USS Alaska (SSBN-732), is a United States Navy ballistic missile submarine which has been in commission since 1986. She is the fourth US Navy ship to be named for the Territory or State of Alaska. Construction and commissioning The contract to build Alaska was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, on 27 February 1978 and her keel was laid down there on 9 March 1983. She was launched on 12 January 1985, sponsored by Mrs. Catherine Stevens, wife of US Senator Theodore F. Stevens of Alaska; and commissioned on 25 January 1986, with Captain Paul L. Callahan in command of the Blue Crew and Captain Charles J. Chotvacs in command of the Gold Crew. Service history Alaska spent much of 1986 engaged in shakedown training for her two crews and in clearing up the many details that attend a new fleet ballistic missile submarine's addition to the Fleet. She operated initially from New London, Connecticut, and Port Canaveral, Florida, but shifted homeport to the Pacific Northwest later in the year, 4 September to 1 October 1986. Alaska sailed through the Panama Canal, and visited San Francisco, California, 21–29 September, while en route. She then served with Submarine Squadron 17, Submarine Group 9, at Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Washington. Alaska sailed on her first missile deterrent patrol, manned by her Blue Crew, in the Pacific, 7 December 1986 to 19 February 1987. Her Gold Crew carried out Patrol 2, 16 March to 28 May 1987. She completed an engineered overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, 1 May 2000 to 9 December 2001. The work included a Trident II D5 "backfit" that enabled Alaska to fire the improved version of the submarine launched ballistic missile. In addition, the overhaul upgraded her to shoot the Mk 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) torpedo. Alaska had carried out 47 Trident I C4 and 12 Trident II D5 deterrent missile patrols when she sailed from Kitsap for the final time on 8 July 2006. The submarine subsequently completed a 27½-month engineered refueling and overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, on 8 March 2009. Alaska shifted to Submarine Squadron 20, Submarine Group 10, at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, on 1 May 2009; she arrived at Kings Bay on 1 April. On 28 April 2010, the Navy announced plans to convert living spaces on Alaska to accommodate female