The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) pulled into the floating dry dock Arco (ARDM-5) at Naval Base Point Loma, Sept. 23.
Key West will be dry-docked to conduct preventative and corrective maintenance prior to returning back to its home port of Guam.
“The Arco provides a resilient and flexible solution to the dry-docking needs of the forward-deployed submarines in Guam,” said Cmdr. Michael McGuire, commanding officer, USS Key West. “Our ship greatly benefits from the Arco’s ability to conduct rapid repairs and timely preventative maintenance, allowing us to return to Guam where we are poised at the tip of the spear and ready to fight.”
Capt. Patrick Friedman, commander, Submarine Squadron 11, recognizes the Arco’s value to the fleet and is excited to host the Key West and get to work.
“Arco is an invaluable asset to the submarine force,” said Friedman. “She allows the flexibility needed to conduct repairs to our submarines so they can support theater commander objectives.”
Arco has a lifting capacity of 1,800 long tons, is 492 feet long, 96 feet wide and has a wing wall height of 61 feet. The dry dock is equipped with two wing wall cranes capable of lifting up to 25 tons each. The ballasting pumps are capable of pumping a combined capacity of 10,000 gallons per minute. Arco is used primarily for dry-docking and servicing 637 and 688 class submarines.
“The benefit of having the Key West use the Arco instead of a Navy shipyard is that this is a stand-alone dock,” said Master Chief Edward Dabney, Arco’s command master chief. “There are no other major availabilities occurring, allowing the dock and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard detachment to focus their talent and energy in repairing this forward-deployed warfighter. Key West is our priority.”
Arco (ARDM 5) is a Submarine Squadron 11 asset under the operational control of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The crew consists of approximately 130 personnel and is currently homeported at Naval Base Point Loma.
Date Taken: | 09.23.2020 |
Date Posted: | 09.24.2020 21:22 |
Story ID: | 378661 |
Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
Web Views: | 415 |
Downloads: | 1 |
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