USS Georgia Returns from Maiden Deployment

By Commander, Submarine Group 10 Public Affairs

KINGS BAY, Ga. (NNS) -- The fourth of the four guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) returns home from its maiden operational deployment as a newly converted SSGN to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., August 7.

USS Georgia (SSGN 729) (Gold), commanded by Capt. Mike Brown, returns to its homeport after a 12-month deployment in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

"These Sailors transformed the ship from a shipyard environment to completing its first deployment, conducting the full spectrum of submarine operations," said Brown.

Georgia has two crews, Blue and Gold, which alternated manning the submarines while on deployment. Each crew completed two deployment periods, swapping crews in Diego Garcia.

"As two crews, team Georgia achieved great success in a myriad of mission areas, demonstrating the SSGNs full capacity to support the combatant commander in forward deployed operations," said Brown.

Georgia's deployment accomplishments include three mission periods supporting national and theater tasking and multiple Tomahawk strike exercises in the European Command and Central Command areas of responsibility. The Kings Bay Trident Refit Facility conducted four voyage repair periods in Diego Garcia to maintain the high operational tempo of Georgia.

"The ship operated for over a year away from home, traversing thousands of miles, piloting many straits, including two liberty ports of call in Souda Bay, Crete, and Manama, Bahrain," said Brown.

Georgia has been homeported in the state of Georgia since December 2007 and is one of two U.S. Navy vessels named after their namesake states that are currently homeported in their namesake state.

"Now it is time for Georgia's Sailors to spend some much deserved time with their family and friends," said Brown. "We sincerely appreciate the continued support of our families, the Kings Bay community, and the citizens fro the great state of Georgia as we prepare for Georgia's next deployment."

Georgia completed its conversion from a ballistic missile submarine to a guided-missile submarine and returned to service March 28, 2008.