Los Angeles-class, nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) undocked and departed the West-coast’s only U.S. Navy-operated floating dry-dock, ARCO (ARMD-5) April 5, following a seven-month maintenance period. Since its arrival in August 2022, approximately 400 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from Kittery, Maine, alongside the Alexandria crew, Commander Submarine Squadron 11, and ARCO personnel, completed more than one thousand repairs and upgrades. The teamwork and trust between the groups was evident to all who witnessed this relationship. Alexandria is currently pier side where she will continue her scheduled maintenance availability. The completion of submarine maintenance availability is critical to maintaining warfighter
“I am really proud of the work the combined Alexandria and Portsmouth Shipyard team performed over the past seven months. The crew is excited to have Alex back in the water where she belongs and is looking forward to finishing the remainder of the work package alongside the project team and getting back to sea. The submarine maintenance is truly an all-hands effort,” said Alexandria’s Commanding Officer Chris Rose.
“This is the result of long work nights and job-filled weekends. I am very proud of the project team for their perseverance. The ownership displayed is remarkable. They hit the decks running and have gotten us to this point of success with grit and determination,” said Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Commander, Capt. Michael Oberdorf.
Arco (ARDM-5) is an ARDM-5-class Medium Auxiliary floating drydock for repair and serviced the United States Navy. Arco was laid down on 9 May 1983 by Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington, and launched on 14 December 1984. She was placed in service on 23 June 1986 at Naval Base San Diego. She provides dry dock services for the nuclear-powered submarines of Submarine Squadron Eleven in the Pacific, as well as other small craft. An auxiliary floating drydock is a type of US Navy floating dry dock. Floating dry docks are able to submerge underwater and to be placed under a ship in need of repair below the water line. Water is then pumped out of the floating dry dock, raising the ship out of the water.
USS Alexandria (SSN-757), is a Los Angeles class nuclear-powered attack submarine and the third vessel of the United States Navy to be named for both Alexandria, Virginia, and Alexandria, Louisiana. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation on 26 November 1984. Her keel was laid down in Groton, Connecticut, on 19 June 1987. She was launched on 23 June 1990, sponsored by Mrs. Myrtle “Tookie” Clark, wife of Vice Admiral Glenwood Clark (ret.), and commissioned on 29 June 1991. Alexandria was placed in service on 22 March 1991. 26 of the Los Angeles class remain in commission—more than any other class in the world—and they account for more than half of the U.S. Navy’s 50 fast attack submarines.
