USS Hartford (SSN-768)

USS Hartford returns to New London after collision with USS New Orleans. Damage to the sail is visible.
History
United States
NameUSS Hartford
NamesakeThe City of Hartford, Connecticut
Awarded30 June 1988
BuilderGeneral Dynamics Electric Boat
Laid down22 February 1992
Launched4 December 1993
Sponsored byMrs. Laura O'Keefe, wife of former Secretary of the Navy Sean O'Keefe
Commissioned10 December 1994
HomeportNew London, Connecticut
Motto"Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeLos Angeles-class submarine
Displacement
  • 6,000 long tons (6,096 t) light
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) full
  • 6,927 long tons (7,038 t) dead
Length110.3 m (361 ft 11 in)
Beam10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
  • 1 × S6G PWR nuclear reactor with D2W core (165 MW), HEU 93.5%
  • 2 × steam turbines (33,500) shp
  • 1 × shaft
  • 1 × secondary propulsion motor 325 hp (242 kW)
Complement12 officers, 98 men
Armament4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 12 × vertical launch Tomahawk missiles

USS Hartford (SSN-768), a Los Angeles-class submarine, is the second ship of the Navy to be named for Hartford, Connecticut. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 30 June 1988 and her keel was laid down on 22 February 1992. She was launched on 4 December 1993 sponsored by Laura O'Keefe, wife of former Secretary of the Navy Sean O'Keefe, and commissioned on 10 December 1994, with Commander George Kasten in command.

In October 2007, the submarine successfully launched and recovered an AN/BLQ-11 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV)—the first such operation from a submarine. The vehicle was launched via one of the boat's torpedo tubes and recovered with the help of a 60-foot robotic arm.