11/6/2023 0 Comments Ohio class submarine youtubeThe two sets of crews each consists of fifteen officers, including its own captain, and one hundred forty four enlisted sailors. Navy’s boats displaced 16,764 tons, were 560 feet (170 meters) in length, and were 42 feet (13 meters) at the beam.Įach of the SSBNs has two crews – “Blue” and “Gold” – which alternate manning the boats while on patrol. Until the deployment of the Soviet Union’s mighty Typhoon-class, the Ohio was the largest submarine in the world. The crew facilities were also enhanced, and included two onboard libraries and other amenities. The Ohio-class has been seen as a major improvement over the previous Lafayette-class SSBNs, and the boats were faster, quieter, and easier to maintain. The first eight boats were delivered with Trident C4 missiles, while the fourteen to follow were armed with the longer-range Trident D5 – a weapon that has been touted as being as accurate as ground-based ICBMs, and with the same response time and greater destructive effect. Bush as providing “a new dimension in our nation’s strategic deterrence.” The submarine, which had been laid down five years earlier, was the first in a new class of eighteen nuclear-powered SSBNs built for the United States Navy. It would still carry out that mission against Russia or China if called upon today: When the USS Ohio (SSBN-726) was commissioned in 1981, the nuclear ballistic submarine was heralded by then-Vice President George H.W. The Ohio-Class Submarine was built for a nuclear war against the Soviet Union. This new platform will also have the capability to carry and support more than 66 Navy SEALs (Sea, Air and Land) and insert them clandestinely into potential conflict areas. The 22 missile tubes also will provide the capability to carry other payloads, such as unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Special Forces equipment. The SSGNs will have the capability to support and launch up to 154 Tomahawk missiles, a significant increase in capacity compared to other platforms. Four Ohio-class strategic missile submarines, USS Ohio (SSBN 726), USS Michigan (SSBN 727) USS Florida (SSBN 728), and USS Georgia (SSBN 729) have been selected for transformation into a new platform, designated SSGN. 29, 2002 for conversion to SSGN at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. 14, 2003) - USS Ohio (SSGN 726) is in dry dock undergoing a conversion from a Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) to a Guided Missile Submarine (SSGN) designation. Vice Admiral Wolfe has stated that he believes the Ohio-class submarines will be upgraded to hypersonic missiles by 2025.Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Wash. The addition of these missiles is to keep up with the updates taking place to other naval warships, which are expected to introduce hypersonic missiles to their arsenals. The so-called 'hypersonic missiles" are currently under development. The Nuclear ballistic Ohio-class submarines are expected to be replaced by the Virginia-class submarines, while the cruise missile submarines are expected to be replaced with specifically designed submarines or a newer, modified version of the current Ohio-class submarines.Īlongside these updates to the fleet, firepower is expected to undergo upgrades in the near future too. The entire fleet is due to be retired by 2029, and the US Navy are currently exploring their options. Upgrades to both the US Naval fleet and its onboard artillery are expected in the near future. Combined, all of these measures mean that the US Navy can maximize the time each submarine could spend on patrol. The crews will spend between 70 and 90 days away from their friends and family on board these submarines, patrolling the oceans. Each submarine is served by two crews, the blue crew and the gold crew. Not only were these submarines built to maximize time at sea, but the way they are manned is also optimized with surgical precision. In order to reduce the amount of time these submarines would spend in ports, each one was fitted with three large hatches, which allowed for easy crew turn over, and a swift resupply process.Īs a result, the overhaul process for these submarines takes only 25 days, and each submarine can operate for up to about 15 years before any major overhaul is needed. And the standard for longevity of both time at sea and lifespan was set by this class of submarine. These submarines came into existence to meet the need for extended strategic deterrent patrols.
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