USS San Juan (SSN-751)

• First of Her Name: USS San Juan (SSN-751) is the third United States Navy ship named after San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is the first submarine to bear the name. • Los Angeles-Class Submarine: She is a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, launched on December 6, 1986, and commissioned on August 6, 1988. • First Improved 688 Submarine: USS San Juan is the first "688i" or Improved Los Angeles-class submarine, featuring enhanced quieting, advanced sonar, and the ability to operate under ice. • Under-Ice Capabilities: As the first Los Angeles-class submarine equipped for under-ice operations, she can surface through Arctic ice and was a significant advancement in Cold War capabilities. • Homeport History: USS San Juan has been homeported at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, throughout most of her career. • 1998 North Pole Mission: In 1998, San Juan completed a historic surfacing at the North Pole during ICEX (Ice Exercise), demonstrating her Arctic operational capability. • 2007 Lost Contact Incident: In March 2007, San Juan was temporarily presumed lost after a communications failure, prompting a large-scale search before she re-established contact and all hands were found safe. • Female Officer Integration: USS San Juan became one of the first U.S. submarines to integrate female officers, marking a milestone in Navy gender integration. • Combat Systems: She carries Tomahawk cruise missiles, torpedoes, and advanced electronic warfare systems, enabling her to strike land targets and engage enemy ships and submarines. • Decommissioning: In 2023, the Navy announced plans to decommission USS San Juan after more than 35 years of service, recognizing her as a pioneering submarine of the Los Angeles class.