USS La Jolla (SSN 701) departs for Western Pacific
SUBPAC Release
Release Date: 2/23/2004
By JOC(SW/AW) David Rush COMSUBPAC Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR, HI -- USS La Jolla (SSN 701) departed on a Western Pacific deployment from its homeport of Pearl Harbor Monday, Feb. 23.
According to Cmdr. Brian Howes, USS La Jolla's commanding officer, his crew and the submarine are ready. "The crew's excited. This is the culmination of a lot of effort and hard work and they're looking forward to going out and supporting our mission."
Howes explained that because they are multi-mission capable, they have to be ready for anything. "We get ready for every contingency and we ensure we're good at every submarine mission because we don't know what our next mission will be."
As for fighting the Global War on Terrorism, more than 30 additional Sailors are brought onboard USS La Jolla as part of Seal Delivery Vehicle Team One. "We have pushed the envelope at sea in our different mission areas, specifically getting Seal Delivery Vehicle Team One ready for deployment because they have to be certified for deployment as well."
According to Howes, his Sailors are fired up for deployment. "Everyone that comes onboard our ship has said that we're enthusiastic and the morale is sky high and the crew is excited and ready to go on deployment. I think that's what sets us apart. We're ready to go," Howes concluded.
Commissioned Oct. 24, 1981, Los Angeles Class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS La Jolla is 360-feet long and displaces 6,900-tons. It is equipped with highly accurate sensors and weapon control systems and serves as a platform for Special Operations Forces with its Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) capability. The submarine can be armed with sophisticated Mark 48 ADCAP anti-submarine torpedoes and Tomahawk guided cruise missiles.
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