USS Irex

The USS Irex (SS-482) was a Tench-class submarine of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1945. She was named after the irex, a species of wreckfish.

Irex saw service in the final months of World War II, although she did not engage in any combat patrols. Post-war, she participated in various training exercises and fleet operations.

In 1962, Irex was modified under the Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) III conversion. This involved lengthening the hull, streamlining the sail, and significantly upgrading her sonar and electronic systems, enhancing her underwater speed and detection capabilities. This modernization allowed Irex to continue serving as an active part of the Navy's submarine force during the Cold War.

Following the GUPPY III conversion, Irex played a key role in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises and intelligence gathering operations. She often operated in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, tracking Soviet submarines.

USS Irex was decommissioned in 1969 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register. She was subsequently sold for scrap.