USS Birmingham (SSN-695)

6300 tons surfaced, 7100 tons submerged

110.3 m

10 m

9.7 m

12 officers, 115 teams

A S6G reactor

30 nodes

4533 -mm torpedo tubes

The USS Birmingham (SSN -695 ) was a nuclear submarine of the United States Navy and was among the Los Angeles - class. The boat was named after Birmingham, Alabama.

History

The contract to build SSN- 695, was issued in early 1972 at the Newport News Shipbuilding, in April 1975 the submarine was placed on the yard of the Group in Newport News, Virginia on Kiel. After a construction period of two and a half years, the boat ran in 1977 by launching and the end of 1978 officially put into service by the Navy.

In a service period of 19 years the boat has received many commendations and three Meritorious Unit two Navy Unit Commendation as well as several awards for excellent e- readiness.

On 22 December 1997, Birmingham was decommissioned in order to reduce the running costs of the Navy and to save a necessary refilling of the reactor. The original plan was to leave Birmingham 30 years in service. Today the boat is in Pearl Harbor and is waiting to be canceled as part of the Ship - Submarine Recycling Program at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The beginning of the process is planned for 2009.