USS Santa Fe attack submarine visits Japan

U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN 763) made a port call at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on March 2 during her  Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol.

“Our crew has had the opportunity to meet our partner Japanese submarine crews that visit Pearl Harbor and are excited to visit their homeport,” said Cmdr. Jacob A. Foret, commanding officer.

This submarine is capable of executing anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

“The crew has worked tirelessly at training and preparing for the western Pacific deployment and are eager to explore the many sights and sounds of Yokosuka,” said Master Chief Electronics Technician (Navigation) Jorge Perez, chief of the boat. “The crew has many first-timers who have heard so many interesting stories about Japan and look forward to experiencing the Japanese culture firsthand during this port visit. They joined the Navy to see the world, and this is their first foreign port visit.”

Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Santa Fe is one of the 23 improved 688 Los Angeles class submarines that have improved stealth features.

Santa Fe is homeported in Pearl Harbor and is assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 7. It is named after the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico.