US Navy Retires 7,640-Ton Nuclear Attack Submarine USS Alexandria After 35 Years Of Global Service
Our take
The retirement of the USS Alexandria, a 7,640-ton nuclear attack submarine after 35 years of service, marks a significant shift in naval capabilities and underscores the ongoing modernization efforts within the United States Navy. This decommissioning, part of a broader program to replace aging Los Angeles-class submarines with the more advanced Virginia-class, reflects a strategic realignment driven by evolving global security challenges and technological advancements. The longevity of the Alexandria's service highlights the durability of nuclear submarine technology, but also the increasing necessity for updated platforms equipped with enhanced sensor suites, stealth capabilities, and weapons delivery systems. The continued investment in submarine modernization is particularly noteworthy in light of recent developments in undersea warfare, as demonstrated by the Indonesia Begins Construction Of Two 2,000-Ton Advanced Scorpène Submarines Under $2.1 Billion Deal, showcasing a global trend toward bolstering submarine fleets. This strategic competition necessitates a continual calibration of naval assets to maintain a technological edge.
The transition from the Los Angeles-class to the Virginia-class represents more than just a generational upgrade; it signifies a move towards modular construction and a greater adaptability to diverse mission profiles. Virginia-class submarines are designed to operate in both littoral (near-shore) and deep ocean environments, reflecting the increasing complexity of potential conflict zones. The Indian Navy's recent rescue operation, detailed in Indian Navy Rescues Injured Seafarer From Oil Tanker Off Mumbai Despite Severe Weather, further illustrates the multifaceted roles submarines and naval forces play in ensuring maritime security and humanitarian assistance, a capacity the Virginia-class is explicitly designed to enhance. Furthermore, the increasing focus on data-driven decision making within naval operations is driving demand for submarines capable of seamlessly integrating with broader ocean intelligence networks, a concept that aligns with World Data Ocean’s integrated data ecosystem. The importance of understanding marine environments is underscored by research like Spatiotemporal characteristics of the theoretical wave-base-derived seaward shoreface boundary along the China Coast, highlighting the complexity of the ocean and the need for advanced data analysis to inform strategic planning.
The decommissioning of the USS Alexandria also carries implications for naval personnel and infrastructure. The expertise accumulated by the crew over three and a half decades represents a valuable asset, and their transition to maintaining or operating the newer Virginia-class submarines will be crucial. The process of dismantling a nuclear submarine is a complex and costly undertaking, requiring specialized facilities and adherence to strict environmental protocols. This process generates considerable data – from material composition to operational history – that could be valuable for future naval engineering and submarine design. The integrated nature of these systems necessitates a globally collaborative approach to ensure responsible decommissioning and the safe management of nuclear materials, reflecting the need for validated and peer-reviewed protocols.
Looking ahead, the accelerating pace of submarine development, driven by both technological innovation and geopolitical competition, will continue to reshape the underwater domain. The integration of artificial intelligence, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), and advanced sensor technologies promises to exponentially increase the capabilities of future submarines. A critical question to watch is how these advancements will impact the balance of power between nations and the potential for escalation in undersea conflicts. The continued refinement of ocean intelligence, fueled by longitudinal data collection and empirical analysis, will be paramount in ensuring strategic advantage and mitigating the risks associated with this increasingly vital domain.
The U.S. Navy has formally ended the operational service of the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757), retiring one of its veteran Los Angeles-class submarines after 35 years.
The Navy held an inactivation ceremony for the submarine on June 29 at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego.
USS Alexandria will now begin a multi-year inactivation and recycling process at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility before its scheduled decommissioning on Aug. 4, 2026.
The retirement is part of the Navy’s ongoing effort to replace older Los Angeles-class submarines with newer Virginia-class boats. USS Alexandria is the 46th submarine of its class to leave active service, leaving 23 Los Angeles-class submarines still in service.
Commissioned on June 29, 1991, the 7,640-ton (6,930-metric-ton submerged) submarine served through the post-Cold War period, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Navy’s growing focus on the Indo-Pacific.
Over its career, it completed 14 overseas deployments and sailed more than one million nautical miles.
USS Alexandria operated in the Mediterranean Sea, Arctic Ocean, Persian Gulf and Indo-Pacific. It supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, took part in Arctic Ice Exercises (ICEX), and carried out security missions in the Indo-Pacific. In 2004, it completed a round-the-world deployment through the Arctic.
The ceremony was attended by current and former crew members, retired naval leaders, family members and members of the submarine’s original commissioning crew.
Among those present were Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, director of In-Service Submarines and Industrial Base and a former commanding officer of Alexandria; Capt. Phillip Sylvia Jr., commander of Submarine Squadron 11 and another former commanding officer; Cmdr. Donald Coomes, the submarine’s final commanding officer; retired Capt. Paul Norman, its first commanding officer; retired Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Douglas Muller, its first Chief of the Boat; along with eight former commanding officers and several former Chiefs of the Boat.
Cmdr. Coomes said the crew had focused on training the next generation of submariners while taking the submarine through its final stage of service.
USS Alexandria was the third U.S. Navy ship named after the cities of Alexandria in Virginia and Louisiana. It belonged to the 23-boat Improved Los Angeles-class, or 688i, subclass, which featured quieter machinery, retractable bow planes and the ability to operate under Arctic ice.
During its service, the submarine took part in a wide range of operations. It deployed with the USS America battle group in 1993 and supported Operation Sharp Guard in the Adriatic Sea.
It later operated in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Persian Gulf and the U.S. 5th Fleet area, carrying out intelligence gathering, surveillance, carrier strike group support and other missions during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
The submarine also participated in Arctic Ice Exercises, which tested under-ice navigation and operations.
In 2004, USS Alexandria completed a six-month deployment through the Arctic, Pacific, Central Command and European regions. During that mission, it became the first Improved Los Angeles-class submarine to circumnavigate the globe through the Arctic and the first U.S. nuclear-powered submarine to visit Goa, India.
After moving its homeport from Naval Submarine Base New London to Naval Base Point Loma in 2015, the submarine shifted its operations to the Pacific. It later deployed across the Western Pacific, operating around Japan, Guam, Okinawa, South Korea and the Philippine Sea.
Its later missions included operations with the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group, Foal Eagle exercises with South Korea, CHILEMAR submarine rescue exercises with Chile, ANNUALEX exercises with Japan and the U.S. Navy, and port visits to Sasebo, Yokosuka, White Beach, Busan and Apra Harbor.
USS Alexandria began its final deployment on Oct. 10, 2024, and returned on May 15, 2025, after about seven months in the Western Pacific.
Cmdr. Donald E. Coomes took command on June 2, 2025, and the submarine continued local operations off Southern California until entering the inactivation process in 2026.
During its 35 years of service, USS Alexandria received several awards, including the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation and multiple Battle Efficiency (“Battle E”) awards for operational readiness and mission performance.
Specifications
USS Alexandria measured 110.3 metres long, with a beam of 10 metres and a draft of 9.4 metres. It displaced about 6,082 tonnes on the surface and around 6,930 tonnes while submerged.
The submarine was powered by a General Electric S6G nuclear reactor driving two steam turbines that produced about 33,500 shaft horsepower. It could travel at speeds of more than 25 knots underwater and remain at sea for about 90 days.
Its weapons included four 533-mm torpedo tubes and 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles. It could also carry Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes, UGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Mk 67 submarine-launched mobile mines and Mk 60 CAPTOR mines.
Following the inactivation ceremony, USS Alexandria will move to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, where crews will remove or deactivate its weapons, classified electronics, sonar systems, communications equipment and combat systems before beginning work on its nuclear reactor.
The submarine’s S6G reactor will then be defueled, its propulsion system shut down and the reactor compartment separated from the pressure hull under Naval Reactors procedures.
Unlike conventionally powered ships, nuclear-powered submarines require years of specialised work before disposal.
The process includes removing nuclear fuel, managing radiological controls, separating the hull, demilitarising the vessel and recycling its remaining materials.
USS Alexandria now joins other retired Los Angeles-class submarines in the Navy’s recycling programme as the service continues modernising its undersea fleet with Virginia-class attack submarines.
References: interestingengineering, armyrecognition
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