We want to have close connection with India: USS Frank Cable in Vizag

Hyderabad: USS Frank Cable, a second Emory S. land-class submarine tender, visited the Vizag Port on 2 August with a crew of around 300 US Navy sailors and 200 military sea of command civil service mariners. The visit is aimed to conduct bilateral engagements with India and foster relationships with India.

"We want to have a close relationship with India. USS Frank Cable (AS 40) is to repair, rearm, and resupply submarines or ships. We are always looking forward to help Indian submarines," said Jonathan B Trejo, the public affairs officer of USS Frank Cable.

Speaking to News Meter, Jonathan B. Trejo said the ship is important to the India Pacific region especially for bilateral engagements with India and to foster the relationship between the two countries and show India and the world that we are capable of working well with each other.

The ship had visited India earlier but this was her first visit this year. Commissioned on 20 October 1979, USS Frank Cable was decommissioned in 1996 but was reactivated and refitted to replace the USS Holland (AS 32) in the Western Pacific as Commander Seventh Fleet's mobile repair and support platform.

The ship has capabilities, specifically in four primary divisions in repairs:

1. Whole repair: Primarily wielding and wood works.

2. Mechanical repair: Run the machine shop on board and provide when the submarine needs any specific parts. Any fabrication, machinery repairs on board can be done. The ship keeps approximately 30,000 spare parts on board to refabricate the parts for submarine and other ships.

3. Electrical repair: It consists of electricians and technicians. Primarily work on the repair of electrical motors, wires.

4. Diving capabilities: Navy divers on board are mainly used in underwater repairs, surveillance repairs, retrieval. Along with diving capabilities, medical department has a dive medicine component with the dive chamber on board. They are capable of treating decompression sickness, if necessary.

Brief history of USS Frank Cable

USS Frank Cable (AS 40) was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company and was christened on 14 January 1978. Commissioned on 20 October 1979, the ship was designed to tend the nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class attack submarines.

Frank Cable has visited many Western Pacific cities in support of US forces, including Brisbane (Australia), Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Vladivostok (Russia), Subic Bay (Philippines), and Yokosuka (Japan).

In 1997, the ship was heavily involved with the rescue and recovery efforts following the Korean Airline Flight 801 crash on Guam and also in the recovery and clean-up efforts following Super Typhoon Paka.

Awards

Frank Cable received a Humanitarian Service Medal for support provided in recovery efforts on Guam following Super Typhoon Pongsona in 2002.

From 1980 to 2012, Frank Cable has garnered awards as a unit of both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, including nine Meritorious Unit Commendations, 13 Battle Efficiency "E" awards, and four Golden Anchor Awards.