USS Chicago became the first submarine in four years to transfer retrievable exercise torpedoes (EXTORPs) to a submarine tender at Naval Base Guam, February 10.
The Los Angeles-class submarine transferred two EXTORPs to USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) during a three-hour evolution in preparation for a planned maintenance period.
“Conducting this weapons move outboard a tender for the first time in four years was a huge win for the Sailors today and a bonus to the fleet,” said Lt. Jason Cloyd, Commander, Submarine Squadron (COMSUBRON) 15 weapons officer. “It was a very successful evolution, and the ability to conduct this operation is a unique experience for the Sailors who participated.”
EXTORPs are a valuable training tool to prepare the navy’s submarine force for real-world situations.
“Exercise torpedoes give us the ability to train our Sailors by using the submarine’s weapons systems in a controlled scenario,” said Cloyd. “The sailors use their systems to fire the EXTORPs out of the torpedo tubes at a simulated target. This not only trains the sailors, but exercises the systems they work on as well, giving them the most realistic training the fleet can offer.”
The last time an ordnance transfer was conducted between a submarine and tender was in 2012. USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) received Tomahawk cruise missiles and advanced capability (ADCAP) torpedoes from Guam’s other submarine tender, USS Frank Cable (AS 40), November 2012.