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USS Tennessee (SSBN-734)
Encyclopedia
USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) is a United States Navy
ballistic missile submarine
that has been in commission since 1988. She is the fourth ship and first submarine of the U.S. Navy to be named for Tennessee
the 16th state
.
Corporation in Groton
, Connecticut
, on 7 January 1982. Her keel
was laid down there on 9 June 1986. She was launched
on 13 December 1986, sponsored by Mrs. Landess Kelso, and commissioned
on 17 December 1988, with Captain
D. Witzenburg in command of the Blue Crew and Captain Kenneth D. Barker in command of the Gold Crew. She was the first submarine capable of firing the Trident II ballistic missile
to be commissioned.
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...
ballistic missile submarine
Ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident...
that has been in commission since 1988. She is the fourth ship and first submarine of the U.S. Navy to be named for Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
the 16th state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
.
Construction and commissioning
Tennessees construction was authorized in Fiscal year 1980, and the contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General DynamicsGeneral 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
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....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, on 7 January 1982. 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 there on 9 June 1986. 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 13 December 1986, sponsored by Mrs. Landess Kelso, 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 17 December 1988, with Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
D. Witzenburg in command of the Blue Crew and Captain Kenneth D. Barker in command of the Gold Crew. She was the first submarine capable of firing the Trident II ballistic missile
UGM-133 Trident II
UGM-133 Trident II, or Trident D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile, built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the US Navy and Royal Navy. It was first deployed in 1990, and is still in service....
to be commissioned.
External links
- SSBN 734 Tennessee at GlobalSecurity.org
- Submarine and Ship Postal Covers at TheSaltySailor.com