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USS Florida
Wikipedia | 2012-10-12 19:14
USS Florida (SSBN-728/SSGN-728), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 27th state. She was commissioned with the hull designation of SSBN-728; with her conversion to a cruise missile submarine, she was re-designated SSGN-728.
 USS Florida (SSGN-728) |
|
| Career (US) | |
| Namesake: | U.S state of Florida |
| Ordered: | 28 February 1975 |
| Builder: | General Dynamics Electric Boat |
| Laid down: | 4 July 1976 |
| Launched: | 14 November 1981 |
| Commissioned: | 18 June 1983 |
| Homeport: | Kings Bay, Georgia |
| Motto: |
Fortes Fortuna Adiuvat ("Fortune Favors the Brave") |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2012 |
| Badge: |
 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: |
16,764 metric tons (16,499 long tons) surfaced 18,750 metric tons (18,450 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 560 feet (170 m) |
| Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
| Draft: | 38 feet (12 m) |
| Propulsion: |
1xS8G PWR nuclear reactor 2x geared turbines 1x325 hp (242 kW) auxiliary motor 1 shaft @ 60,000 shp (45 MW) |
| Speed: | Greater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Test depth: | Greater than 800 feet (240 m) |
| Complement: |
15 officers 140 enlisted |
| Armament: |
4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 154 × BGM-109 Tomahawks in 22 groups of seven. |
Construction and commissioning
The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 28 February 1975 and her keel was laid down on the bicentennial of the United States's independence, 4 July 1976. The boat was unnamed at the keel-laying ceremony.
The initial ship's crew formed the precommissioning unit on 8 July 1980. The first shipboard watches were stationed on 14 February 1981 to support the operational control transfer of engineering systems to ship's force control. The Secretary of the Navy finally named her on 19 January 1981.
Florida was launched on 14 November 1981 sponsored by Mrs. Jarcia M. Carlucci. Her reactor was initially taken critical on 13 November 1982 and she went into service and the crew moved onboard on 21 January 1983. Florida commenced initial builders' sea trials on 21 February 1983 and was subsequently delivered to the Navy on 17 May 1983 – 43 days ahead of schedule. She was commissioned on 18 June 1983, with Captain William L. Powell in command of the Blue Crew and Captain George R. Sterner in command of the Gold Crew.
Operational History
Both crews successfully completed the demonstration and shakedown operations, each culminated by the successful launch of a Trident C-4 missile. Florida transited the Panama Canal in February and arrived in Bangor, Washington on 25 March 1984. She completed her first strategic deterrent patrol on 25 July 1984.
As of November 2002, Florida had successfully completed 61 strategic deterrent patrols. She won the Battle E in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1999, and 2002. In 1991, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award. In 1997, Florida's skipper, Commander Michael J. Alfonso, was relieved of command for "browbeating his crew, ignoring his executive officer and chief of the boat, and acting as a tyrant."
Florida's command history for 1997 states:
...Concerned about Commander Alfonso's leadership style and the low morale displayed by his crew, Rear Admiral Sullivan (Commander, Submarine Group Nine) took the extraordinary step of relieving the Blue crew captain of his command. On Aug 12, Commander Gregory M. Billy, USN, assumed command of Florida (Blue) in a brief ceremony.
