USS Sam Rayburn (SSBN-635) - Deactivation, Decommissioning, and Disposal

Deactivation, Decommissioning, and Disposal

On 10 June 1985, the U.S. Navy announced plans to dismantle a fleet ballistic missile submarine so as to remain within the SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty ceiling on MIRVed ballistic missiles. Sam Rayburn was selected and was deactivated on 16 September 1985. Her missile tubes were filled with concrete and the tube hatches were removed.

Sam Rayburn was decommissioned on 31 July 1989 and reclassified a moored training ship with hull number MTS-635. Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 28 August 1989, she arrived at the Naval Nuclear Prototype Training Unit at Goose Creek, South Carolina, on 1 February 1986, and on 29 July 1989 achieved initial criticality in her new role. Her modifications included special mooring arrangements, including Water Brake, a mechanism to absorb power generated by her main propulsion shaft. She is scheduled to operate as a moored training ship until 2018 while undergoing shipyard availabilities for repairs and alterations at five-year intervals.