Submarine USS Georgia sails into Gibraltar

United States Navy submarine USS Georgia sailed into Gibraltar and docked at the Naval Base on Wednesday afternoon.

The USS Georgia is the fourth Trident-class nuclear-powered submarine and the third ship to bear the name of the State of Ohio.

The keel for the USS Georgia was laid on April 7, 1979, and was presided over by First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the wife of President Jimmy Carter, and the USS Georgia was launched on November 5, 1982.

The news of the arrival of the nuclear submarine led the Spanish authorities to declare a “diplomatic protest” to the US Government against its decision to anchor in Gibraltar instead of the Rota Naval Base.

The Spanish authorities expressed its “discomfort” at the decision, the Spanish news site, The Diplomat, said.

It cited reasons as the size of the submarine as well as the close distance to the Rota Naval Base, which the Spanish authorities added, had the facilities to service the USS Georgia in August 2020.

This is not the first time that Madrid has protested Washington over the presence of nuclear-powered submarines stationed at the Rock.

Last July the Spanish authorities protested over the arrival of the USS Alaska in Gibraltar, and months later against the USS Albany.