"The Sure Shooter of the Submarine Force"
USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) was the 19th boat in the Los Angeles class — the most successful fast-attack submarine class in U.S. Navy history. Over 33 years and 9 months she served under 14 commanding officers, voyaged to every ocean, and earned a combat veteran's record that places her among the most decorated submarines of her era.
She was christened by Nancy L. Domenici, wife of New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici, and bears the name of Albuquerque, New Mexico — a connection honored by the state's Senate upon her decommissioning.
On February 27, 2017, she was decommissioned at the Keyport Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington, her service complete.
Full History →| Full Name | USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) |
| Class | Los Angeles-class Flight I |
| Builder | Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut |
| Keel Laid | December 27, 1979 |
| Launched | March 13, 1982 |
| Commissioned | May 21, 1983 |
| Decommissioned | February 27, 2017 |
| Home Ports | Groton, CT → Portsmouth, NH → San Diego, CA |
| Length | 360 feet |
| Displacement | ~6,900 tons (submerged) |
| Speed | >25 knots submerged |
| Crew | 12 Officers, 115 Enlisted |
| Namesake | City of Albuquerque, New Mexico |
During the 1999 NATO air campaign against Serbia, USS Albuquerque was assigned to a Mediterranean battle group supporting Operation Allied Force. She was tasked with Tomahawk land-attack missile strikes against strategic targets in Yugoslavia — earning her the Combat Action Ribbon and one of the rarest distinctions in the submarine force: combat veteran status.
USS Albuquerque commissioned May 21, 1983 at Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut. Captain Richard H. Hartman assumes command. The boat enters service as the 19th Los Angeles-class submarine — the most capable fast-attack platform in the U.S. fleet.
Through 12 Cold War and early post-Cold War deployments, Albuquerque built an extraordinary operational record in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean — tracking Soviet submarines, operating with carrier battle groups, and calling at ports across Europe.
10 Tomahawk cruise missiles. 4 missions. 100% hit rate. During Operation Allied Force, Albuquerque earned her Combat Action Ribbon and became one of the first nuclear submarines to achieve combat veteran status. The crew becomes The Sure Shooters in fact, not just name.
Albuquerque completed her nuclear refueling overhaul in just 20 months — the fastest ever recorded in the U.S. Navy — saving the government an estimated $20 million. She returned to operational service ready for another decade of service.
Deploying with the Harry S. Truman and Iwo Jima strike groups, Albuquerque operated in the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Western Pacific — earning her GWOT Service Medal and two more Navy Unit Commendations. Her 2015 final deployment covered over 50,000 nautical miles.
On February 27, 2017, USS Albuquerque was decommissioned at the Keyport Undersea Museum, Keyport, Washington. 33 years. 9 months. 1,100,000 nautical miles. 21 deployments. A career without equal. Silentum Excubitor — Silent Guardian.
The pinnacle of submarine readiness — awarded to the most combat-ready unit in the squadron. Four times, USS Albuquerque was best in class.
Distinguished service in combat operations and fleet exercises — awarded to units whose performance sets the standard for excellence.
Sustained meritorious service in the performance of duty — recognizing the crew's dedication across decades of global operations.
Kosovo, 1999 — 10 Tomahawks, 100% hit rate. One of the first nuclear submarines in U.S. history to achieve combat veteran status.