USS Dallas (SSN-700)

USS Dallas (SSN-700) is a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the United States Navy. She is the Navy's second ship of that name, and the first to be named for the city of Dallas, Texas, although another two ships were scheduled but never completed.

Career
The contract to build Dallas was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 31 October 1973 and her keel was laid down on 9 October 1976. She was launched on 28 April 1979 sponsored by Mrs. William P. Clements, Jr., and commissioned on 18 July 1981, with Captain Donald R. Ferrier in command. Dallas was the first submarine of the SSN 688 class to be originally built with an all-digital fire control (tracking and weapon) system and sonar system.

After commissioning, Dallas was attached to Submarine Development Squadron TWELVE, New London, Connecticut, where she was involved in many research and development projects. Since September 1988, Dallas has been a member of Submarine Squadron TWO, New London, Connecticut. During her time with Squadron TWO, she completed the first ever Depot Modernization Period and various overseas deployments.

Dallas recently completed an Engineered Refueling Overhaul (ERO) at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The D1G-2 core was replaced with a D2W core.Dallas has had a removable Dry Deck Shelter for over a decade. This large chamber, fitted aft of the sail, has an array of air, water and hydraulic systems that allow Dallas to employ the latest submarine arsenal: the Swimmer Delivery Vehicle — a highly mobile and virtually undetectable means of carrying out special forces missions.

Dallas has completed one deployment to the Indian Ocean, four Mediterranean Sea deployments, two Persian Gulf deployments, and seven deployments to the North Atlantic.

On 27 August 1981 Dallas damaged her lower rudder when she ran aground while approaching the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Center site at Andros Island, Bahamas. The submarine worked herself free after several hours and returned on the surface to New London, Connecticut, for repairs.

Command Operations Reports
As filed by the ship's commanding officer with the U.S. Navy's Director of Naval History, these reports are available here for Dallas.

Awards
Dallas received two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Navy Unit Commendations and was awarded the Battle Efficiency E for FY 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1999 and 2000. Further recognition includes nomination for the 1993 Battenberg Cup as the best all-around ship in the fleet and the 1999 Engineering "E" and Medical "M".

In fiction
Dallas features prominently in the Tom Clancy novel The Hunt for Red October and its film adaptation.

The ship is used in a more minor role in several other Clancy books; as such, the actual ship's crew adopted the film's tagline "The Hunt Is On" as an unofficial ship's motto. For the filming in the Pacific Ocean, USS Houston was the primary submarine used. The USS Louisville was used in two scenes, the drydock scene at the fictional "Patuxent, Maryland" graving dock, and the scene where Jack Ryan is attempting to board the Dallas. According to coverage of the filming in Sea Classics magazine, one USS Dallas sailor took leave, from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, to fly to California to participate in the filming.

The USS Dallas also makes an appearance in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 mission "The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday" and in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Small Victories".

The USS Dallas also makes an appearance in the first person shooter Video Game Duke Nukem 3D.

Future Plans
In May, 2013 officials with the city of Dallas, Texas announced an ambitious plan to create a maritime museum more than 250 miles from the nearest body of salt water. Mayor Mike Rawlings and members of a foundation formed to create the new facility revealed one of their ideas is to acquire and display the USS Dallas next to a 30,000-square-foot museum building. Foundation officials said naval authorities have approved the transfer once the vessel is removed from active duty. In July 2013, the Navy announced that Dallas would be decommissioned in September 2014 following her final deployment that year.