USS Jimmy Carter

History

Construction

The contract to build Jimmy Carter was to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 29 June 1996, and her keel was laid on 5 December 1998. Original schedules called for Jimmy Carter to be commissioned in late 2001 or early 2002. Electric Boat was awarded an $887 million extension to the Jimmy Carter contract on 10 December 1999 to modify the boat for testing new submarine systems and classified missions previously carried out by . During modification, her hull was extended 100 ft to create a 2,500-ton supplementary middle section which forms a Multi-Mission Platform (MMP). This section is fitted with an ocean interface for divers, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and special operation equipment; ROV handling system, storage, and deployment space for mission systems, and a pressure-resistant passage between the fore and aft parts of the submarine to accommodate the boat's crew.

Jimmy Carter was christened on 5 June 2004, and the ship sponsor was former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. One result of the changes was that Jimmy Carter was commissioned more than six years after and almost four months after the commissioning of , the first of the subs.

Jimmy Carter has additional maneuvering devices fitted fore and aft that allow her to keep station over selected targets in odd currents. Intelligence experts speculate that the MMP may find use in missions as an underwater splicing chamber for optical fiber cables.

Deployments

On 19 November 2004 Jimmy Carter completed alpha sea trials, her first voyage in the open seas. On 22 December, Electric Boat delivered Jimmy Carter to the US Navy, and she was commissioned 19 February 2005 at NSB New London.

Jimmy Carter began a transit from NSB New London to her new homeport at the Bangor Annex of Naval Base Kitsap, Washington on 14 October 2005 but was forced to return when an unusually high wave caused damage while the submarine was running on the surface. The damage was repaired and Jimmy Carter left New London the following day, arriving at Bangor the afternoon of 9 November 2005.

In April and September 2017 Jimmy Carter returned twice to her homeport at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, flying a Jolly Roger flag, traditionally indicative of a successful mission.

Awards

• 2007 Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as a "Battle E".
• 2012 Battle Efficiency Award.
• 2013 Presidential Unit Citation, the equivalent to the Navy Cross for the entire ship, for what has been reported as "Mission 7."

Gallery

File:USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23) flying Jack.jpg|Jimmy Carter during the submarine's commissioning ceremony, 19 February 2005 File:US Navy 050812-N-1550W-019 The Sea Wolf-class attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) departs Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay for a one-night underway that included an embark by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosa.jpg|Departing NSB Kings Bay with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter aboard, 2005 File:Jimmy Carter with model of SSN-23.jpg|Former President Carter holding a model of the boat that carries his name. File:USS Jimmy Carter being depermed.jpg|Jimmy Carter in the Magnetic Silencing Facility at Naval Base Kitsap for her first deperming treatment.

References

References

1. (2011). "Learning from Experience: Volume II: Lessons from the U.S. Navy's Ohio, Seawolf, and Virginia Submarine Programs". rand.org.
2. "Attack Submarines - SSN". United States Navy.
3. "Lieutenant James Earle Carter, Jr., USN". United States Navy.
4. Zimmerman, W. Frederick. (2008). "SSN-23 Jimmy Carter: U.S. Navy Submarine (Seawolf Class)". Nimble Books.
5. RADM Davis, J. P. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1999/ussjimmycarter.htm USS JIMMY CARTER (SSN23): Expanding Future SSN Missions], Undersea Warfare, Fall 1999, pp. 16-18.
6. link. (17 November 2015 , U.S. Navy, Story Number: NNS040609-07, Release Date: 6/9/2004)
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130723172705/http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/07/18/the-navys-underwater-eavesdropper/ The Navy's underwater eavesdropper], Reuters, 19 July 2013
8. (20 February 2005). "New Nuclear Sub Is Said to Have Special Eavesdropping Ability". The New York Times.
9. Zorpette, Glenn. (Jan 2002). "Making Intelligence Smarter". IEEE.
10. Neil Jr. . (23 May 2001). "Spy agency taps into undersea cable". [[CBS Interactive]].
11. (21 February 2005). "Jimmy Carter: Super Spy?". Defensetech.org.
12. Wetzel, Gary. (17 September 2017). "America's Most Secret Spy Sub Returned To Base Flying A Pirate Flag". [[Gizmodo]].
13. Rowley, Eric. (22 January 2008). "Pacific Northwest Sub Crews Win Battle "E"". Navy.mil.
14. (2016-03-04). "This secretive U.S. Navy submarine went on a dangerous mission".
15. (2021-03-11). "The mystery of the USS Jimmy Carter and Mission 7".