The 5f(3) -> 5f(2)6d(1) absorption spectra of the U3+ ions incorporated in SrCl2 single crystals were recorded at 4.2 K in the 15 000-50 000 cm(-1) I spectral range. From an analysis of the vibronic structure, 32 zero-phonon lines corresponding to transitions from the 4 I-4(9/2) ground multiplet of the 5f(3) configuration to the 5f(2)6d(e(g))(1) excited levels were assigned. A theoretical model proposed by Reid et al. (Reid, H. F.; van Pieterson, L.; Wegh, R. T.; Meijerink, A. Phys. Rev. B 2000, 62, 14744) that extends the established model for energy-level calculations of nf(N) states has been applied for analysis of the spectrum. The F-k(ff) (k = 2, 4), 5f xi(5f)(ff), B (4)(0)(ff) B (6)(0)(ff), F-k (fd) (k = 2, 4), and G(j)(fd) (j = 1, 3) Hamiltonian parameters were determined by a least 0 squares fitting of the calculated energies to the experimental data. A good overall agreement between the calculated and experimentally observed energy levels has been achieved, with the root-mean-square (rms) deviation equal to 95 cm(-1) for 32 fitted levels and 9 varied parameters. Adjusted values of F-k(ff) and xi(5f)(ff) parameters for the 5f(2) core electrons are closer to the values characteristic of the 5f(2) (U4+) configuration than to those of the 5f(3) (U3+) configuration. For the U3+ ion, the f-d Coulomb interaction parameters are significantly more reduced from the values calculated using Cowan's computer code than they are for lanthanide ions. Moreover, because of weaker f-d Coulomb interactions for the U3+ ion than for the isoelectronic Nd3+ lanthanide ion, the very simple model assuming the coupling of crystal-field levels of the 6d(1) electron with the lattice and the multiplet structure of the 5f(2) configuration may be employed for the qualitative description of the general structure of the U3+ ion f-d spectrum.