USS NORTH DAKOTA
SSN 784
  
U.S. Carriers  |  Decommissioned  |  Links  |  Info  |  History  

 

The North Dakota (SSN 784) is the 11th Virginia-class attack submarine and the second United States Navy ship named for the state of North Dakota. She is the first Block III sub and have a revised bow with a Large Aperture Bow (LAB) sonar array instead of the spherical main sonar array which has been used on all U.S. Navy attack submarines since 1960. She also have two large Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes, instead of 12 individual, each containing 6 missiles. The contract to build her was awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat division on August 14, 2003. Construction began in February 2008 and the ship was named on July 15.

May 11, 2012 The keel for North Dakota was laid down during a ceremony at GDEB’s Quonset Point facility in North Kingstown, R.I.

From September 11-15, 2013, the North Dakota has been slowly and meticulously moved from the hangar in which she was assembled to a dry-dock where she floated off for the first time at noon on Sept. 15.

November 2, The Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) North Dakota was christened during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Conn. Mrs. Katie Fowler, the wife of Vice Adm. Jeffrey L. Fowler (Ret.), served as sponsor of the ship. Cmdr. Douglas V. Gordon is the prospective commanding officer.

April 16, 2014 The commissioning of the USS North Dakota, scheduled for May 31, has been postponed. This decision is based on the need for additional design and certification work required on the submarine's redesigned bow and material issues with vendor-assembled and delivered components.

August 5, SSN 784 returned to Electric Boat shipyard after successfully completed its Alpha sea trials; Underway for Bravo trials with the INSURV from Aug. 18-23.

August 29, General Dynamic's Electric Boat delivered the PCU North Dakota to U.S. Navy two days prior to its contract delivery date and more than $30 million below target cost.

October 25, USS North Dakota was commissioned during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at Pier 6, Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.

July 20, 2015 USS North Dakota returned to Groton after a six-week underway for operational testing of an Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV's) in the Mediterranean Sea.

July 23, Cmdr. Michael P. Hollenbach relieved Cmdr. Douglas V. Gordon as commanding officer of the North Dakota.

August 13, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., was awarded a $22,3 million undefinitized contract action against a previously awarded contract (N00024-09-C-2104) for the planning and execution of the USS North Dakota's Post Shakedown Availability (PSA). Work is expected to be completed by April 2016.

July 29, 2016 USS North Dakota undocked from Graving Dock #2 and moored pierside at Electric Boat Shipyard; Underway for sea trials in December.

January 24, 2017 The North Dakota departed NSB New London for acoustic trials in the Exuma Sound off Bahamas; Brief stop at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 2; Returned home on Feb. ?; Underway again on April ?.

April 7, The Virginia-class attack submarine moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral for a brief stop.

August 29, USS North Dakota arrived at TRF's Magnetic Silencing Facility on Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., for magnetic treatment (DEPERM); Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral for a brief stop on Sept. 4; Conducted surface operations off Port Everglades, Fla., on Sept. 5.

October 6, SSN 784 made a brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer; Brief stop in Port Everglades, Fla., on Oct. 10; Conducted surface operations off Port Everglades from Oct. 10-15; Moored at Wharf C1 in Naval Station Mayport for a brief stop on Oct. 16; Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral for a brief stop on Oct. 20; Brief stop off Groton on Oct. 31; Returned home on Nov. 3.

November 9, Cmdr. Mark Robinson relieved Cmdr. Michael P. Hollenbach as the 3rd CO of North Dakota, during a change-of-command ceremony at Dealey Center theater on NSB New London.

January ?, 2018 USS North Dakota departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine operations.

January 12, The North Dakota made a brief stop off Fort Trumbull, just before midnight, to medically evacuate a petty officer who shot himself in the right shoulder with a M-16 rifle, around 5 p.m. local time; Moored at Pier 12N on Jan. 23.

March 27, The North Dakota is currently moored at Pier 31N on Naval Submarine Base New London.

July 3, The Virginia-class attack submarine returned to homeport after underway for routine operations.

July 31, USS North Dakota departed Groton for its maiden North Atlantic deployment.

October 8, The North Dakota moored at Haakonsvern Naval Base, Norway, for a 12-day upkeep.

December 27, USS North Dakota moored at Valiant Jetty on Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, for a 10-day port call.

January 29, 2019 SSN 784 made a brief stop off Groton to embark the Nuclear Propulsion Examination Board (NPEB) personnel for Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE).

January 31, USS North Dakota moored at Pier 31N on Naval Submarine Base New London following a six-month deployment.

March 14, The North Dakota moored at Pier 8N on Naval Submarine Base New London after a nine-day underway in support of Tactical Readiness Evaluation (TRE) for USS Minnesota (SSN 783); Underway again on March 2?.

March 28, USS North Dakota moored to a barge at Naval Anchorage B in Chesapeake Bay, off Annapolis, Md., for a four-day visit to U.S. Naval Academy; Moored at Pier 17S in Naval Submarine Base New London on April 4.

July 14, USS North Dakota departed Naval Submarine Base New London for routine operations; Brief stop off Groton for personnel transfer on July 17; Moored at Pier 6N on July 26; Underway again from Aug. 13.

September 13, The North Dakota recently moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral, Fla., for a scheduled port call; Returned home on Sept. 2?; Underway again on Oct. ?; Moored at Trident Wharf in Port Canaveral on Oct. 25.

April 30, 2020 USS North Dakota moored at Pier 31N on Naval Submarine Base New London after underway for routine operations.

September 28, The North Dakota moored at Valiant Jetty on Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, for a week-long port call before participating in at-sea phase of a biannual exercise Joint Warrior 20-2; Moored at HMNB Clyde again from Nov. 11-18.

January 11, 2021 USS North Dakota moored at Pier 8S on Naval Submarine Base New London following a six-month North Atlantic deployment.

February 12, Cmdr. Robert L. Edmonson, III relieved Cmdr. Mark Robinson as CO of the North Dakota during a change-of-command ceremony at Dealey Center theater on Naval Submarine Base New London.

May 27, The North Carolina moored at Wharf D1 on Naval Station Mayport for a five-day port call in cunjunction with the Memorial Day; Brief stop off Naval Station Norfolk for personnel transfer on June 22; Brief stop off Groton on July 13 and 15th; Moored at Pier 6S on Aug. 9.

October 8, USS North Dakota returned to Naval Submarine Base New London after underway for routine operations; Underway again on Nov. ?; Arrived off the coast of Port Everglades, Fla., for acoustic trials on Nov. 20; Brief stop in Port Everglades for personnel transfer on Nov. 21; Moored at Pier 17N on Nov. 24.

March 18, 2022 USS North Dakota moored at Pier 31N on Naval Submarine Base New London after an 11-day underway for routine operations.

March 29, USS North Dakota departed Groton for a scheduled North Atlantic deployment.

May 27, The North Dakota moored at Quay 1, Grotsund Terminal in Port of Tromso, Norway, for a 10-day port call; Brief stop off the coast of Gourock, Scotland, for personnel transfer on July 12; Moored at SSBN Jetty, HMNB Clyde in Faslane from July 13-19; Brief stop off Gourock again on Aug. 4.

September 12, SSN 784 moored at Milhaud Pier ? in Toulon Naval Base, France, for a brief stop; Moored at Berth 1/2, Pier 1 on Naval Station Rota, Spain, from Sept. 17-23.?

October 27, USS North Dakota moored at Pier 6S on Naval Submarine Base New London following a seven-month deployment.

December 15, The North Dakota moored at Pier 8N on Naval Submarine Base New London after a 16-day underway for routine operations.?

March 10, 2023 USS North Dakota moored at Pier 6N on Naval Submarine Base New London after a three-day underway for routine operations.

April 6, Capt. Jason D. Grizzle relieved Capt. John W. Strafford as Commander, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 during a change-of-command ceremony on board the North Dakota.

April 10, The North Dakota departed Naval Submarine Base New London; Moored to a barge at Anchorage "B" in Chesapeake Bay, approximately 4 n.m. off the coast of Annapolis, Md., for a visit to U.S. Naval Academy, from April 14-18; Moored at Pier 6S on April 20; Underway again on April 26.

April 28, USS North Dakota moored at Berth 6B on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, for a Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA).

August 31, Cmdr. Towney G. Kennard, III relieved Cmdr. Robert L. Edmonson, III as CO of the North Dakota during a change-of-command ceremony at the USS Sailfish Memorial on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

September ?, USS North Dakota entered the Dry Dock #2 on Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.