The collision against the underwater mountain sheared off the USS Connecticut’s (SSN 22) bow and the sonar dome, which were both lost to the sea. SSN 22 thus limped to Guam for preliminary assessment of the damage and some repairs using the docked submarine tenders there before starting the long and slow surface voyage across the Pacific to San Diego, California.
Weather may have played a part in the USS Connecticut arriving in San Diego in December 12, 2021 due to the heavy storms impacting northern California (San Diego was sunny at that time) and stretching far into the Pacific Ocean, but the U.S. Navy Public Affairs of the 7th Fleet and Submarine Forces, U.S. Pacific Forces, would not confirm or comment and said to Naval News that submarine operations are classified “Secret” for the safety of the submarine and its crews.
SSN 22 then left San Diego and arrived in Puget Sound, Washington, for its extensive repairs. Drydocking occurred on July 12, 2023 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
In the latest July 2023 inquiry, Naval News asked NAVSEA where the USS Connecticut was parked before dry docking and how the U.S. Navy managed to contain the flooding during its time at Puget Sound if it was not drydocked, but these questions were not answered. However, a NAVSEA spokesperson did provide information to Naval News’ questions on the submarine’s damage status, status of the nuclear reactor, repair assessment, and repair cost.
“USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is currently in Dry Dock 5 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) in Bremerton, Washington, and is undergoing a previously scheduled Extended Dry-Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA). An EDSRA is a major maintenance availability that all submarines undergo during their maintenance life cycle.
The damage USS Connecticut sustained in October 2021 is being repaired during this EDSRA.
An assessment conducted last year at PSNS & IMF confirmed USS Connecticut (SSN 22) can be fully restored for unrestricted operations. The damage to the ship is located at the bow and the lower portion of the rudder. The propulsion plant was unaffected by the impact and continues to operate as designed.
“The EDSRA began July 12 and is scheduled to return the submarine to service around early 2026. The Navy’s cost estimate for the additional repairs is approximately $80M.”
NAVSEA spokesperson via email, mid-July 2023
Naval News also asked questions as to what engineering challenges the U.S. Navy faces with the nuclear attack submarine’s repairs, what parts can be taken from existing spare parts stock and what needs to be built from scratch, what will be repaired first, and if the USS Connecticut will receive any upgrades and improvements to its existing systems during the EDSRA. NAVSEA did not respond to these questions.
