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The First And Finest
Naval Submarine Base New London

The Navy's first Submarine Base and the "Home of the Submarine Force"

On the east bank of the Thames River near Groton, CT, New London Naval Submarine Base is the birthplace of the submarine force. It was originally a Navy yard, converted to a submarine base in 1916, and greatly expanded in World War II. The advent of nuclear power required an improvement in training and support facilities. By 1959, New London had become the largest submarine base in the world with 8,210 active personnel. In 1969, the base also took on logistical and training responsibilities for fleet ballistic missile submarines. In 1974, the Naval Submarine Support Activity was established. By 1979, the base supported the new Los Angeles and Ohio class submarines. Major units include Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, and Naval Submarine Support Facility.

In 1868, Connecticut gave the Navy land and, in 1872, two brick buildings and a "T" shaped pier were built and officially declared a Navy Yard. This new yard was primarily used as a coaling station by Atlantic Fleet small craft. On October 13,1915, the monitor Ozark, A tender, and 4 submarines that accompanied her arrived at SUBASE. Future submarines and tenders followed and in 1916 the Navy established it as a submarine base. Following World War I the Navy established schools and training facilities at SUBASE.

Notice the barriers they've put up around the pier since 9/11.

Today the Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE NLON) is located on the east side of Thames River in Groton CT. As homeport to sixteen attack submarines and neighbor to a major submarine construction yard, all Officers and most Enlisted submariners will be stationed here for training and perhaps a tour onboard an attack submarine or with a pre-commissioning crew while their new submarine is under construction. SUBASE NLON is home to more than 40 tenant commands including the submarines and crews of Submarine Group TWO, the faculty and students of the Submarine School, and the Naval Submarine Support Facility (NSSF).

The base supports twenty one attack submarines and the Navy's nuclear research deep submersible NR-1. The base occupies approximately 500 acres and has over 400 buildings, with the housing and support facilities for 10,000 active duty and civilian workers and their families.

The SUBASE is located on the Groton (east) side of the Thames River approximately 1-1/2 nmi north of the highway and railroad bridges which separate the main and inner harbors. The SUBASE pier complex consists of a mix of concrete piers and wooden piers. Most of the piers have deck heights approximately 5 ft above high tide level or approximately 8 ft above mean low water (MLW). An ongoing construction project is gradually replacing the older, wooden piers with more modern and substantial concrete piers. As of October 1996, a total of 15 submarine berths were available. The adjacent topography which provides considerable shelter from the easterly components of wind. It should be noted that the potential storm surge height at the SUBASE is calculated to be 17.4 ft in a worst case scenario, or approximately 6.2 ft above the 100-year flood level. In this instance a worst case storm is a Category 4 hurricane moving north at a 60 kt forward speed of movement.

The SUBASE has a complement of two US Navy YTB class (2,000 hp) tug boats, one 2,600 hp tug and one 1,600 hp tug to assist submarines and other vessels at the facility. One tug will be assigned for arrivals and departures of all naval ships, except that two tugs are to be used for SSBN submarines. Three tugs are required for any undocking. According to Fleet Guide New London, the Electric Boat Company provides tugs for ships undergoing contractual trials regardless of berth location.

The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation has a variety of docks with deck heights approximately 6 ft above MLW. The facility is reserved for ship building, refitting and repair. Submarines in various states of repair may be found there, including unmanned new construction vessels. The facility also has a variety of barges, including berthing barges for the personnel of vessels undergoing refitting or repair.

The National Submarine Memorial in Groton, CT has the conning tower barrel, bridge structure, shears and upper gun of the USS Flasher, a black marble Wall of Honor listing the names of Submariners who died Dec 41 to Sep 45, and 52 individual submarine plaques for the boats lost during the same period. The memorial is at Bridge & Thames St., Groton CT (at the foot of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge on the Groton side).

Major Tenant Commands

Commander Navy Region Northeast

headed by a flag officer, exercises military command over and provides primary support to Navy shore installations from New Jersy to Maine. Falling within Northeast Region's area of responsibility are: Naval Submarine Base New London; Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine; Naval Weapons Station, Earle, NJ; and Naval Station Newport, RI.

Commander Submarine Group TWO

headed by a flag officer, exercises command of Commander, Submarine Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet forces administratively assigned and operation control of units of other forces when assigned. The primary purpose of Group TWO is to provide support, maintain personnel and material readiness, standards. and work for increased economy and efficiency.

Submarine Squadron TWO

maintains headquarters in building 1. Squadron TWO's mission is to carry out the assigned tasks designated by Commander Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet; to provide operation direction as well as administrative and logistic support to assigned ships.

Submarine Squadron FOUR

maintains headquarters in building 3. Commander, Submarine Squadron FOUR's mission is to carry out the assigned tasks designated by Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and to provide operational and engineering support to assigned ships.

Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE

is located in building 3. Squadron TWELVE is tasked as tactical development authority for Submarine Forces Atlantic and Pacific. This is a unique responsibility which is dedicated to the formulation and improvement of submarine tactics and to the measurement of the effectiveness of the newest submarines.

Submarine Squadron Support Unit

is responsible to centralize administrative control and support functions, economize resources and provide a common pool of experts by providing complete functional support to the Squadron Commander of Submarine Squadrons TWO and FOUR, and Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE, in the areas of Administration, Medical, Legal, Chaplain, Supply, Combat Systems, Engineering, Communications, and operations.

Naval Submarine Support Facility's

primary mission is direct support to submarines assigned to Squadrons TWO, FOUR and TWELVE. Visiting ships are often supported. NSSF is organized along the lines of an afloat submarine tender Intermediate Maintenance Activity and employs more than 1200 sailors and civilian specialists.

Naval Submarine School

is the oldest fleet functional school in the navy and the only Submarine training school in the Navy. Submarine School instructs over forty thousand Sailors annually in courses ranging from one day to over six months in length. As the "Center of Excellence for the Submarine Force" Submarine School conducts all levels of training for both officers and enlisted personnel.

Naval Undersea Medical Institute

is tasked with providing training in undersea medicine and radiation health to designated medical department personnel, and to provide technical support in matters related to undersea medicine and radiation health to naval operating forces and activities.

Naval Ambulatory Care Center

The Naval Ambulatory Care Center in Groton, CT is an outpatient medical treatment facility that provides primary medical care and coordinates access to other levels of health care services for active duty, retirees and eligible family members entitled to care

The Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory

constitutes the Navy's only submarine platform designated medical research and development laboratory dedicate to the unique problems engendered by the operational submarine fleet. This Laboratory maintains a library which constitutes one of the most complete libraries of submarine and diving information in the world.

Naval Security Group Activity Groton

NSGA Groton provides cryptologic direct support systems installation, maintenance, and personnel augmentation support to U.S. Atlantic Fleet submarines.

The Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC) Component

provides meteorological support and services to local commands, and supports waterfront units with environmental services and products for training, underways, and deployments. The Component's website offers local and regional weather information, and updates on tropical cyclone warnings and base Conditions of Readiness status during hurricane season.

Credits: GlobalSecurity.org, Naval Submarine Base New London Groton CT

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