USS Montpelier (SSN-765)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Montpelier.

Sailors aboard USS Montpelier prepare to moor at Naval Station Norfolk in 2003
History
United States
NameUSS Montpelier
NamesakeThe City of Montpelier, Vermont
Awarded6 February 1987
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down19 May 1989
Launched23 August 1991
Commissioned13 March 1993
HomeportNaval Station Norfolk (Currently Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul)
Motto
Nickname(s)"Mighty Monty"
StatusIn active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeLos Angeles-class submarine
Displacement
  • 6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full
  • 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5%[1][2]
  • 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp
  • 1 × shaft
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
Complement12 officers, 98 men
Armament4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 12 × vertical launch Tomahawk missiles

USS Montpelier (SSN-765), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Montpelier, Vermont. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 19 May 1989. She was christened 6 April 1991, launched on 23 August 1991 sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Hayes Sununu, and commissioned on 13 March 1993 with Commander Victor Fiebig in command.[not verified in body]

Service history

USS Montpelier was the first submarine to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom. She would go on to fire all 20 missiles earning her a "clean sweep" under the command of CDR William J. Frake.

On 27 May 2004 Montpelier went through an 18-month Depot Modernization Period (DMP) at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The ship and crew completed this period three months ahead of schedule and, after successfully completing sea trials returned to their home port in Virginia.[3] The boat entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 5 February 2010 for modernization, maintenance, and upgrades, expected to cost around $35 million for 640,000-man hours, and included changing the submarine's buoyancy characteristics and upgrading its sonar capabilities. The work was completed and the sub returned to the fleet on 26 July 2010, eight days earlier than scheduled.[4]

Accident

On 13 October 2012, USS Montpelier collided with the cruiser USS San Jacinto off the east coast of the United States near Florida. Both ships were conducting a training exercise at the time of the incident. No one on board either ship was injured.[5] The sub's captain, Commander Thomas Winter, was relieved and the sub has since undergone $70 million in repairs.[6]

Awards

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals 23–31 March 1997
1 April – 24 June 1997
Armed Forces Service Medals 4–28 April 1995
13 March – 3 June 1995
NATO Medal March – June 1995
Navy Unit Commendation March – June 1995

January–July 2003

Navy Expeditionary Medal July – December 1998
Arctic Service Ribbon July – December 1998

References

This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.

  1. ^ "International Panel on Fissile Materials". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). dspace.mit.edu. June 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  3. ^ Kenny, ELizabeth, "Shipyard Boosted by Submarine’s Arrival", Portsmouth Herald, 28 May 2004.
  4. ^ Wiltrout, Kate, "Submarine's Upgrades Completed Early, Under Budget", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 3 August 2010.
  5. ^ "USS Montpelier and USS San Jacinto Pierside". United States Navy. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. ^ Reilly, Corinne (17 June 2014). "'Sub, dead ahead!' New Navy report dissects collision at sea". Stars and Stripes. The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
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