USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709)

USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) was a ''Los Angeles''-class attack submarine of the United States Navy. Named for the "Father of the Nuclear Navy," Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the vessel was a key component of the Cold War undersea warfare fleet. It served for over two decades, conducting vital intelligence collection and deterrence missions across the globe before being decommissioned in 2006.

Construction and commissioning

The contract for the vessel's construction was awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, on 31 October 1973. Her keel was laid down on 24 July 1981 at the Quonset Point facility. The submarine was launched on 27 August 1983, sponsored by Eleanor Ann Rickover, the admiral's wife. The commissioning ceremony took place on 21 July 1984, with Captain John H. Maurer assuming command as her first commanding officer.

Design and features

As a Flight I Los Angeles-class submarine, *Hyman G. Rickover* was powered by a single S6G pressurized water reactor, providing virtually unlimited endurance and high submerged speed. Her primary armament consisted of four bow-mounted torpedo tubes capable of launching Mk-48 ADCAP torpedoes, UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and later, BGM-109 Tomahawk land-attack missiles. The boat was equipped with the AN/BQQ-5 sonar suite, including a large spherical array and a TB-16 towed array sonar, for advanced anti-submarine warfare. Her design emphasized quiet operation to evade adversaries like the Soviet Navy.

Service history

Following shakedown cruises and post-commissioning workups, *Hyman G. Rickover* was assigned to Submarine Squadron 4 based at the Naval Submarine Base New London. Throughout her career, she executed numerous deployments to strategic areas including the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Arctic Ocean. The submarine's missions during the Cold War focused on tracking Soviet submarines, conducting undersea surveillance, and providing a forward presence. In the post-Cold War era, she participated in exercises with NATO allies and continued Tomahawk missile launch capability demonstrations.

Decommissioning and fate

After 22 years of service, *Hyman G. Rickover* was decommissioned in a ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London on 14 December 2006. Her name was simultaneously stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. The vessel was subsequently transferred to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. There, she entered the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program, a process managed by the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense, where her reactor compartment was removed and the hull recycled.

Awards and legacy

Over her operational life, the submarine and her crew were awarded multiple unit commendations, including the Navy Unit Commendation and several Battle "E" awards for efficiency. The vessel's name perpetuates the formidable legacy of Hyman G. Rickover, whose leadership at the Naval Reactors branch and the Atomic Energy Commission revolutionized naval propulsion. The name was later assigned to the ''Virginia''-class fast attack submarine USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795), continuing the admiral's enduring influence on the United States Navy.

Category:Los Angeles-class submarines Category:Ships built in Connecticut Category:1984 ships