NM Delegation Calls On U.S. Navy To Designate Next Nuclear Sub “USS Los Alamos” Upon 75th Anniversary

Letter to Secretary of the Navy urges support for naming the next U.S. Navy submarine “USS Los Alamos” in recognition of the contributions of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the people of Los Alamos, and nearby communities.

By New Mexico Delegation

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 19, 2018) – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall and U.S. Representatives Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham sent a letter to Navy Secretary Richard Spencer in support of naming the Navy’s next Virginia class fast attack submarine the “USS Los Alamos” in recognition of the contributions the residents of Los Alamos have made to the United States Navy.
“The effort to honor the national laboratory responsible for the beginning of the nuclear age is a citizen-based initiative, and we hope their efforts to honor the men and women of the community and the laboratory will come to fruition. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and it is clear that the work of the men and women of Los Alamos has helped make the United States Navy the strongest in the world today,” the lawmakers wrote. “We strongly believe that the distinctive service and contributions by the people of Los Alamos for the Navy and our strategic deterrent merits naming a vessel that embodies the heritage, service, fidelity, and scientific achievements of the Los Alamos community in partnership with the United States Navy.”
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Since its founding, LANL has played a critical role in national and international security, research, and science. Los Alamos residents working on the Manhattan Project, many of whom were U.S. Navy personnel, helped bring about the end of World War II. LANL later designed, tested, and certified much of the nation’s nuclear deterrent and continues to ensure the annual certification of the nation’s nuclear stockpile. Work in Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project also provided the technical understanding in nuclear energy that led to the Naval Propulsion Program.
The community in New Mexico has strongly supported recognition of the contributions that residents of Los Alamos have made to the United States Navy. The USS Los Alamos Commissioning Committee has led an ongoing community effort to name a submarine the “USS Los Alamos.”
The initiative has the full support of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which unanimously included language in the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act urging the Department of the Navy to name the next Navy submarine the “USS Los Alamos.”