"SUBDIV" redirects here. For subdivision surfaces, see Subdiv.
A submarine squadron (SUBRON) is a naval formation or unit in such states such as the United Kingdom, United States, and Russia/Soviet Union. In France the equivalent unit is the escadrille des sous-marins nucléaires d'attaque (ESNA), part of the French submarine forces (and before the Second World War, escadrilles de sous-marins).
4th Submarine Division – Sydney (established 1948, disbanded 1969)
5th Submarine Division – Malta. It was announced on 31 July 1964, that British submarines were to leave Malta.[3] Captain C.H. Hammer was last Captain S.M. 5. HMS Ausonia, the division depot ship, set sail for the UK on 7 August 1964, and then paid off. Submarine depot ships at Malta were Forth (1948–1960), HMS Narvik (1960–1962), and then Ausonia from 1962 to 1964.
In 1971 HMNB Clyde at Faslane in Scotland was home to the Third Submarine Squadron of Nuclear Fleet and Diesel Patrol Submarines, 'the fighters', and the 10th Submarine Squadron consisting of the four Polaris submarines, 'the bombers'.[5] The Base also conducted the training of all submarines before they joined their Squadrons and this was known as 'work up'. On the decommissioning of the Polaris submarines the 10th Submarine Squadron re-equipped with Vanguard-classballistic missile submarines.
1st Submarine Squadron was located at HMS Dolphin during the early 1990s. In 2001, the five Swiftsure-classsubmarines were part of the 1st Submarine Squadron based at Faslane and the seven Trafalgar-class boats were with the Second Submarine Squadron at Devonport.[6]
Up until World War II and for a little after, submarine squadrons could have several Submarine Divisions (SubDivs), often pairs of submarines. Reserve submarine divisions also existed after World War II.
A SUBRON usually consists of three or more submarines. It is the submarine force equivalent to a destroyer squadron in the surface Navy. The officer in charge of SUBRON ONE is designated Commander Submarine Squadron One or COMSUBRON ONE. However, unlike a destroyer squadron—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.
Several submarine squadrons may be organized into a Submarine Group (SUBGRU), headed under a flag officer. For instance, SUBRON 17, SUBRON 19 and DEVRON 5 are 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.
List of submarine squadrons
Odd numbered squadrons are West Coast (Pacific Fleet), even numbered East Coast (Atlantic Fleet).
Consolidated under SUBRON 6 in 2011.[9] Reestablished February 18, 2022.[10] Responsible for the control of new submarine construction and ongoing submarine operating maintenance schedules of Los Angeles-class attack submarines and Virginia-class submarines homeported in Norfolk, Va.
Naval Submarine Base New London Groton, Connecticut
Decommissioned (1991)
First all nuclear submarine squadron. Originally activated during World War II. Stationed at State Pier in New London, Connecticut from circa 1951 to 1991.
Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarine squadron. Headquarters was at Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut. Submarines were forward deployed to Holy Loch, Scotland.
^Hickey, Laurence. "A Brief History of Canadian Submarines". Submarines-Canada. Retrieved October 1, 2014. See also Ambrosia: A Scrapbook of the Sixth Submarine Squadron Division at work and play 1955–1966.
^"HMS Courageous: A Cold War Veteran"(PDF). Society Members' Bulletin. Royal Naval Engineers Benevolent Society: 5. September 2013. Archived from the original(pdf) on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
^Copeland, Kevin (6 May 2011). "Norfolk Submarine Squadrons Consolidate" (Press release). Navy News Service. Submarine Force Atlantic Public Affairs. NNS110506-13. Retrieved 16 June 2015.