After 33 years of service with the U.S. Navy, Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) was decommissioned during a ceremony held at Keyport Undersea Museum on February 27.
Albuquerque arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) for inactivation and decommissioning Oct. 28, 2015, following an inactivation ceremony in San Diego, California.
The submarine is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Albuquerque, New Mexico. The keel was laid by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, December 27, 1979, and launched March 13, 1982. The boat earned three Navy Unit Commendations, four Meritorious Unit Commendations and four Battle Efficiency “E” Awards throughout her service.
Rear Adm. John Tammen, commander, Submarine Group 9, the guest speaker for the event, delivered remarks highlighting the boat’s many accomplishments.
“Albuquerque was commissioned on May 21, 1983 at Naval Base New London in Groton, Connecticut,” said Tammen. “She has deployed 21 times to every corner of the globe, accumulating approximately 1.1 million nautical miles steamed, the equivalent of 52 global circumnavigations.
“She has performed 1075 successful dives in her lifetime, made port calls in over 35 different foreign ports around the world, participated in over 18 major international naval exercises, and seen 14 commanding officers. Having been homeported on both coasts, she is one of the few warships in history to have deployed to every ocean in support of every operational command worldwide.”
“As we decommission the aging Los Angeles-class boats, we make room for newer, more advanced submarines,” said Tammen. “ We strive to continue the tradition of undersea dominance, a tradition the Albuquerque has for so long been a part of, by continuing to push the envelope, and equipping our Sailors with the very best technology and equipment. As we close this chapter on the USS Albuquerque, we look forward to the opportunities in the future and the progress it signifies.”