USS Annapolis (SSN-760), is the tenth "improved" Los Angeles-class submarine

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...

, and is sister-ship to the USS Springfield (SSN-761). Homeported in Groton, CT

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....

, she is assigned to Submarine Development Squadron 12

SUBRON

SUBRON is the United States Navy abbreviation for Submarine Squadron. A SUBRON usually consists of three or more submarines. It is the submarine force equivalent to a Destroyer Squadron or DESRON in the surface Navy...

. USS Annapolis is the fourth 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 Annapolis

Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, site of the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

.

History

The contract to build USS Annapolis (SSN-760) 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 on 21 March 1986 and her keel was laid down on 15 June 1988. 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 18 May 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Myra F. Kauderer, 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 11 April 1992, with Commander Richard Severinghaus in command.

Completing sea trials in April 1993, the ship had her first port visit to her namesake city, Annapolis, MD. She then entered Post Shakedown Availability in January 1993. After completing PSA in July 1993, the ship had her first port visit to Bermuda.

November 1993, USS Annapolis deployed on its first mission to the North Atlantic. Later that year it was awarded the Submarine Group Two Silver Anchor Award for enlisted retention. Annapolis returned to Groton, CT for the Christmas holidays and then continued on deployment in the Northern Atlantic in January 1994. During this time the boat made her first visit to Bergen

Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....

, Norway where some members of the crew had an opportunity to attend a few of the 1994 Winter Olympic events, including the Men's Gold Medal Hockey Match, before returning to Groton in March. During this deployment the boat and crew earned the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon. Following an in-port refit period, Annapolis participated in a six month pre-deployment workup with , and on October 20, 1994, began her first six-month Mediterranean Deployment with the Eisenhower Battle Group. During the deployment, the crew had a chance to make port calls in places as diverse as Gibraltar; Toulon, France; La Maddalena, Italy; Limasol, Cyprus; and Haifa, Israel. During this deployment Annapolis earned her first Sea Service Ribbon

Sea Service Ribbon

A Sea Service Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the United States Army which recognizes those service members who have performed military duty while stationed on a vessel at sea....

, 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...

 and 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....

. Upon the boat's return, Annapolis was "adopted" by the town of Montville, Connecticut

Montville, Connecticut

Montville is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,546 at the 2000 census and 19,571 at the 2010 census....

 in an effort to strengthen community relations.

The boat's next deployment was not until October 1997, when it returned to the Mediterranean Sea with the George Washington Battle Group. In November 1997, in response to an emergent political and military crisis in the Persian Gulf, Annapolis transited the Suez Canal en route to the Middle East. While on station, Annapolis played a key role as a Tomahawk strike platform as well as serving as a public affairs platform by hosting news crews from both ABC and CBS networks.

Port calls were limited but the crew did get ashore in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While in the Gulf, the boat earned its second Sea Service Ribbon and a Naval Unit Commendation. In March 1998 Annapolis was relieved of her duties by the and began the long voyage home.

After more than two years of local operations and extensive upkeep, Annapolis transited back to the Mediterranean in the summer of 2000 for a six-month independent submarine deployment. While in the Mediterranean, the boat had a chance to participate in several multi-national exercises as well as in real-world operations in the Adriatic. Crew members had significant liberty in Gibraltar; Rota, Spain; Toulon, France; and La Maddalena, Italy, and earned its third Sea Service Ribbon and second Naval Expeditionary Medal. The boat returned from this deployment in January 2001.

Annapolis entered Portsmouth Navy Yard for an extended overhaul on 23 April 2003. She set sail 16 May 2004, after completing a Depot Modernization Period one month ahead of schedule.

On 28 February 2008, Annapolis returned to homeport Groton from a six-month deployment. The deployment included visits to Rota, Spain; Toulon and Brest, France; Praia, Cape Verde

Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...

; and Ghana

Ghana

Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

. Annapolis was the first U.S. submarine to make a port visit to Africa (Cape Verde) outside of the Mediterranean. In addition to functions supporting national security, Annapolis participated in the African Partnership Station (APS) 2007, an initiative with regional maritime services in West and Central Africa.

In March 2009 Annapolis took part in Ice Exercise 2009

Ice Exercise 2009

Ice Exercise 2009 ' was a two-week US naval military exercise that took place in March 2009. Its aim was to test submarine operability and war-fighting capability in Arctic conditions...

.