The United States Navy completed a coordinated bilateral hull exchange between two Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines this week, docking the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) at its new homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Kitsap County, Washington.
Atlantic routes from Kings Bay offer shorter routes to open ocean operating areas, making the older Pennsylvania hull well-suited for Atlantic patrol tempos while undergoing scheduled maintenance cycles.
The USS Pennsylvania, designated SSBN 735, was constructed by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, entering commissioned service with the fleet in September 1989.
Positioning late-production Ohio hulls like the Wyoming at Bangor provides the Pacific Fleet with dependable hulls capable of operating safely through their engineered 42-year service life extensions.
Submarine Group 9 commanders require platforms capable of sustaining extended acoustic quietness under varying Pacific thermocline conditions.
The U.S. Navy completed a bilateral hull exchange between Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, docking USS Wyoming at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor while sending USS Pennsylvania to Georgia.