On April 19, the U.S. Navy celebrated the return to service of one of its modernized Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines, namely the USS Toledo (SSN 769). The announcement comes as the vessel completed a technical overhaul conducted by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), where it was refurbished and upgraded to enhance its combat capabilities and extend its estimated service life—a process carried out in a dry dock.
Expanding on some of the known details of the overhaul, it involved the installation of a new periscope, various tests in the engine rooms, a structural inspection of the hull, and the unforeseen repair of the hydraulic steering system. To carry out this work, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard established an Operations Control Center (OCC) to coordinate the mechanics and supervisors involved in the project, facilitating their efforts amid the shipyard’s capability renewal efforts under the U.S. Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), which encompasses all four public naval shipyards.
It is also worth noting that the technical overhaul described is part of the mid-life maintenance that Navy submarines must undergo, which in principle ensures their operational viability for another decade. Typically, in addition to the specific work carried out on the USS Toledo, this includes the upgrade of its navigation, combat, and communication systems, as well as the inspection of sonar and other critical sensors.
Briefly reviewing the characteristics of the submarine, it should be highlighted that it was commissioned in 1995 and is currently part of the U.S. Navy’s fleet of 28 active Los Angeles-class submarines out of the 62 that were built. These vessels have an estimated displacement of 6,900 tons, a length of 110 meters, and are powered by an S6G nuclear reactor, enabling them to reach speeds of up to 30 knots while submerged. In terms of armament, the USS Toledo is equipped with four 533 mm torpedo tubes and a dozen vertical launch system (VLS) cells for deploying Tomahawk cruise missiles, showcasing the vessel’s high operational flexibility.
Cover image: Shelby West
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