Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Albany conducted a scheduled port visit in Gibraltar last week.
Albany, assigned to Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, is currently operating under the command and control of Commander, Task Force 69, to complement the undersea warfare capabilities of U.S. Sixth Fleet, according to a U.S. Navy news release.
“USS Albany’s operations in the European theater highlight the importance of undersea warfare and our commitment to allies and partners in the region,” said Capt. John Craddock, Commander Task Force 69.
“Albany’s tactical prowess embodies the professionalism of the submarine force.”
Albany’s recent operations in the Sixth Fleet area of operations include a brief stop for personnel off the coast of Limassol, Cyprus, earlier this month, and coordinated operations with NATO and the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.
“The submarine’s operations throughout the Mediterranean demonstrate the flexibility and adaptability submarines bring to U.S. and allied forces in the region.”
Albany was commissioned in 1990 and is one of 62 completed submarines of the Los Angeles-class. The Los Angeles class contains more nuclear submarines than any other class in the world.
According to the U.S. Navy website:
“Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.”
The U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, “often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national security interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa”.
Do we (U.K.) offer any other places where nuclear subs can berth apart from Scotland and Gib? Can they berth in Cyprus for example? Diego Garcia? Ascension Island?
DG could easily i think but Cyprus only has limited military port facilities and Asi has next to nothing
The SSN’s need a Z berth I believe?
So Devonport and Faslane.
Then I believe Z berths are also at Plymouth Sound, Spithead, Broadford Bay, Rothesay, Southampton.
Abroad, I think Bermuda has one, Mere Harbour ( Falklands ) and Diego Garcia.
Cape Gata within the Akrotiri SBA is limited so I don’t think so. Nor Ascension.
Loch Goil as well
Really? Thank you.
And thinking of it, Goil is a BUTEC signature range too, yes logical.
Mate your subject matter knowledge, and the obvious effort and time taken to research is always most impressive.
Thanks mate. Respect.
I’m just an anorak really, with a rather big file I have created over decades which I can refer to when I don’t have an answer in my head first time. Research is great, but you have the experience, so it only goes so far. I chip in when I can on things.
You chip in? Lol mate your one of the focal points on this site for knowledge! I may be an anorak as well though Daniele but mine is history, specifically Roman but over the last few years Anglo Saxon from the 5th-10th CE, the so called dark ages (which weren’t dark at all lol). I just find bloody work gets in my anorak ways 😂👍!
Ah yes! Our shared love of Roman history. I know little of the Anglo Saxon side.
You’ll get time, you’ll have earned it.
Respect.
“Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.”
Am I reading ‘preparation of regional crises’ correctly?
😱
Thought it was a peculiar turn of phrase as well 🤔
Given some of the roles of the RWW, that is not necessarily incorrect, depending on the circumstance!
“Albany was commissioned in 1990 and is one of 62 completed submarines of the Los Angeles-class”. Sixty Two attack submarines in just one class! Compare that to the current RN fleet of six.
I had friend who was an Air Commodore and spent several years in the US. He once said you just cannot comprehend the size of the US military until you are over there. Where the RAF might have half a dozen helicopters parked on a particular base, in the US there would be helos parked as far as the eye could see.
Still,Boris tells us we are punching way above our weight, so that’s OK then…
Happy New Year!
In California, here. No need to compare with the US, the UK’s not a superpower. The US and China have completely different aims and requirements. The us is having problems with its subs as well, our numbers are dropping due to delays and some fraudulent steel checks over at Ingalls, and anechoic tiles falling off due to incorrect procedures. Although the RN needs more ships, there isn’t a navy (even including China but excluding the us) that can match its reach. Similarly, once it fits modern AShMs, there won’t be a non-superpower navy that can defeat it in combat.
Appreciate your comments, eclipse. One tends to rate a nation’s military by its size; but the RN, despite its small size in relation to China and the US, does actually punch far above its weight internationally. Quality of kit and training also plays a large part. I believe this applies across the UK’s three services. Just need the government to get behind our military and sustain the progress now being started.
Cheers
Thanks pal. Many of our fellow citizens seem not to know that the RN is one of only two Level 2 bluewater navies in the world, which sets us above Russia and China.
[No prizes for guessing the only Level 1 navy!].
Well said eclipse and on the subject of numbers, the USA has approximately five times the population of the UK so multiply our major assets by five and in many areas we would compare favourably-10 large Aircraft carriers, 20 strategic Nuke subs, 35 attack subs, a standing army of 400 000. However the excercise does highlight areas of concern, notably 5x gives only about 1000 front line aircraft and this should ring big alarm bells-in a serious conflict the RAF would have zero fat to fall back on or sustain even modest losses. The days of churning out Spitfires at hundreds per week are well and truly over!
The RAF would be lucky to field 100 front line aircraft. Even then the airframe hours are micromanaged so much, they’d be grounded after a few days of battle.
Any military action requires air superiority. It’s something that just wouldn’t be able to happen with the current RAF. Massive investment in aircraft and personnel is required if we want to control the airspace.
But you’ve got to admit the RN are on the ball, always achieving what they set out do to, with clever planning, professional people and the ability to adapt. The RN have shown the way, certainly to the Army, over the last 10 years. Cheers.
I notice they have moved the dive plane’s off the sail and on to the bow copying the RN subs, the profile of the LA’s look a lot like the our T class now albeit a bit longer.
USS Albany – a capable but 30-year old boat. I assume our Astute-class is much better?
The Albany is a Los Angeles class sub. The LA class has been replaced by the Virginia class subs which are contemporary with the Astute class.