USS Alexandria returns from Western Pacific deployment

U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-Class fast attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) wrapped up her six-month deployment to the Western Pacific region and returned to Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego on May 18.

Alexandria completed four missions deemed vital to national security and participated in five multinational exercises, spending a total of 197 days deployed and more than 45,000 nautical miles steamed.

“We operated in nearly every ocean environment across the Western Pacific, doing missions that no other platform can conduct, in areas where no other platform can operate,” said Cmdr. Todd Santala, Alexandria’s commanding officer. “Our presence in theater provided significant operational flexibility to the fleet and task force commanders.”

The U.S. Navy said that thirty-three submariners earned their submarine warfare qualification, commonly known as dolphins, during the deployment – 27 enlisted crew members and six officers.

Alexandria was commissioned June 29, 1991. Measuring more than 360 feet long and displacing more than 6,900 tons, Alexandria has a crew of approximately 140 Sailors. Alexandria is capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. She is assigned to Submarine Squadron 11 and homeported at Naval Base Point Loma.