USS Charlotte (SSN-766)

USS Charlotte (SSN-766), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charlotte, North Carolina. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 6 February 1987 and her keel was laid down on 17 August 1990. Sponsored by Mrs. Mary McComack, she was launched on 3 October 1992 and commissioned on 16 September 1994. She arrived at her homeport of Pearl Harbor on 17 November 1995.[3]

For other ships with the same name, see USS Charlotte.

USS Charlotte (SSN-766) off the coast of Oahu
Charlotte carrying an Advanced SEAL Delivery System minisub off the coast of Oahu
History
United States
NameUSS Charlotte
NamesakeThe city of Charlotte, North Carolina
Awarded6 February 1987
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down17 August 1990
Launched3 October 1992
Sponsored byMrs. Mary McCormack
Commissioned16 September 1994
HomeportPearl Harbor
MottoSilent Stinger
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeLos Angeles-class submarine
Displacement
  • 6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full
  • 927 long tons (942 t) dead
Length110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5%[1][2]
  • 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp
  • 1 × shaft
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
Complement12 officers, 98 men
Armament

History
Charlotte at the north pole

On 29 November 2005, Charlotte arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, having taken the northern route from Pearl Harbor, under the Arctic ice cap. Along the way, she surfaced at the North Pole through 61 inches of ice, a record for a Los Angeles-class submarine.[4]

On 24 October 2007, Charlotte returned to Pearl Harbor from Norfolk Naval Shipyard after nearly two years in a Depot Modernization Period.[5]

Charlotte has completed a total of five Western Pacific deployments.[6][7][8][9][10] In February 1998, she was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of a multinational military buildup of naval, air, and land forces that included more than 30 American warships and two carrier battle groups.[6] Charlotte and the other American and British warships were deployed as a deterrent in case Iraqi President Saddam Hussein failed to honor his commitment to the United Nations to allow arms inspectors into Iraq.[11] She completed a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific on 13 May 2016.[10]

Charlotte participated in RIMPAC 2022.[12]

Awards
  • (3) Meritorious Unit Commendation
  • (2) Battle "E"
  • (2) Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation
  • (2) Navy Unit Commendation
  • (1) Engineering "E"
  • (1) DC Red

Charlotte in fiction

In Tom Clancy's 1994 book Debt of Honor, USS Charlotte is sunk by the Japanese sub Harushio along with her sister ship USS Asheville.

USS Charlotte also makes an appearance in Dan Brown's 2001 novel Deception Point, where it plays an important role taking covert missions to the Arctic.

USS Charlotte is featured alongside sister ship USS Dallas in the 2013 John Ringo novel Under A Graveyard Sky.

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Charlotte (SSN-766).
  1. "International Panel on Fissile Materials". fissilematerials.org. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. "Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors" (PDF). dspace.mit.edu. June 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  3. Rodgers, Justin (6 January 2016). "USS Charlotte Visits Sasebo During Indo-Asia-Pacific Deployment". Submarine Force Pacific. U.S. Navy. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  4. Dave Ozeck, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs. "USS Charlotte Achieves Milestone During Under-Ice Transit". Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Cynthia Clark (25 October 2007). "USS Charlotte Returns to Pearl Harbor".
  6. "U.S. Strength in the Persian Gulf". The Washington Post. 24 February 1998. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  7. Cooke, Steven (27 May 2004). 040527-N-1995C-043 (photograph). Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  8. Gutridge, Ronald (1 June 2011). "USS Charlotte Returns from Western Pacific Deployment". Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  9. Swink, Jason (3 October 2013). "USS Charlotte Returns to Pearl Harbor". America's Navy. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  10. "USS Charlotte returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam". Navaltoday.com. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  11. McIntyre, Jamie (24 February 1998). "U.S. keeping troops in Gulf, just in case". CNN. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  12. "USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Aug. 1, 2022". news.usni.org. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.

This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.


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