.jpg) USSLouisiana (SSBN-743) arriving for the first time at her newhome port atNaval Base Kitsap inBangor, Washington, on 12 October 2005. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Louisiana |
| Namesake | Louisiana |
| Ordered | 19 December 1990 |
| Builder | General Dynamics Electric Boat |
| Laid down | 23 October 1992 |
| Launched | 27 July 1996 |
| Sponsored by | Patricia O'Keefe |
| Commissioned | 6 September 1997 |
| Homeport | Bremerton,Washington |
| Motto | Union, Justice, and Confidence |
| Honors & awards |
|
| Status | in active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Ohio classballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 560 ft (170 m) |
| Beam | 42 ft (13 m)[1] |
| Draft | 38 ft (12 m) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | Greater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[5] |
| Test depth | Greater than 800 feet (240 m)[5] |
| Complement | |
| Armament |
|
USSLouisiana (hull numberSSBN-743) is the 18th and last boat of theUnited States Navy'sOhio class of nuclear-poweredfleet ballistic missile submarines. She carriesTrident ballistic missiles and has been in commission since 1997. She is the fourthcommissioned ship to bear the name of theU.S. state ofLouisiana.
The contract for the construction ofLouisiana was awarded on 19 December 1990 and herkeel was laid down at theElectric Boat Division ofGeneral Dynamics inGroton, Connecticut, on 23 October 1992. She waslaunched on 27 July 1996, sponsored by Patricia O'Keefe, and commissioned on 6 September 1997 atNaval Submarine Base Kings Bay atKings Bay, Georgia.
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Louisiana's firsthome port was Kings Bay. Her commissioning gave Kings Bay its planned full complement of 10ballistic missile submarines.
In the 1990s, with the end of theCold War and the subsequent reorganization of U.S. military forces, a U.S. nuclear policy review recommended that the U.S. Navy reduce its inventory ofOhio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines from 18 to 14 by 2005. An original plan to meet this goal by retiring the four oldestOhio-class submarines —Ohio,Michigan,Florida, andGeorgia — was abandoned. Instead, those four were converted intocruise missile submarines (SSGNs). The conversions reduced the size of the Trident-equipped ballistic missile submarine fleet to 14 units. In order to balance the remaining Trident-equipped fleet between theUnited States Atlantic Fleet andUnited States Pacific Fleet, fiveOhio-class submarines relocated from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Between 2002 and 2005,Pennsylvania,Kentucky,Nebraska,Maine, andLouisiana relocated from Kings Bay toNaval Base Kitsap.[6]
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On 18 August 2016,Louisiana collided withUSNS Eagleview, asubmarine and special warfare support vessel, while conducting operations in theStrait of Juan de Fuca. Both vessels returned to their respective home ports under their own power. Damage toLouisiana was limited to her forward starboard hull.[7]
The Strategic Air Command Consultation Committee presented theOmaha Trophy to theStrategic Air Command (SAC) in 1971 on behalf of the citizens ofOmaha, Nebraska, with the request that it be awarded annually to the outstanding SACwing; the award later grew to include four different categories, includingIntercontinental Ballistic Missile Command, Strategic Aircraft Operations Command, Strategic Space and Information Operations Command, and Submarine Ballistic Missile Command. On 31 May 2007,United States Strategic Command announced thatLouisiana had won the 2006 Omaha Trophy in the Submarine Ballistic Missile Command category, which recognizes excellence in the fleet and is presented annually to the ballistic missile submarine unit demonstrating the highest standards of performance; in order forLouisiana to receive the award, both her Blue Crew and Gold Crew had to achieve excellence in every category possible from loading weapons to tactical scenarios related to strategic warfare to sailor retention and crew morale, with selection for the award based on formal evaluations, meritorious achievement, safety, and other factors such as community involvement and humanitarian actions. GeneralKevin P. Chilton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, presented the trophy toLouisiana's crew.
Both the Blue and Gold crews ofLouisiana received theMeritorious Unit Commendation from theChief of Naval Operations,AdmiralGary Roughead on 17 February 2009 during an all-hands call while he was visiting Naval Base Kitsap. The award was based on a recognition that both crews collectively had performed service of a character comparable in a non-combat situation to that which would merit the award of aBronze Star Medal, or an award of like caliber, to an individual in a combat situation.Louisiana was specifically recognized for meritorious service and superior performance across the spectrum ofstrategic submarine operations, setting fleet standards of excellence for administration, engineering, supply, personnel programs, and community support.Louisiana was the first ballistic missile submarine to be awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation since 2001.[8]
Louisiana's crest recalls the traditions of the people of the state of Louisiana and the three previous U.S. Navy ships to bear the nameLouisiana. The symbolism of the crest reminds both crews of their bond to the people and history of Louisiana, as well as the tradition of the naval veterans who have served aboard ships of the same name. To others, the crest serves as a statement that the crews carry forward and those traditions of faithful and excellent service.
The gold braid encircling the seal represents commitment of the two crews to the values of pride, patriotism, honor, and tradition. The 18 stars surrounding the crest identifyLouisiana as the 18th state of theUnion andLouisiana as the 18thOhio-class submarine. The Louisianastate bird, thepelican, is shown protecting her young with outstretched wings; the pelican, as legend has it, is the only bird known to give its own flesh to feed its young when it is unable to find food, and this signifies the mission ofLouisiana and her two crews to defend, at all costs, the freedoms and values that America represents.
The red, white, and blue colors in the crest symbolizeLouisiana's duty to the nation. The crest also includes the gold, white, and blue of the state of Louisiana to recall the submarine's name's origins. Additionally, the dark blue and gold in the crest traditionally associated with the United States Navy represent excellence and the sea, and also symbolizes the two crews — Blue Crew and Gold Crew — ofLouisiana. The bow-on perspective of the modernOhio-class submarine is meant to be striking, bold, and steadfast in its appearance, serving as a warning ofLouisiana's resolute commitment to defending freedom.
The four stars on the submarine's bow indicate thatLouisiana the fourth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. The laurel symbolizes each crew member's commitment to honorable service to their country and ship. Thetridents symbolize naval weaponry, both past and present, and sea prowess. Their bottom spikes pierce the Louisianastate motto, anchoring it, while pointing toward the ocean depths where the ship patrols. An iris with three petals was once thearmorial emblem of Frenchsovereigns, and it is often used as a symbol of the state of Louisiana; here it represents France's strong influence on the State of Louisiana. The banner with the inscription "Union, Justice, and Confidence" proclaims the Louisiana state motto. Wrapping the banner around the ship symbolizes the crew's strongesprit de corps with the people of the state of Louisiana. Thecrawfish further symbolizes the cultural heritage of the people of the state of Louisiana.[9]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromLouisiana (SSBN-743) at theNaval Vessel Register.Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 2016 | |
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