Launching into a New Era

UNITED STATES

03.03.2020

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Andrea Perez 

U.S. Navy           

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 3, 2020) - The U.S. Navy submarine force SSBN fleet provides our nation with a reliable, survivable and powerful maritime leg of the strategic deterrent triad. Patrolling silently for months at a time, each SSBN stands watch over the Nation from the depths, ensuring our adversaries fully understand the consequences of a strategic miscalculation.

This is a heavy responsibility. So, what happens when a submarine comes out of the fight to undergo a three-year engineered refueling overhaul? Returning a ship to the Fleet is a vital task requiring a high degree of precision repair work, as well as close coordination across a wide array of supporting activities. When complete, the product is a highly capable, modernized warship that is fully prepared to carry out its strategic deterrence mission for years to come.

After completing the overhaul, the submarine and its two crews must successfully complete three major certifications. The first is the command and control exercise, which demonstrates the crew's ability to execute the mission and accomplish all required tasking. The second major certification is the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO), which validates both the ship's strategic systems and the crew's effectiveness to operate the strategic weapons systems. During this certification, the submarine successfully launches two Trident II (D5LE) missiles off the coast of San Diego. Finally, both the Blue and Gold crews complete a nuclear weapons acceptance inspection, which certifies that the crews safely, securely and effectively maintain the strategic weapons system.

According to Command Master Chief Petty Officer Richard Branam, Chief of the Boat, USS Maine (SSBN 741) Blue crew, it is no easy task.

"Anybody will tell you that it's a very difficult challenge bringing a submarine out of the shipyard," said Branam. "It's an even bigger challenge taking a crew that hasn't operated in three or more years - especially a crew that's never been out to sea, to turn around and be able to function as a full crew, and operate in and out of port."

An engineered refueling overhaul can extend the life of a submarine by approximately 20 years. Maine's crew overcame many challenges as they underwent years of maintenance, upgrades, qualifications and sea trials, which culminated in DASO 30.

"The benefits of the engineered refueling overhaul process is that it allows the ship to extend its hull life and allows the nation to keep this strategic asset in service for a much longer time," said Cmdr. Mike Tomon, Maine's Blue crew commanding officer. "It also allows the Navy to modernize an asset and allow the ship to be capable and able to stay in the high-end fight, which is really what we're looking for from our Navy assets today."

The primary objective of the DASO is to evaluate and demonstrate the readiness of the SSBN's strategic weapon system and crew before operational deployment following midlife refueling overhaul.

"The DASO test launch is the result of three years of the crew's hard work and training, and returning Maine to service will greatly improve fleet readiness," said Tomon.

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russ Smith was aboard when Maine conducted the DASO 30 test launch.

"The crew of Maine has done an amazing job preparing for their combat deployment, ready for whatever their patrol requires of them as they step forward and assume the watch. This is a prime example of what we do as warfighters, tirelessly training and preparing, maximizing every opportunity to sharpen our skills and readiness, then going forward when called upon to deter our enemies or defend our national interests," said Smith. "I am extremely proud of these Sailors, who today demonstrated a level of professionalism and lethality that should give any enemy pause, and fill every American's heart with confidence that our Navy is ready to fight and prevail from the sea. Hooyah, USS Maine - sail safe, seas abeam!"

Strategic Systems Programs, along with Naval Ordnance Test Unit, oversees the DASO certification process and provides integrated testing and evaluation capabilities, while various other organizations provide support.

"The crew of USS Maine dedicated an extraordinary amount of their time, effort and talent into getting their ship back to operational service," said Rear Adm. Doug Perry, commander, Submarine Group 9. "The hard work of many different organizations, working together to accomplish a command goal, exemplifies our Navy's focus on combat readiness and preparing our warfighters for the most challenging and important warfighting missions."

"The return to strategic service of an SSBN is an impressive accomplishment, and I couldn't be more proud of the Blue and Gold crews of USS Maine as well as the tremendous supporting cast, including Submarine Squadron 17, Submarine Group 9, the Strategic Weapons Facility, and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for their exceptional work to make this happen," said Rear Adm. Blake Converse, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. "A credible, and operationally effective nuclear strategic deterrence force is essential to our national security and the security of our allies and partners around the world, and USS Maine is once again a part of that team."

With Maine's successful completion of DASO 30, she returns to the Fleet as a full-fledged member of the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear deterrent triad.

For more news about USS Maine and other Commander, Submarine Group 9 units, visit www.facebook.com/SubGru9 or www.navy.mil/local/csg9/.

• Date Taken: 03.03.2020
• Date Posted: 03.30.2020 12:40
• Story ID: 366167
• Location: US