Introduction

The USS Georgia (SSBN 729) is the fourth Trident-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. Her keel was laid on April 7, 1979, and she was commissioned on February 11, 1984. Named in honor of the state of Georgia, she became the second U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name.

Designed to carry 24 Trident I C-4 ballistic missiles, the Georgia was a key part of the Navy’s Cold War deterrent force. She arrived at her homeport in Bangor, Washington, in November 1984 and initiated her first strategic deterrent patrol in January 1985. Over her career, she completed 65 deterrent patrols, maintaining a vital role in U.S. nuclear strategy.

In 2004, the Georgia was redesignated as a guided missile submarine (SSGN 729). This conversion enabled her to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles and support special operations, expanding her mission beyond strategic deterrence.

Note: This article covers only her history as a ballistic submarine.

Namesake

The submarine USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) is the second U.S. Naval vessel to be named in honor of the Peach State, and the fourth Trident submarine commissioned.

Other ships named Georgia

The first USS Georgia (BB-15) was a pre-dreadnought battleship launched in October 1904 and commissioned in September 1906. Measuring 441 feet in length and displacing 14,498 tons, she was armed with four 12-inch guns, eight 8-inch guns, and twelve 6-inch guns, with a crew of 812 and a top speed of 19 knots.

Initially serving as the flagship of Division 2, Squadron 1, she participated in significant national events, including the Jamestown Exposition in 1907, and joined President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” for its two-year global tour from 1907 to 1909, showcasing American naval power. The Georgia later undertook protective missions off Mexico in 1914 and Haiti later that year.

Decommissioned in 1916, she was recommissioned during World War I, serving in convoy escort and troop transport roles, bringing nearly 6,000 American soldiers home after the war. Transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1919, she was decommissioned in 1920 and sold for scrap in 1923.

Specifications

The Trident SSBN is the largest submarine built in the United States. It is 560 feet long, has a diameter of 42 feet, and displaces 18,700 tons when submerged. These submarines are as large as buildings. This is because they have a big nuclear reactor and are designed to carry Trident II missiles. These missiles are thirty-four feet high and stored vertically inside the submarine.

Check Ohio-Class (SSBN-726) Submarine Technical Specification for the ship’s detailed characteristics.

Construction

• Builder: Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, Groton, CT.
• Keel laying ceremony: 7 APRIL 1979
• Sponsor: First Lady Rosalyn Carter, wife of President Jimmy Carter
• Launched: 6 NOVEMBER 1982
• Christen by: Mrs. Sheila Watkins, wife of Admiral J. D. Watkins, Chief of Naval Operations
• Delivered: 17 JANUARY 1984, 6 weeks ahead of schedule

Commissioning

• Commissioned: 11 FEBRUARY 1984
• Location: Naval Underwater Systems Center, New London, Connecticut.
• Sponsor: Mrs. Joan D. Watkins, wife of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral James D. Watkins.
• Principal speaker: Mack Mattingly, United States Senator from Georgia.
• Commanding Officer Blue Crew: Captain Arland W. Kuester

Service

• 7 APRIL 1984 – The Blue Crew of the USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) successfully launched a TRIDENT I (C4) missile in support of its Demonstration and Shakedown Operation.
• NOVEMBER 1984 – Ship arrived at homeport Bangor, Washington
• 3 DECEMBER 1984 – USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) completed her first strategic loadout at Strategic Weapons Facility, Pacific, Bremerton, WA, and deployed.
• 26 JANUARY 1985 – Ship’s first strategic patrol.
• 22 MARCH 1986 –  While on patrol five near the Midway Atoll, USS Georgia was involved in a fatal accident with the U.S. Navy tug Secota (YTM-415) during a personnel transfer. The Secota lost power and collided with the Georgia’s stern planes, suffering severe damage before sinking. The submarine’s crew managed to rescue most of the tug’s personnel, but two members of the Secota’s crew tragically lost their lives. The Georgia sustained minor damage and returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to transfer the survivors ashore and undergo emergency repairs. No injuries were reported among the submarine’s crew.
• SEPTEMBER 1983 – MAY 1986 – Awarded Meritorious Unit Commendation as an element of TASK UNIT 14.7.1
• FEBRUARY1986 to AUGUST 1986 – Awarded second Meritorious Unit Commendation for Submarine Operations
• FEBRUARY-MARCH 1994 – Conducted first-ever Pacific Fleet SSBN Follow-on CINC Evaluation Test conducted in the Atlantic Fleet
• 28 MARCH 1994 – USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) successfully launched four TRIDENT I (C4) missiles during a Follow-on CINC Evaluation Test.
• MARCH-JULY 1997 – Conducted first-ever TRIDENT Extended Refit Period
• 1 JANUARY 2004 – USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) removed from strategic service prior to conversion to SSGN.
• 1 JUNE 2004 -USS GEORGIA (SSBN 729) entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for SSGN Conversion

Assignments

Overhauls & Conversions

Missile Launches

• DASO – Demonstration and Shakedown Operation. These were launches conducted to demonstrate the readiness of the Trident Weapon System and its crew for deployment.
• OT – Operational Test. These tests provided initial data on the reliability and accuracy of the missile.
• FCINCET – Follow-on CINC Evaluation Test. Annual launches designed to ensure that the reliability and accuracy factors were preserved during the life of the system and carried out under tactical conditions to exercise all elements of the weapon system.

The table below details the launches from 1984 to 2004:

Photo Gallery

Further reading

• United States Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM)
• Ohio-Class (SSBN-726) Ballistic Missile Submarines
• Ohio-Class (SSBN-726) Submarine Technical Specification

Other ships of the class:

• USS Ohio (SSBN 726)
• USS Michigan (SSBN 727)
• USS Florida (SSBN 728)

Bibliography

• Facts/Chronology: Polaris, Poseidon, Trident, 50th Anniversary, Strategic Systems Programs, 2005
• Polmar, N. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet. United Kingdom: Naval Institute.