Definition
USS Hampton is the name given to multiple United States Navy vessels, the most prominent being the Los Angeles‑class nuclear‑powered attack submarine SSN‑767.
Overview
USS Hampton (SSN‑767) was authorized on 30 June 1990, laid down on 1 October 1992 at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, launched on 4 December 1995, and commissioned on 13 July 1996. The submarine is assigned to Submarine Squadron 12 and home‑ported at Naval Base Guam. Throughout her service, Hampton has taken part in a variety of training exercises, deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, and joint operations with allied navies. She is equipped for anti‑surface ship, anti‑submarine, and land‑attack missions, and she supports intelligence‑gathering and special‑operations activities.
Etymology / Origin
The ship’s name derives from the city of Hampton, Virginia, a historic coastal community in the United States. The naming follows the U.S. Navy tradition of honoring American cities, particularly for attack submarines of the Los Angeles class.
Characteristics
- Class & Type: Los Angeles‑class nuclear attack submarine
- Displacement: Approx. 6,927 tonnes (full load)
- Length: 110 m (362 ft)
- Beam: 10 m (33 ft)
- Propulsion: One S6G nuclear reactor driving two steam turbines, delivering 26,000 shp to a single propeller shaft; allows sustained submerged speed of >25 knots.
- Armament: Four 21‑inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes; can launch Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and other payloads such as anti‑ship missiles and special‑operations equipment.
- Crew: Approximately 130 officers and enlisted personnel.
- Sensors & Systems: Bow-mounted sonar array, flank array, towed array sonar, electronic warfare suite, and integrated fire‑control system.
- Operational Capabilities: Anti‑surface warfare (ASuW), anti‑submarine warfare (ASW), strike warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and support of special‑operations forces (SOF) via lock‑out chambers and dry‑deck shelters.
Related Topics
- Los Angeles‑class submarine
- United States Navy submarine force
- Naval Base Guam
- United States Navy ship‑naming conventions
- USS Hampton (SP‑1150), a World War I‑era patrol vessel that also bore the name.