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NAVY WIRE SERVICE (NWS) - March 9, 2000 – NWS09mar-1. Homeport assignment for PCU Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) announced By the Navy Office of Information WASHINGTON (NWS) -- Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig announced March 7 that the submarine pre-commissioning unit (PCU) Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) will be assigned the homeport of Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Wash. A Navy team recently completed a structured, impartial, objective and comprehensive review evaluating potential homeports. Only after a detailed evaluation of all these factors did the Secretary reach his decision to homeport the ship in Bangor. The proposed assignment is subject to the completion of all required construction and testing. The submarine is scheduled to be delivered in 2004 and should arrive at Bangor in 2005. PCU Jimmy Carter, the third Seawolf-class submarine, currently being built by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, is undergoing a modification that will allow additional volume and services to accommodate advanced technology for naval special warfare, tactical surveillance, and mine warfare operations. The details of this modification and the advanced technologies, while classified, will support the Defense Science Board recommendations for improved payload capabilities and flexible interface with the undersea environment. This will be accomplished without sacrificing current Seawolf-class multi-mission war fighting capabilities. The modification will require alterations to the basic Seawolf design in the areas of ballast control, mission- management spaces, and various services. A unique feature of this modification is the creation of a flexible ocean interface, referred to as the "wasp waist," that will enable the Navy to deploy and recover various payloads without having to rely on the use of the torpedo tubes. The modification will make the submarine longer than the first two Seawolf-class submarines. The modifications to Jimmy Carter reflect the inherent flexibility of the submarine force to respond to emerging threats with new technologies and tactics. With Jimmy Carter, this generations' submarine force will stride forward and meet emerging threats at sea, on land or of any nature. The Navy-Industry team is poised to build this remarkable and fully integrated submarine. For more information about attack submarines (SSNs): http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/ships, and click on "ships-ssn.html" -USN- -USN-