NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON
Home of the Submarine Force — and the Navy's first nuclear-powered ship.
OVERVIEW
Naval Submarine Base New London — known throughout the Navy as "Home of the Submarine Force" — is the U.S. Navy's first submarine base and remains the principal East Coast attack submarine homeport, the sole submarine training schoolhouse, and the historical and cultural center of the U.S. submarine community. The base occupies 687 acres on the east bank of the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, directly across from the city of New London. About 7,000 active-duty Sailors and 11,000 family members and civilians work and live at or near the installation.
Approximately 15 nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) are homeported at New London under Submarine Group 2, with squadrons 4 and 12 organizing the operational boats for deployment, training, and maintenance. The Naval Submarine School is the sole U.S. Navy training pipeline for newly reporting submarine officers and enlisted Sailors, conducting basic enlisted submarine school, officer Submarine Officer Basic Course, and a wide range of advanced submarine warfare and engineering courses. Adjacent to the base, the Submarine Force Museum preserves USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, as a public museum ship — one of the most visited naval museums in the country.
KEY FACTS
- DesignationHome of the Submarine Force
- Founded1916 — first U.S. submarine base
- Submarines HomeportedAbout 15 attack submarines
- Submarine SchoolSole U.S. Navy enlisted and officer submarine training school
- Historic ShipUSS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, preserved on base
HISTORY
The U.S. Navy's presence on the Thames River dates to 1868, when the federal government established a small Navy yard on land donated by the State of Connecticut. The yard initially served as a coaling station and minor support facility, but in 1898 it became home to the Navy's first submarine, the USS Holland, and the area was used to support the small early submarine force operating out of New London. In 1916, the yard was formally designated the U.S. Navy's first submarine base — making New London the cradle of the modern American submarine force.
Through World War I and the interwar period, the base grew to support a steadily expanding submarine fleet. World War II transformed New London into a wartime hub: by 1945 the base hosted hundreds of submarines transiting between the Atlantic and the war zones, supported the workup of new submarine crews destined for the Pacific, and operated the Naval Submarine School at full capacity. After the war, the base continued in its dual role as the East Coast operational submarine homeport and the Navy's submarine training and engineering center.
The dawn of the nuclear era arrived at New London in 1955, when USS Nautilus (SSN-571) — the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, designed and built by Electric Boat directly across the river — got underway from the base on nuclear power. Nautilus inaugurated a new age of submarine operations, including the first transit beneath the Arctic ice cap in 1958. New London hosted successive generations of nuclear-powered attack submarines through the Cold War, from the Skipjack and Permit classes to the Sturgeon and Los Angeles classes, supporting deterrent and intelligence operations against the Soviet Union from the depths of the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
In 2005, the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission considered closing Naval Submarine Base New London as part of its recommended portfolio of base closures. The proposal triggered a coordinated campaign by Connecticut's congressional delegation, state and local leaders, and the broader submarine community to demonstrate the strategic and historical value of New London. The BRAC Commission ultimately reversed the recommendation, preserving the base. Today, the installation remains the operational and intellectual heart of the submarine force, hosting the East Coast attack submarine fleet, training every new submariner, and preserving the cultural memory of the silent service through the USS Nautilus and the Submarine Force Museum.
MAJOR COMMANDS & TENANT UNITS
- Commander, Submarine Group 2
- Submarine Squadron 4
- Submarine Squadron 12
- Naval Submarine School
- Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory
- Submarine Force Museum (host of USS Nautilus)
LOCATION & GEOGRAPHY
NOTABLE EVENTS
- 1868Yard EstablishedU.S. Navy yard established at Groton on the Thames River.
- 1916Submarine BaseDesignated the U.S. Navy's first submarine base.
- 1955USS Nautilus LaunchedUSS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, departed New London “underway on nuclear power” for sea trials.
- 2005BRAC ReprieveBRAC Commission reversed initial recommendation to close the base.