USS Albuquerque Monument

Tentative Project Schedule:

Stay tuned for future project updates and public meeting dates!

The USS Albuquerque is Coming Home!

The USS Albuquerque (SSN-706), a nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was decommissioned in 2017 after being in service for nearly 34 years. The submarine was assigned the hull number "SSN-706" in homage to the 1706 founding of the City of Albuquerque. The City of Albuquerque has requested the submarine's iconic sail and fairwater planes from the U.S. Navy. Measuring 33’ wide by 26’ long and standing 19’ tall, the sail is a striking visual reminder of the dedication of the servicemen and women who helped protect our country’s freedom.
The City is conducting a study of potential sites for the sail, which will become the centerpiece of a new monument honoring the service of the submarine’s crew. The City is soliciting suggestions and feedback for a new home for the USS Albuquerque.

Now, we need your help. Input from the public is crucial to the establishment and success of this project. Where in the City should the USS Albuquerque monument be located; do you have a suggestion? The City is considering sites, which could be publicly or privately-owned. When you think about potential sites, consider some of the criteria listed under the ‘Site Nomination Process’ below. What other elements or features would you like to see at the monument?

The History of the USS Albuquerque 

The USS Albuquerque was commissioned in Groton, CT in May 1983. During its service, the ship completed 21 deployments, sailed in every ocean, and received numerous naval awards and commendations. The sub itself measured 362 ft. in length, with a beam (width) of 33 ft., and was equipped with four 21 in. torpedo tubes. The USS Albuquerque was 6,900 tons and capable of speeds greater than 25 knots. This sub cost approximately $900 million dollars and carried a crew of 12 officers and 115 enlisted submariners.

The USS Albuquerque was first stationed in Groton, CT until it relocated to San Diego, CA in 2009. The submarine remained stationed in San Diego until it was decommissioned in 2017.

The City of Albuquerque’s support for the submarine began when Mayor Harry Kinney offered the keys to a Rolls Royce to the first captain who could bring the sub up the Rio Grande for a port call. The keys passed on to the skipper at each of 13 Change of Command ceremonies and were returned to the Mayor in 2017, after the USS Albuquerque was decommissioned. 

The sub took its last dive near San Diego, CA in 2015 prior to being decommissioned. USS Albuquerque then sailed to the Puget Naval Sound Shipyard at Bremerton, Washington, where it is now awaiting dismantling as a part of the Navy's Ship/Submarine Recycling Program (SSRP). This is when the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, with assistance from the Navy League of the United States - New Mexico Council, petitioned the U.S. Navy to return the sail to the sub’s namesake city.

Site Nomination Process

• Do you have an idea of a site to be the permanent home of the sail of the USS Albuquerque?

• The City will evaluate all submissions based on the site’s physical suitability (topography, size, and existing conditions) as well as the site’s context (neighborhood character, views and visibility, and proximity to other attractions).

• The public input period will be open until September 16th, at which time a short-list of potential sites will be identified.  The design team will also prepare conceptual plans showing how the monument could be arranged on the site. The final site recommendations and conceptual designs will be submitted to the Navy who will then release the sail to come home to the City of Albuquerque.  

• The City and the design team will then prepare construction plans for the permanent installation of the monument.