
in the surface Navy. However, unlike a DESRON -- which actually moves its staff aboard its ships and deploys with them as an operational Task Element commander -- a SUBRON commander and his staff always remain in homeport, and are responsible only for the training, equipping and administering of the ships under its umbrella. A submarine squadron is usually commanded by a Captain (O-6) who has already had at least one tour as commander
of a submarine. Up until World War II and possibly afterwards, submarine squadrons could have several Submarine Divisions (SubDivs), often pairs of submarines.
The officer in charge of SUBRON ONE is designated Commander Submarine Squadron One or COMSUBRON ONE.
Several SUBRONs may be organized into a Submarine Group (SUBGRU), headed under a flag officer
. For instance, CSS-17 and CSS-19 are both part of SUBGRU-9 in Bangor, Washington. The overall responsibility for submarines on the west coast of the United States is taken by the Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC); on the east coast, the same responsibility rests with the Commander Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT). The latter is the senior of the two, and thus also plays a secondary role as Commander, Submarine Force (COMSUBFOR).
When a submarine deploys, for instance as part of a Carrier Strike Group, operational command is transferred to the numbered fleet commander for the theater to which the submarine is deploying, e.g., Commander Fifth Fleet
(COMFIFTHFLT).
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...
(USN) abbreviation for Submarine Squadron. A SUBRON usually consists of three or more submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s. It is the submarine force equivalent to a Destroyer Squadron or DESRON
DESRON
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...
in the surface Navy. However, unlike a DESRON -- which actually moves its staff aboard its ships and deploys with them as an operational Task Element commander -- a SUBRON commander and his staff always remain in homeport, and are responsible only for the training, equipping and administering of the ships under its umbrella. A submarine squadron is usually commanded by a Captain (O-6) who has already had at least one tour as commander
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
of a submarine. Up until World War II and possibly afterwards, submarine squadrons could have several Submarine Divisions (SubDivs), often pairs of submarines.
The officer in charge of SUBRON ONE is designated Commander Submarine Squadron One or COMSUBRON ONE.
Several SUBRONs may be organized into a Submarine Group (SUBGRU), headed under a flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
. For instance, CSS-17 and CSS-19 are both part of SUBGRU-9 in Bangor, Washington. The overall responsibility for submarines on the west coast of the United States is taken by the Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC); on the east coast, the same responsibility rests with the Commander Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT). The latter is the senior of the two, and thus also plays a secondary role as Commander, Submarine Force (COMSUBFOR).
When a submarine deploys, for instance as part of a Carrier Strike Group, operational command is transferred to the numbered fleet commander for the theater to which the submarine is deploying, e.g., Commander Fifth Fleet
Fifth Fleet
Fifth Fleet or 5th fleet may mean:* United States Fifth Fleet* IJN 5th Fleet, Imperial Japanese Navy* Luftflotte 5-See also:* Fifth * Fleet * Fourth Fleet * Sixth Fleet...
(COMFIFTHFLT).
List of submarine squadrons
Odd Numbered squadrons are West Coast (Pacific Fleet), Even numbered East Coast (Atlantic Fleet).- CSS-1Submarine Squadron 1Submarine Squadron 1 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Pearl Harbor, HI under the command of Captain Robinson . The submarines that make up SUBRON 1 include:-See also:...
Pearl HarborPearl HarborPearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, HI - CSS-3Submarine Squadron 3Submarine Squadron 3 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Pearl Harbor, HI under the command of Captain Caudle. The submarines that make up SUBRON 3 include:-See also:...
Pearl Harbor, HI - CSDS-5 Bangor, WA (DEVRON 5)
- CSS-7Submarine Squadron 7Submarine Squadron 7 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Pearl Harbor, HI under the command of Captain James Pitts. The submarines that make up SUBRON 7 include:-See also:...
Pearl Harbor, HI - CSS-11Submarine Squadron 11Submarine Squadron 11 is a squadron of submarines based at Point Loma Submarine Base, San Diego, California, United States.- History :...
San Diego, CA (Point Loma) - CSS-15Submarine Squadron 15Submarine Squadron 15 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based at Naval Base Guam.-See also:* History of the United States Navy-External links: US Navy page....
Apra HarborApra HarborApra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United... - CSS-17Submarine Squadron 17Submarine Squadron 17 is a squadron of submarines of the United States Navy based Bangor, Washington under the command of Captain David S. Ratte. The submarines that make up SUBRON 17 include:-See also:...
Bangor, WA - CSS-19 Bangor, WA
- CSS-2 GrotonGroton, ConnecticutGroton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
, CT - CSS-4Submarine Squadron 4Submarine Squadron 4 is a squadron of submarines based at US Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut under the command of Captain Robert Clark II . The submarines that make up SUBRON 4 include:...
Groton, CT - CSS-6 NorfolkNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, VA - CSS-8 Norfolk, VA
- CSDS-12 Groton, CT (DEVRON 12)
- CSS-14Submarine Squadron 14Submarine Squadron 14, or SUBRON 14, was a United States Navy squadron of Polaris and later Poseidon Fleet Ballistic Missile submarines based at Holy Loch, Scotland. The squadron was part of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet...
Holy LochHoly LochThe Holy Loch is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
1961 - 1992 - CSS-16 King's BayNaval Submarine Base Kings BayNaval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy located adjacent to the town of St. Marys in Camden County, Georgia, in southeastern Georgia, and not far from Jacksonville, Florida. The Submarine Base is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile...
, GA - CSS-20 King's Bay, GA
List of submarine groups
- CSG-2 Groton, CT (Parent of CSS-2, CSS-4, CSS-6 and CSS-8)
- CSG-7 Yokosuka, Japan (Parent of CSS-15. Also functions as CTF-74 under Seventh Fleet, and as CTF-54 under Fifth FleetFifth FleetFifth Fleet or 5th fleet may mean:* United States Fifth Fleet* IJN 5th Fleet, Imperial Japanese Navy* Luftflotte 5-See also:* Fifth * Fleet * Fourth Fleet * Sixth Fleet...
.) - CSG-8 Naples, Italy (Also functions as CTF-64 and CTF-69 under Sixth Fleet)
- CSG-9 Bangor, WA (Parent of CSS-17 and CSS-19.)
- CSG-10 Kings Bay, GA (Parent of CSS-16 and CSS-20.)