Two US Navy submarines return home from deployments

Two U.S. Navy submarines wrapped up their deployments and returned to their homeports in two different submarine bases on March 23.

One of them, the guided missile submarine USS Ohio, spent two years away from her home at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

Since its departure in December 2014, Ohio was forward-deployed to Guam, where it conducted surveillance, training and other critical missions in the 7th Fleet Area of Operation.

Formerly a ballistic missile submarine, USS Ohio made port visits in Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan; and coordinated the largest Tomahawk missile onload in program history.

The ship is scheduled to begin a Major Maintenance Period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF). Major Maintenance Periods are part of a ship’s normal operating cycle and occur after the submarine has been forward deployed for over 12 months.

The other submarine, Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724), spent considerably less time away from her homeport of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, undertaking a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific.

During the six-month deployment, Louisville performed various exercises, completed three successful missions vital to national security and enjoyed six port visits, including South Korea, Guam and the Philippines.

The deployment also marked a major milestone for the Louisville as she celebrated her 30th anniversary in commissioned service on November 8.