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New Submarine Squadron 15 Facilities on Guam to Promote Mission Readiness

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100720-09
7/20/2010

By Oyaol Ngirairikl, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas Public Affairs Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

PITI, Guam (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Marianas and Submarine Squadron 15 hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at Polaris Point on U.S. Naval Base Guam July 15.

The ceremony highlighted the construction of two facilities - a two-story submarine learning center (SLC) and headquarters facility and a one-story torpedo exercise support facility.

Capt. Doug Wright, commander, Submarine Squadron 15, said the new facilities will help ensure the command's Sailors are mission-ready.

"These two projects will significantly advance our ability to train and support the submarine force in Guam," said Wright. "It's a great pleasure today to be able to conduct this groundbreaking ceremony, and we look forward to the improved infrastructure support being provided by these two great projects."

The Submarine Squadron 15 headquarters facility will include offices and administrative spaces, an emergency control center, as well as material and equipment storage rooms. The SLC will be a learning facility for academic and applied training, consisting of team trainers and simulators, classrooms and instructor offices.

The torpedo exercise support facility will include a target preparation area, helicopter launcher checkout and preparation area, exercise torpedo flushing operations room and support office spaces.

The task order, worth $23.41 million, was awarded to dck-ecc pacific guam LLC. This is the first task order to be awarded under the $4 billion large Multiple Award Construction Contract as a non-Defense Policy Review Initiative project. Construction is expected to be completed by November 2011.

"What we do at NAVFAC is we support the warfighters," said Capt. Peter Lynch, commanding officer, NAVFAC Marianas. "That's our mission. That's our job. We want to make sure we do that as best as we can, because I know you guys in the warfighting business are giving it your all, everyday, 24/7."

NAVFAC manages the planning, design, construction, contingency engineering, real estate, environmental and public works support for U.S. Navy shore facilities around the world.

The mission of Submarine Squadron 15 is to prepare assigned units for forward-deployed operations in the Western Pacific and to maintain the highest level of readiness at all times to permit surge operations when called upon to respond to emergent theater commander tasking in support of the nation's Maritime Strategy efforts. Guam is homeport to three Los Angeles-class attack submarines - USS Buffalo (SSN 715), USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) and USS Houston (SSN 713).