USS Louisville (SSN-724)
USS Louisville (SSN-724), a Los Angeles-class submarine, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 11 February 1982 and her keel was laid down on 24 September 1984. She was launched on 14 December 1985 sponsored by Mrs. Kinnaird McKee, and commissioned on 8 November 1986 with Commander Charles E. Ellis in command.
Louisville serves as a trials platform for the prototype BQQ-10 ARCI sonars, which incorporate off-the-shelf computer components, allowing easy introduction of modular upgrades.
- four years of history missing
In January and February 1991, as Operation Desert Storm began, Louisville carried out the first war patrol conducted by an American submarine since World War II. The patrol began with a 14,000-mile submerged, high-speed transit across the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean to the Red Sea. Shortly after noon on 19 January, she launched Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets in Iraq, becoming the first submarine to launch Tomahawks in combat. For this war patrol, Louisville was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.
- 13 years of history missing
See USS Louisville for other ships of the same name.
References
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register and various press releases.
