Commander, Submarine Group 9

08/06/2026

Technology ⚛️ and Tradition 🫡

Today, Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751) held its decommissioning ceremony, 38 years to the day after entering service.

Featuring the ship's original sponsor, Mrs. Sherrill Hernandez, the ceremony also marked Fire Control Technician Seaman Robert Missimer becoming the last San Juan Sailor to earn his dolphins.

For some, the ceremony closed a chapter that began in Groton in 1988. For others, it was their first opportunity to experience the history of a submarine they had known only through the stories shared by loved ones. For all, it was a chance to bid "fair winds and following seas" to a ship that faithfully served until her final watch.

Read the full story here:
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/571774/uss-san-juan-holds-decommissioning-ceremony-after-nearly-four-decades-service

COMSUBPAC | PSNS & IMF on the Waterfront | Commander, Submarine Forces | Naval Reactors

08/03/2026

Joint force capability in action.

Last month, Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska (SSBN 739) participated in an armed airborne es**rt exercise with an A10 Thunderbolt II.

AAEs demonstrate joint force readiness to protect SSBNs, ensuring they remain a credible, reliable, and survivable force capable of operating anywhere in the world. 🌎

SSBNs remain a top U.S. Department of War priority due to their unmatched stealth and second-strike capability. Their strategic importance necessitates the strongest protection available during critical surfaced operations.

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | United States Strategic Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet

07/30/2026

At the forefront of undersea innovation.

This week, U.S. Navy Submarine Force leaders gathered at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor for the 2026 Subsea & Seabed Warfare and Technology Symposium. This two-day conference focused on specific challenges and opportunities associated with the undersea domain.

The symposium included technical exchanges among government, industry, and academia, as well as keynote addresses from Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, Director, Submarine Programs; Vice Adm. Rick Seif, commander, Submarine Forces; Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Rear Adm. Mel Smith, commander, Submarine Group Two.

Events like SSWATS are critical to maintaining maritime dominance by fostering collaboration among operational leaders, technical experts, and industry partners.

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet | Naval Reactors

07/21/2026

The "Defender of Freedom" has a new commander.

Last week, Cmdr. Daniel Brauer relieved Cmdr. Ryan Stewart as commanding officer of USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) Gold Crew.

The submarine is unique among its class, named after the late U.S. Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson, who advocated for the role of the U.S. Navy and championed the development of the Ohio-class.

"Scoop understood something fundamental," Stewart said during the ceremony. "Deterrence is not simply a military mission. It's a moral obligation. It's the quiet, constant work that prevents wars, protects families and preserves the future. Commanding a ship that fulfills that very mission has been the single greatest honor of my career."

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | United States Strategic Command

07/15/2026

“You tend a flame our nation cannot allow to be extinguished. Day after day, patrol after patrol, decade after decade, unheralded, you have kept the watch.”

Last week, Adm. Rich Correll, commander of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), visited Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) and USS Pennsylvania (SSBN 735).

SSBNs, like Kentucky and Pennsylvania, are the most survivable leg of the nuclear triad and serve as undetectable launch platforms for ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth and the precise delivery of nuclear warheads.

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet | United States Strategic Command

07/14/2026

Twice as Strong 💪

Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF) in Bremerton, Washington, July 13, 2026, to begin the inactivation process after 35-years of service.

Over the submarine’s three and half decades, Alexandria had a global forward presence, operating throughout the Mediterranean Sea, Arctic Ocean, Arabian Gulf, and Indo-Pacific region, including a historic 2004 around-the-world deployment.

Commissioned June 29, 1991, Alexandria is the third vessel to bear the name and the 46th Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine. Their motto is “Twice as Strong” referencing the fact that Alexandria, Virginia, and Alexandria, Louisiana, are both namesake cities.

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet | Naval Reactors

07/11/2026

“The forces generated by all that comprise Team Kitsap are the bedrock of peace through strength."

Today, Rear Adm. Todd Figanbaum relieved Rear Adm. Chris Nash as the commander of Submarine Group 9 during a ceremony at the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor chapel.

“Readiness is never the product of a single command. It is the culmination of an entire team committed to developing warfighters who are confident, disciplined, and ready for whatever our nation asks of them,” said Nash during the ceremony, speaking directly to the crowd filled with family, friends, staff, community partners, and military leaders who were integral to the COMSUBGRU 9 mission.

“That preparation exists for one purpose: to ensure this force is ready when the nation calls.”

Read the full story here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/569748/rear-adm-todd-figanbaum-relieves-rear-adm-chris-nash-comsubgru-9-commander

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | U.S. Pacific Fleet | United States Strategic Command | Naval Reactors

06/30/2026

U.S. Coast Guard 🤝 U.S. Navy

The Olympic Peninsula is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Continue north to where towering pine trees give way to the rocky coastline of the Salish Sea, one can even find the U.S. Coast Guard Station that serves as an operational hub for the Maritime Force Protection Unit (MFPU) Bangor.

Established in 2007, the MFPU is a specialized single-mission unit dedicated to providing strategic in-transit security es**rts for U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) as they transit U.S. territorial waterways until they slip silently beneath the waves.

Read the full story here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/569046/guardians-deep-inside-look-elite-coast-guard-unit-tasked-with-protecting-ballistic-missile-submarines

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | United States Strategic Command

06/13/2026

06/05/2026

The Foundry. The Fleet. The Fight.

During The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations visit to the Pacific Northwest this week, Rear Adm. Chris Nash had the opportunity to showcase how SUBGRU-9 embodies the Navy's Fighting Instructions.

During an all-hands call at Naval Base Kitsap - Bangor on Wednesday, Adm. Daryl Caudle and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman engaged with some of our Navy's finest Sailors taking their vision and putting it into action.

The bottom line: SUBGRU-9 Sailors generate and demonstrate warfighting excellence every day. It is their professionalism, readiness, and commitment to mission success that transforms strategic guidance into operational outcomes.

COMSUBPAC | Commander, Submarine Forces | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet