USS Alexandria (SSN-757)

USS "Alexandria" (SSN-757), a "Los Angeles"-class submarine, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for either Alexandria, Virginia, and Alexandria, Louisiana and the first ship to be named for both. The contract to build her was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 26 November 1984 and her keel was laid down on 19 June 1987. She was launched on 23 June 1990 sponsored by Mrs. Glenwood "Tookie" Clark, Jr., and commissioned on 29 June 1991, with Commander Paul Normand in command.

"Alexandria", together with the guided-missile cruiser USS "Cowpens" (CG-63), the frigate USS "Gary" (FFG-51), and P-3C Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, participated in Exercise Malabar 2004, a training exercise with the Indian Navy off the southwest coast of India that ended 11 October 2004.

Some scenes for the movie "" take place onboard the USS "Alexandria". It was also used as a filming location in the JAG / NCIS universe, though it was referred to there as the fictional USS Cathedral City.

In March 2007, the "Alexandria" was participating in the Joint U.S. Navy/Royal Navy Ice Exercise 2007 (ICEX-2007) in the Arctic Ocean with Trafalgar class submarine HMS "Tireless" (S88). The 2 submarines were taking part in joint testing on submarine operability and tactical development in Arctic waters. On March 21st HMS "Tireless" experienced an explosion of a self contained oxygen generation candle that killed two crew members and injured one but the submarine suffered only superficial damage. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6498512,00.html]

References

*This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register as well as various press releases and news stories.
*cite web |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19350 |title="Stargate: Continuum" to Film Scenes in the Arctic |date=March 14, 2007 |publisher=comingsoon.net |accessdate=2007-03-14
* Navy news website story http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=28464