USS Birmingham (SSN-695)
USS Birmingham (SSN-695), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Birmingham, Alabama. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 24 January 1972 and her keel was laid down on 26 April 1975. She was launched on 29 October 1977 sponsored by Mrs. Maryon Pittman Allen, wife of Senator James Allen, and commissioned on 16 December 1978, with Commander Paul L. Callahan in command.
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History | |
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Name: | USS Birmingham |
Awarded: | 24 January 1972 |
Builder: | Newport News Shipbuilding |
Laid down: | 26 April 1975 |
Launched: | 29 October 1977 |
Commissioned: | 16 December 1978 |
Decommissioned: | 22 December 1997 |
Struck: | 22 December 1997 |
Motto: | Simpliciter Optimus (translated from the unofficial English language "Simply the Best" by former-MM1(SS) Rick Penza) |
Fate: | Disposed of by submarine recycling |
Badge: |
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General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Los Angeles-class submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: | 110.3 m (361 ft 11 in) |
Beam: | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
Draft: | 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in) |
Propulsion: | S6G nuclear reactor, 2 turbines, 35,000 hp (26 MW), 1 auxiliary motor 325 hp (242 kW), 1 shaft |
Speed: |
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Test depth: | Greater than 400 ft (120 m) |
Complement: | 12 officers; 98 enlisted |
Armament: |
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Birmingham was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 22 December 1997. Ex-Birmingham was scheduled to enter the Nuclear Powered Ship and Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington on 1 October 2012.[1] In September 2015, Birmingham's sail was placed on static display at Defense Supply Center, Columbus.
References
- This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
- Morison, Samuel L. "US Naval Battle Force Changes 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2010" (PDF). Proceedings. US Naval Institute (May 2011).
External links
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