USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740)
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History | |
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United States | |
Namesake: | The U.S. state of Rhode Island |
Ordered: | 5 January 1988 |
Builder: | General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut |
Laid down: | 15 September 1988 |
Launched: | 17 July 1993 |
Sponsored by: | Mrs. Kati Machtley |
Commissioned: | 9 July 1994 |
Homeport: | Kings Bay, Georgia |
Motto: |
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Status: | in active service |
Badge: | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: | 560 ft (170 m) |
Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
Draft: | 38 ft (12 m) |
Propulsion: | |
Speed: | Greater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
Test depth: | Greater than 800 feet (240 m) |
Complement: |
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Armament: |
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USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740), is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine which has been in commission since 1994. She is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for Rhode Island, the 13th state.
Originally, another Ohio-class submarine, SSBN-730, was to have been named Rhode Island; a contract was awarded in 1977 for SSBN-730's construction and her keel was laid in 1981 with the Rhode Island name planned for the completed submarine. However, shortly after the sudden death of United States Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington, SSBN-730 was renamed Henry M. Jackson while still under construction. The Rhode Island name was transferred to SSBN-740, for which a construction contract had not yet been awarded.
The contract to build Rhode Island (SSBN-740) was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 5 January 1988 and her keel was laid down there on 15 September 1988. She was launched on 17 July 1993, sponsored by Mrs. Kati Machtley, and commissioned on 9 July 1994, with Captain John K. Eldridge commanding the Blue Crew and Commander Michael Maxfield commanding the Gold Crew.
On 11 August 2009, Rhode Island rescued five Bahamian fishermen whose boat had capsized on 7 August 2009. Rhode Island's medical staff tended to the four men and one boy before transferring them to a ship which took them to shore for further treatment.