The US Navy’s USS Frank Cable (AS 40), the second Emory S. Land-class submarine tender, arrived at Chennai Port underscoring the deepening maritime engagement between India and the United States at a time when the ties are facing the test over United States imposing new tariff regime on India.
This is the second visit of the vessel to India inthe last three years. The earlier one was on August 2022 at Visakhapatnam. The visit included a guided tour showcasing the ship’s mission, technical capabilities, and the professionalism of its crew.
"We have two such vessels and USS Frank Cable is likely to be decommissioned in the next 10 years," said Executive Officer (XO) of the ship Michael Rodriguez. Built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company in Seattle and commissioned in 1979, Frank Cable was originally designed to service the US Navy’s nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class attack submarines. For more than a decade, the vessel operated from Charleston, South Carolina, supporting both attack and ballistic missile submarines.
Decommissioned in 1996, the ship was later reactivated and refitted to serve as the Seventh Fleet’s mobile repair and support platform in the Western Pacific, replacing the USS Holland. Since then, Frank Cable has become a familiar presence across the region, making port calls in cities from Brisbane and Singapore to Vladivostok and Subic Bay.
"We are submarine tenders and provide all services to our submarines. Anywhere in the world, the submarine can come to our side and we can provide everything to sustain the port," said Rodriguez. The vessel specialises in replenishing submarines and surface ships in the mid-sea. It primarily operates to provide consumables, electricity, water, spare parts, medical, mail and legal and repair services to submarines and their crews at sea. It also serves as an armoured depot by providing torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles to the submarines.
He said the visit is to reinforce the partnership.. "Our friends in the Indian Navy have hosted us for several events. Today, members of our crew were at a college here and they were learning how to play cricket and also had questions and answer session with students there," he said. The vessel will depart from the port on Thursday.
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