Ohio-class submarine

The Ohio class of nuclear-powered submarines includes the United States Navy's 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and its 4 cruise missile submarines (SSGNs). Each displacing 18,750 tons submerged, the Ohio-class boats are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy and are capable of carrying 24 Trident II ballistic missiles or 22 tubes with 7 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles apiece. They are also the third-largest submarines ever built, behind the Russian Navy's Soviet era 48,000-ton , the last of which was retired in 2023, and 24,000-ton .

Like their predecessors the and es, the Ohio-class SSBNs are part of the United States' nuclear-deterrent triad, along with U.S. Air Force strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The 14 SSBNs together carry about half of U.S. active strategic thermonuclear warheads. Although the Trident missiles have no preset targets when the submarines go on patrol, they can be given targets quickly, from the United States Strategic Command based in Nebraska, using secure and constant radio communications links, including very low frequency systems.

All the Ohio-class submarines, except for , are named for U.S. states, which U.S. Navy tradition had previously reserved for battleships and later cruisers. The Ohio class is to be gradually replaced by the beginning in 2031.

Description

The Ohio-class submarine was designed for extended strategic deterrent patrols. Each submarine is assigned two complete crews, called the Blue crew and the Gold crew, each typically serving 70-to-90-day deterrent patrols. To decrease the time in port for crew turnover and replenishment, three large logistics hatches have been installed to provide large-diameter resupply and repair access. These hatches allow rapid transfer of supply pallets, equipment replacement modules, and machinery components, speeding up replenishment and maintenance of the submarines. Moreover, the "stealth" ability of the submarines was significantly improved over all previous ballistic-missile subs. Ohio was virtually undetectable in her sea trials in 1982, giving the U.S. Navy extremely advanced flexibility.

thumb|left|USS Michigan (SSBN-727) at a dry-dock in November 2002, before its conversion to an SSGN

The class's design allows the boat to operate for about 15 years between major overhauls. These submarines are reported to be as quiet at their cruising speed of or more as the previous s at , although exact information remains classified. Fire control for their Mark 48 torpedoes is carried out by Mark 118 Mod 2 system, The boats could thereafter carry 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and 66 special operations personnel, among other capabilities and upgrades. During the conversion of these four submarines to SSGNs (see below), five of the remaining submarines, , , , , and , were transferred from Kings Bay to Bangor.

thumb|left|Artist's concept of an Ohio-class SSGN launching [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles]]

The conversion modified 22 of the 24 diameter Trident missile tubes to contain large vertical launch systems, one configuration of which may be a cluster of seven Tomahawk cruise missiles. In this configuration, the number of cruise missiles carried could be a maximum of 154, the equivalent of what is typically deployed in a surface battle group. Other payload possibilities include new generations of supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles, and Submarine Launched Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, the ADM-160 MALD, sensors for antisubmarine warfare or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, counter mine warfare payloads such as the AN/BLQ-11 Long-Term Mine Reconnaissance System, and the broaching universal buoyant launcher and stealthy affordable capsule system specialized payload canisters.

thumb|right|The helm of the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine, USS Florida (SSGN-728), in March 2010

The missile tubes also have room for stowage canisters that can extend the forward deployment time for special forces. The other two Trident tubes are converted to swimmer lockout chambers. For special operations, the Dry Combat Submersible (which replaced the Advanced SEAL Delivery System), as well as the dry deck shelter, can be mounted on the lockout chamber and the boat will be able to host up to 66 special-operations sailors or Marines, such as Navy SEALs, or USMC MARSOC teams. Improved communications equipment installed during the upgrade allows the SSGNs to serve as a forward-deployed, clandestine Small Combatant Joint Command Center.

On 26 September 2002, the Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a US$442.9 million contract to begin the first phase of the SSGN submarine conversion program. Those funds covered only the initial phase of conversion for the first two boats on the schedule. Advance procurement was funded at $355 million in fiscal year 2002, $825 million in the FY 2003 budget and, through the five-year defense budget plan, at $936 million in FY 2004, $505 million in FY 2005, and $170 million in FY 2006. Thus, the total cost to refit the four boats is just under $700 million per vessel.

In November 2002, Ohio entered a dry-dock, beginning her 36-month refueling and missile-conversion overhaul. Electric Boat announced on 9 January 2006 that the conversion had been completed. The converted Ohio rejoined the fleet in February 2006, followed by Florida in April 2006. The converted Michigan was delivered in November 2006. The converted Ohio went to sea for the first time in October 2007. Georgia returned to the fleet in March 2008 at Kings Bay. These four SSGNs are expected to remain in service until about 2023–2026. At that point, their capabilities will be replaced with Virginia Payload Module-equipped .

In 2011, Ohio-class submarines carried out 28 deterrent patrols. Each patrol lasts around 70 days. Four boats are on station ("hard alert") in designated patrol areas at any given time. From January to June 2014, Pennsylvania carried out a 140-day-long patrol, the longest to date.

Missile tube reduction

As part of the New START treaty, four tubes on each SSBN were deactivated in 2017, reducing the number of missiles to 20 per boat.

Detailed cross-section

Boats in class

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+ List of Ohio-class submarines

! scope="col" | Name

! scope="col" | Hull number

! scope="col" data-sort-type=date | Laid down

! scope="col" data-sort-type=date | Launched

! scope="col" data-sort-type=date | Commissioned

! scope="col" | Homeport

! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Service life (status)

! scope="col" |

! scope="row" | Ohio

! scope="row" | SSGN-726

| 10 April 1976 || 7 April 1979 || 11 November 1981

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington ||style="text-align:center;"| (in active service) || style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Michigan

! scope="row" | SSGN-727

| 4 April 1977 || 26 April 1980 || 11 September 1982

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Florida

! scope="row" | SSGN-728

| 19 January 1981 || 14 November 1981 || 18 June 1983

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Georgia

! scope="row" | SSGN-729

| 7 April 1979 || 6 November 1982 || 11 February 1984

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia ||style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Henry M. Jackson

! scope="row" | SSBN-730

| 19 November 1981 || 15 October 1983 || 6 October 1984

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Alabama

! scope="row" | SSBN-731

| 27 August 1981 || 19 May 1984 || 25 May 1985

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Alaska

! scope="row" | SSBN-732

| 9 March 1983 || 12 January 1985 || 25 January 1986

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Nevada

! scope="row" | SSBN-733

| 8 August 1983 || 14 September 1985 || 16 August 1986

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Tennessee

! scope="row" | SSBN-734

| 9 June 1986 || 13 December 1986 || 17 December 1988

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Pennsylvania

! scope="row" | SSBN-735

| 2 March 1987 || 23 April 1988 || 9 September 1989

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | West Virginia

! scope="row" | SSBN-736

| 18 December 1987 || 14 October 1989 || 20 October 1990

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Kentucky

! scope="row" | SSBN-737

| 18 December 1987 || 11 August 1990 || 13 July 1991

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Maryland

! scope="row" | SSBN-738

| 22 April 1986 || 10 August 1991 || 13 June 1992

|Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Nebraska

! scope="row" | SSBN-739

| 6 July 1987 || 15 August 1992 || 10 July 1993

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" |Rhode Island

! scope="row" | SSBN-740

| 15 September 1988 || 17 July 1993 || 9 July 1994

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Maine

! scope="row" | SSBN-741

| 3 July 1990 || 16 July 1994 || 29 July 1995

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington || style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Wyoming

! scope="row" | SSBN-742

| 8 August 1991 || 15 July 1995 || 13 July 1996

| Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia ||style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

! scope="row" | Louisiana

! scope="row" | SSBN-743

| 23 October 1992 || 27 July 1996 || 6 September 1997

| Naval Base Kitsap, Washington ||style="text-align:center;"| (in active service)|| style="text-align:center;"|

Replacement

The U.S. Department of Defense anticipated a continued need for a sea-based strategic nuclear force. The first of the current Ohio-class SSBNs was expected to be retired by 2029, so the replacement submarine would need to be seaworthy by that time. A replacement was expected to cost over $4 billion per unit compared to Ohios $2 billion. The Navy wants to procure the first Columbia-class boat in FY2021, though it is not expected to enter service until 2031.

In 2020, Navy officials first publicly discussed the idea of extending the lives of select Ohio-class boats at the Naval Submarine League's 2020 conference. During the 2022 conference, Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, the program executive officer for strategic submarines, and Rear Admiral Douglas G. Perry, the director of undersea warfare on the Chief of Naval Operations' staff, discussed the Columbia-class program, and also touched on the possibility of finding Ohio-class boats that had sufficient remaining nuclear fuel and were in good enough material state to be given a further extension to their lives.

In popular culture

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As ballistic-missile submarines, the Ohio class has occasionally been portrayed in fiction books and films.

Tom Clancy wrote Ohio-class submarines into several novels, such as in The Sum of All Fears (1991).
The fictional USS Montana is featured in the 1989 film The Abyss.
is the setting for the 1995 submarine film Crimson Tide.
The fictional ballistic missile submarine USS Colorado (SSBN-753) is the primary setting for the ABC television series Last Resort.
is featured in Season 1, Episode 13 of the American television series The Brave.

Ohio-class submarine

Description

Missile tube reduction

Detailed cross-section

Boats in class

Replacement

In popular culture

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links