USS Cheyenne (SSN-773)

USS "Cheyenne" (SSN-773), the last "Los Angeles"-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Cheyenne, Wyoming. The contract to build her was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 28 November 1989 and her keel was laid down on 6 July 1992. She was launched on 16 April 1995 sponsored by Mrs. Ann Simpson, wife of Wyoming Senator Alan K. Simpson, and commissioned on 13 September 1996, with Commander Peter H. Ozimik in command.

"Cheyenne" transferred to her homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1998.

"Cheyenne" has served as a trials platform for flat-screen, interoperative sonar displays based on commercially-available equipment.

"Cheyenne" was the first ship to launch Tomahawk missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom [cite web |url=http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=7108 |title=One of Navy's First Tomahawk Shooters of Operation Iraqi Freedom Returns to Pearl Harbor |date=2003-04-28 |author=Chief Journalist David Rush] under the command of CDR Charles Doty. "Cheyenne" would go on to successfully launch her entire complement of Tomahawks, earning a "clean sweep" for combat actions in the final three months of a nine-month deployment. This dubbed her "First To Strike".

USS "Cheyenne" was the final "Los Angeles" class submarine built by Newport News Shipyards. Following the construction of the USS "Cheyenne", Newport News began preparation for construction of the "Virginia" class.

In fiction

"Cheyenne" is the primary subject of the book "SSN" by Tom Clancy, battling the People's Liberation Army Navy in a fictional war over the Spratly Islands. It is also featured in the video game by Tom Clancy called SSN.

In the technothriller novel "Quicksilver" by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens, the "Cheyenne" was ordered to fire a Tomahawk TLAM Block Four cruise missile, under manual control of Weapons Officer Lt. Miken Marano, at the River Entrance of the Pentagon

References

External links

* [http://maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/submarines/01_pages/c/cheyenne_ssn773_page_1.htm Maritimequest USS Cheyenne SSN-773 photo gallery]