USS Memphis (SSN-691)

USS "Memphis" (SSN-691), a "Los Angeles"-class submarine, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Memphis, Tennessee. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 4 February 1971 and her keel was laid down on 23 June 1973. She was launched on 3 April 1976 sponsored by Mrs. Cathy Beard, and commissioned on 17 December 1977, with Commander G. Dennis Hicks in command.

In March 1981, USS "Memphis" completed an around-the-world cruise via the Panama Canal, including operations with both the Sixth and Seventh Fleets.

"Memphis" was redesignated an experimental submarine during 1989 to test composite hull structures, unmanned underwater vehicles, advanced sonars, hull friction reduction, and other advanced technologies for the "LA" and "Seawolf" classes, but remains combat-capable.

During a mid-1990s refit, "Memphis" received numerous modifications, which added about 50 tons to her displacement, most of it aft.
* a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) turtleback abaft the sail to accommodate remotely operated vehicles
* a towing winch and drum for experimental towed sonar arrays
* 4.27 m-high by 1.37 m-wide vertical surfaces at the ends of the stern stabilizers to accommodate sonar transducer arrays
* a 54 mm towed array dispenser in the port fin leading to the new winch abaft the sail
* supports for the stern stabilizers
* new hydraulic systems
* a fiber-optic databus
* 58 standardized equipment racks to accommodate electronic test gear

In January 1994 "Memphis" entered Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) and modifications to support her research and development role. Upon completion of the shipyard availability she was assigned to Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE in Groton, Connecticut.

"Memphis" has tested a composite material propeller shaft of about half normal weight and, in 1998, the Lockheed Martin Undersea Systems Universal Gravity Module (UGM) passive bottom profiler navigational system.

On 3 May 2005, "Memphis" deployed conducting two polar transits, returning to New London on 3 November 2005.

"Memphis" won the coveted Battenberg Cup in 2005.

On 6 May 2006, "Memphis" deployed against Iraqi insurgency, returning to New London, Connecticut, on 7 August.

On 27 June 2007, "Memphis" returned to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for a Pre-Inactivation Restricted Availability. She returned to Groton on 8 May 2008.

Involvement with the sinking of the Kursk

The USS "Memphis" was present at the Russian war games during which the Russian submarine, "Kursk" sank, resulting in the loss of the submarine and 118 sailors and officers on board. It has been suggested by conspiracy theorists that the USS "Memphis" may have been responsible for the sinking.

In fiction

* "Memphis" was featured in the book "Dangerous Ground" by Larry Bond.
* In Jan Guillou's book "Madame Terror" it was a torpedo from USS "Memphis" that sank the Russian submarine "Kursk".

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register and various press releases.