After final trip from Guam, USS Key West submarine arrives in Bremerton for decommissioning

Peiyu Lin, Kitsap Sun
·3 min read
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The USS Key West (SSN 722) transits the Puget Sound before mooring at Bremerton on Feb. 10. The Los Angeles-class submarine is scheduled for decommissioning at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard this year after its 35 years of service.
The USS Key West (SSN 722) transits the Puget Sound before mooring at Bremerton on Feb. 10. The Los Angeles-class submarine is scheduled for decommissioning at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard this year after its 35 years of service.

BREMERTON — From Guam to Washington. Twenty five days of sailing through the Pacific Ocean became the final journey of USS Key West (SSN 722) after the Los Angeles-class submarine served the country for over 35 years.

After departing from Apra Harbor in Guam on Jan. 17, the Key West arrived at the Pier Delta of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton at approximately 4 p.m. last Friday. The sub shifted homeports to Bremerton for its eventual decommissioning, Submarine Group 9 spokesperson, Lt. Corey T. Jones confirmed.

About 120 sailors arrived in Kitsap County with the submarine, Jones said. Awaiting them was a warm welcome from the local military community, and the Navy League of the United States Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula Council plans a welcome reception for the crewmembers at 5 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Horse and Cow in Bremerton.

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) transits the Puget Sound before mooring at Bremerton on Feb. 10.
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) transits the Puget Sound before mooring at Bremerton on Feb. 10.

Crewmembers are excited to have arrived in Bremerton to begin the final chapter of the ship's 35-year service life, Cmdr. Jeb Parm, Commanding Officer of USS Key West said.

"We look forward to continuing the Key West legacy for the next few months in support of submarine operations in the Pacific Northwest before beginning our inactivation and decommissioning process this fall,” Parm said in a written statement to the Kitsap Sun.

Built at Newport News, Virginia, USS Key West was launched in 1985 and commissioned in September 1987. The sub is the third ship that owns the name of the Florida city of Key West.

The Los Angeles-class submarine supported missions that include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance, and strike warfare, according to the Navy.

The Republic of Korea Navy sailors welcome the USS Key West as the ship prepares to moor in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 31. The sub completed its final deployment in November after serving the country for more than 35 years.
The Republic of Korea Navy sailors welcome the USS Key West as the ship prepares to moor in Busan, South Korea on Oct. 31. The sub completed its final deployment in November after serving the country for more than 35 years.

The Key West's deployment locations ranged from both coasts of the United States to oceans around the world throughout its service time. In 2001, the ship participated in Operation Enduring Freedom following the September 11 attack, launching Tomahawk cruise missiles into Afghanistan during the operation. It also participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2003.

In 2010, the USS Key West returned to Pearl Harbor for an extended overhaul and was equipped with newer technology in fire control and sonar equipment. The sub shifted her homeport to Guam in 2012.

A four-month deployment that ended in November 2022 was USS Key West's last deployment before its planned inactivation and decommissioning at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The sub visited Busan in South Korea and Yokosuka in Japan as part of its deployment to the Indo-Pacific, according to the Navy.

The Navy's temporary suspensions of submarine dry docking at Dry Docks 4, 5, and 6 at PSNS and a dry dock at Trident Refit Facility Bangor could affect timelines. While the Navy has started some seismic mitigation works at two of the four dry docks, following a seismic study that identified potential issues in late January, according to a press release from the Navy on Wednesday, some schedules in the shipyard may be adjusted.

"There will be some delays to availabilities scheduled for Dry Docks 4, 5, and 6 in Bremerton while mitigations are put in place. Where possible, PSNS & IMF and TRF Bangor are restructuring work packages to continue maintenance pier side in the interim," Jones said.

Realted:Navy suspending use of 4 Kitsap submarine dry docks in light of seismic concerns

Reporter Peiyu Lin covers the military for the Kitsap Sun. She can be reached at pei-yu.lin@kitsapsun.com or on Twitter @peiyulintw.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: USS Key West arrives at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for decommissioning