Springfield departed SUBASE in support of missions vital to national security in the Southern Command's (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, which encompasses more than 30 countries in South America and covers about 15.6 million square miles.
Springfield's support of allies and other surface, submarine, and air assets included two transits of the Panama Canal.
During its deployment, the submarine and crew had port calls in Balboa and Panama City, Panama. During one of its port visits to Panama City, the crew participated in a community relations project by doing repairs, installing tile and painting at an orphanage. While there the Sailors also played with the children and delivered donated supplies.
With stealth, endurance, agility, fast-attack submarines like Springfield are multi-mission capable - able to deploy and support Special Forces operations, disrupt and destroy an adversary's military and economic operations at sea, provide early strike from close proximity, and ensure undersea superiority.
Commanded by Cmdr. Paul E. Savage, Springfield is 360 feet long, displaces more than 7,000 tons and has a crew of approximately 127 officers and Sailors. The submarine was commissioned Jan. 9, 1993.
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