Moored training ship

A moored training ship (MTS) is a United States Navy nuclear powered submarine that has been converted to a training ship for Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) Charleston at Naval Support Activity Charleston in South Carolina. The Navy uses decommissioned nuclear submarines and converts them to MTSs to train personnel in the operation and maintenance of submarines and their nuclear reactors. The first moored training ship was USS Sam Rayburn (SSBN-635) a James Madison-class fleet ballistic missile submarine, redesignated as (MTS-635) in 1989, followed a year later by USS Daniel Webster (SSBN-626), a Lafayette-class ballistic missile submarine, redesignated as (MTS-626). Conversion of these two boats took place at the Charleston Naval Shipyard and modifications included special mooring arrangements with a mechanism to absorb power generated by the main propulsion shaft.[1]

The Navy added two more moored training ships to this facility, USS La Jolla (SSN-701)[2] and USS San Francisco (SSN-711),[3] a pair of Los Angeles-class attack submarines. The conversions for these two took place at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard[4] and then were towed to NPTU Charleston. La Jolla became inactive in early 2015 and began the 32 month conversion to a training ship. Changes include having the hull cut into three sections, with the center section being recycled and the other two joined with three new sections, manufactured by Electric Boat, extending the overall length by 23 m (76 ft). The project was expected to be completed by the end of 2018.[5] San Francisco arrived at Norfolk to begin her conversion in January 2018.[4] La Jolla arrived at NPTU Charleston in 2019 and San Francisco arrived in 2021.[6]

With the addition of La Jolla and San Francisco, the Navy retired Sam Rayburn and Daniel Webster.[7] Sam Rayburn was towed to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 2021 to be inactivated, and Daniel Webster will also be inactivated at Norfolk, sometime later.[8]

Moored training ships

Name Hull number Builder Ship class Laid down Launched Commissioned Reclassified as MTS Inactivated as MTS
Sam Rayburn SSBN-635 Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. James Madison 3 December 1962 20 December 1963 2 December 1964 31 July 1989 1 April 2021
Daniel Webster SSBN-626 General Dynamics Electric Boat Lafayette 28 December 1961 27 April 1963 9 April 1964 30 August 1990 December 2023
La Jolla SSN-701 General Dynamics Electric Boat Los Angeles 16 October 1976 11 August 1979 24 October 1981 15 November 2019 Active
San Francisco SSN-711 Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. Los Angeles 26 May 1977 27 October 1979 24 April 1981 16 August 2021 Active
  • Sam Rayburn
    Sam Rayburn
  • Daniel Webster
    Daniel Webster
  • La Jolla (after conversion to a Moored Training ship)
    La Jolla
    (after conversion to a Moored Training ship)
  • San Francisco (during the conversion to a Moored Training Ship)
    San Francisco
    (during the conversion to a Moored Training Ship)

See also

References

  1. ^ "MTS". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  2. ^ "SSN-701". nvr.navy.mil. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  3. ^ "SSN-711". nvr.navy.mil. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "US Navy's Norfolk shipyard undocks USS La Jolla submarine". naval-technology.com. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  5. ^ "USS La Jolla reaches moored training ship conversion milestone". navaltoday.com. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Los Angeles Class Nuclear Submarine Transformed Into A Floating Schoolhouse". twz.com. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  7. ^ "NNSY welcomes MTS Sam Rayburn for inactivation". Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  8. ^ "NNSY welcomes MTS Sam Rayburn for inactivation". Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 2024-05-25.


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