First U.S. Navy SSGN Sub Completes Trials
By Christopher P. Cavas
DefenseNews.com: The first of the U.S. Navy’s ballistic missile submarines to be converted so it can launch cruise missiles and carry teams of special operations forces completed its sea trials Dec. 19, the Navy said in a statement released Dec. 21.
The USS Ohio is one of four former SSBN submarines to undergo the SSGN conversion. The ships — the largest submarines ever built for the United States — have traded in their Trident ballistic missiles for Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Twenty-two of the submarine’s 24 missile tubes have been converted to each carry seven Tomahawks, for a total of 154 cruise missiles. The other two tubes have been changed into lock-in/lock-out chambers so that special operators can enter and leave the submarine while it is submerged.
Up to 66 special forces personnel can be carried and supported aboard each submarine.
The Ohio entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., in November 2002 to begin the conversion process, which began with a refueling of the submarine’s nuclear reactor.
The Ohio-class submarines were designed in the 1970s to carry the Trident missile, a replacement for older Polaris and Poseidon missiles. The Ohio, which was commissioned in 1981, carried out its last ballistic missile patrol in the summer of 2002.
Three other former Trident submarines, the Michigan, Florida and Georgia, also are being converted to the SSGN role. The Navy plans to complete all the conversions by 2007.
The naval shipyards at Puget Sound and Norfolk, Va., are each carrying out two SSGN conversions under the direction of General Dynamics Electric Boat at Groton, Conn., which built all 18 of the original Trident submarines.
The Navy has no further SSGN conversions planned, and intends to operate a force of 14 Trident submarines in the nuclear deterrence role.
The Navy plans to “redeliver” the Ohio to the fleet early next year.
DefenseNews.com: The first of the U.S. Navy’s ballistic missile submarines to be converted so it can launch cruise missiles and carry teams of special operations forces completed its sea trials Dec. 19, the Navy said in a statement released Dec. 21.
The USS Ohio is one of four former SSBN submarines to undergo the SSGN conversion. The ships — the largest submarines ever built for the United States — have traded in their Trident ballistic missiles for Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Twenty-two of the submarine’s 24 missile tubes have been converted to each carry seven Tomahawks, for a total of 154 cruise missiles. The other two tubes have been changed into lock-in/lock-out chambers so that special operators can enter and leave the submarine while it is submerged.
Up to 66 special forces personnel can be carried and supported aboard each submarine.
The Ohio entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., in November 2002 to begin the conversion process, which began with a refueling of the submarine’s nuclear reactor.
The Ohio-class submarines were designed in the 1970s to carry the Trident missile, a replacement for older Polaris and Poseidon missiles. The Ohio, which was commissioned in 1981, carried out its last ballistic missile patrol in the summer of 2002.
Three other former Trident submarines, the Michigan, Florida and Georgia, also are being converted to the SSGN role. The Navy plans to complete all the conversions by 2007.
The naval shipyards at Puget Sound and Norfolk, Va., are each carrying out two SSGN conversions under the direction of General Dynamics Electric Boat at Groton, Conn., which built all 18 of the original Trident submarines.
The Navy has no further SSGN conversions planned, and intends to operate a force of 14 Trident submarines in the nuclear deterrence role.
The Navy plans to “redeliver” the Ohio to the fleet early next year.
posted by Marko at 12/21/2005 06:34:00 PM
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