What is the name of the nuclear submarine in James Cameron’s The Abyss?

The nuclear submarine in James Cameron’s The Abyss is the USS Montana.

The USS Montana is a fictional United States Navy nuclear submarine that suffers a mysterious accident in the Cayman Trough. Its sinking prompts the Navy to send a recovery team to the Deep Core underwater drilling platform. The crew must determine what happened to the submarine while facing severe pressure, limited oxygen, and dangerous underwater conditions.

The submarine carries nuclear warheads, making the discovery of strange underwater beings especially significant. Military fear and escalating tension lead to decisions that threaten both the recovery team and the alien visitors. The submarine’s wreck therefore provides the plot’s initial mystery and its central nuclear-stakes problem.

The name can be confused with real American submarines or with the USS Alabama, which appears in another submarine film. The Montana in The Abyss is fictional and should not be mistaken for a documented Navy vessel.