Summary and Main Points You Need to Know: The USS Florida, one of the oldest nuclear missile submarines in the U.S. Navy, recently returned to port after an impressive 727-day patrol.

-Launched in 1981 and commissioned in 1983, the submarine covered over 60,000 nautical miles, visiting multiple global regions, including the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific.

-During this time, it conducted five crew swaps, maintained constant operational readiness, and demonstrated the versatility of its SSGN platform.

-Originally a ballistic missile submarine, the USS Florida was refitted in 2003 to become a guided missile submarine, equipped with nearly 160 Tomahawk missiles.

USS Florida: 727 Days at Sea—The Navy’s Oldest Submariner Returns

On the last day of July, one of the oldest nuclear missile submarines in the U.S. Navy returned to port after close to 750 days on patrol.

Launched in 1981 and commissioned two years later, the USS Florida is one of the oldest submarines in service. However, its recent feat showed that it still has it.

Two Years On Patrol

The USS Florida departed in August 2022 and visited the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Indo-Pacific areas of operations. During its 727 days at sea, the nuclear-powered submarine conducted five crew swaps, ensuring that it had a fresh crew to meet operational challenges, while also maintaining constant vigilance.

In 727 days of routine and combat operations, the USS Florida covered more than 60,000 nautical miles and visited Greece, Guam, Diego Garcia, and the United Kingdom for official port calls.

“We have demonstrated the versatility of SSGN platform to operate anywhere at any time. We operated in several different oceans. It's very uncommon for East Coast submarines to deploy to the west coast, but we managed to do an exceptional job completing the mission,” U.S. Navy Captain Peter French, of the USS Florida’s commanding officer, said in a press statement after the sub came home.

Equipped with almost 160 Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles, the USS Florida is a floating gunship that can rain terror and destruction thousands of miles away. In addition, it can carry special operations troops.

“During their deployment, the crews conducted vital missions crucial to national security, enhancing operational capabilities and reinforcing deterrence effort,” the Navy stated.

Navy submarines have two crews—gold and blue—that alternate while the vessel remains at sea almost continuously.

“Our Sailors are the true strength for our boat and the Navy. They consistently impress me with their unwavering dedication to the submarine force. We train and we fight as a family, and I’m excited to get the crews back home to the actual families and enjoy some much needed time off,” Master Chief Electronics Technician Submarine, Navigation Christopher L. Martell, the gold crew chief of the boat, stated.

In 2003, the USS Florida underwent significant refitting. Its nuclear reactor was refueled—submarines powered by nuclear reactors require refueling once every 20 years or so—and it was also converted from a ballistic missile submarine to a guided missile submarine. Ballistic missile subs carry ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads and are designed for nuclear deterrence missions, while guided missile subs carry cruise missiles and are tasked with land attack missions. The Navy refitted several Ohio-class ballistic missile subs to Ohio-class guided missile subs because the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War made a large number of the former redundant.

The U.S. Navy has the largest and strongest submarine fleet in the world, with 71 vessels. Specifically, the Navy has three categories of submarines: attack(53), ballistic missile (14), and guided missile (4). All of these vessels are nuclear-powered, but only the 14 Ohio-class subs carry nuclear warheads.

About the Author: 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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