GROTON, Conn. — After a labor of love spanning more than five years, folks at Submarine Base New London in Groton are getting ready to commission the USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795).
The ceremony will happen at the base at 10 a.m. Saturday, when the boat will officially be added to the U.S. Navy fleet. Watch the event live here.
Ahead of time, a FOX61 crew got a behind-the-scenes scoop on what the submarine looks like, and what went into making it.
“The first ship, the SSN 709 was commissioned in 1984 after Hyman G. Rickover,” said Matthew Beach, Commanding Officer of the USS Hyman G. Rickover. “And so here we are, nearly 40 years later, commissioning the next generation Rickover. That means a lot to me personally. It helps to continue the legacy of a man who transformed not just our navy, but our national defense in all of America.”
This time around, the boat is bigger and better.
“We’ve developed submarines that can go faster, they can go deeper, they can carry more weapons, more torpedoes, and this is the embodiment of that. This ship has the latest and greatest technology that our submarine force has to offer,” Beach said.
The multi-billion-dollar submarine was built at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton. After Saturday’s ceremony, more than 130 crew members will be boarding the ship. They could be gone for weeks or months at a time.
“We’re on watch 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and this capital warship is crucial to keeping our sea lanes open and executing the tasks of the president of the United States. And so we are prepared to operate around the world, project power from the seabed to the shore, and we’ll be ready to do that in just a few weeks,” Beach said.
The ship itself is 377 feet long and has a 34-foot beam. It can dive deeper than 800 feet below sea level.
On the ship will be an original member of the first-generation Rickover, which was in service from 1984 to 2006.
“Once we de-commissioned, I had no doubt in my mind that they would make another Hyman G. Rickover. And once I found out they were, I was like, ‘I have to get there,’” said Wesley Raymer, Machinist’s Mate Nucellar First Class.
Raymer plans to retire at the end of the month after serving on the new ship. It’s a full-circle moment for him, getting back to doing something he loves.
“It takes a very special type of individual, you have to be very independent, you have to be able to be good at problem-solving,” Raymer said.
You also have to be willing to miss out on sunlight and be cramped in a small space for long periods of time.
“It could be anywhere from a handful of days to several months without seeing sunlight, all depends on what we’re doing. It is cramped obviously because it is, you know, a small vessel. You have to fit a lot of things into a very small space. It’s one of the most complex mechanical vessels out there. A lot of technology goes into it, trying to squeeze everything into as small as possible package. So, if you’re claustrophobic, it’s definitely not for you,” Raymer said.
But, being a part of it all and meeting friends that become family, Raymer said, makes it all worth it.
“As you build up this familial relationship, these guys become brothers,” Raymer said.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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