The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The Navy has a total of 18 Ohio-class submarines:
The Ohio class is named after the lead submarine of this class, the USS Ohio (SSGN-726) formerly designated SSBN-726. The 14 Trident II SSBNs together carry approximately fifty percent of the total American active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. The exact number of warheads deployed in the oceans of the world varies in an unpredictable and classified manner, always at or below a maximum number set by various Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties. Although the Trident missiles have no preset targets when the submarines go on patrol, the warships , when required, are capable of quickly being assigned targets by using secure and constant radio communications links at sea, including VLF systems.
The Ohio-class submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. Two classes of Russian Navy submarines have larger total displacements: the Soviet-designed Typhoon-class submarines have more than twice the total displacements, and the Russian Federation's Borei-class submarines have roughly 25 percent greater displacements, but the Ohio-class warships carry more missiles and warheads than either of the other designs.
The Ohio-class submarines were designed specifically for extended war-deterrence patrols. Each of these submarines are provided with two complete crews, called the Blue crew and the Gold crew, with each crew serving typically on 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 high-diameter resupply and repair access. These hatches allow rapid transfer of supply pallets, equipment replacement modules, and machinery components, significantly reducing the time required for replenishment and maintenance of the submarines.
The design of the Ohio class allows the warship to operate for about fifteen years between major overhauls. These submarines are reported to be as quiet at their cruising speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) or more then the previous Lafayette-class submarines were at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph), although exact information remains classified.
The Ohio-class submarines were constructed from sections of hull, with each four-deck section being 42 ft (13 m) in diameter. The sections were produced at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and then assembled by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut.
Fire control for their Mark 48 torpedoes is carried out by Mark 118 Mod 2 system, while the Missile Fire Control (MFC) system is a Mark 98.
Except for the USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730), the Ohio class submarines are named for States of the United States.
The first eight submarines had their home ports at Bangor, Washington, to replace the submarines carrying the Polaris A3 missile that were then being decommissioned. The remaining ten submarines originally had their home ports at Kings Bay, Georgia, replacing the Poseidon and Trident Backfit submarines of the Atlantic Fleet. During the conversion of the first four submarines to SSGNs (see below), five of the submarines, the Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Nebraska, Maine, and Louisiana, were transferred from Kings Bay to Bangor. Further transfers occur as the strategic weapons goals of the United States change.
- 14 nuclear-powered SSBNs (fleet ballistic missile submarines (FBM)), each armed with up to 24 Trident II SLBMs; they are also known as "Trident" submarines, and provide the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad of the U.S. strategic nuclear weapons arsenal
- Four nuclear-powered SSGNs (cruise missile submarines), each capable of carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles with either conventional or nuclear warheads, plus a complement of Harpoon missiles to be fired through their torpedo tubes
The Ohio class is named after the lead submarine of this class, the USS Ohio (SSGN-726) formerly designated SSBN-726. The 14 Trident II SSBNs together carry approximately fifty percent of the total American active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. The exact number of warheads deployed in the oceans of the world varies in an unpredictable and classified manner, always at or below a maximum number set by various Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties. Although the Trident missiles have no preset targets when the submarines go on patrol, the warships , when required, are capable of quickly being assigned targets by using secure and constant radio communications links at sea, including VLF systems.
The Ohio-class submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. Two classes of Russian Navy submarines have larger total displacements: the Soviet-designed Typhoon-class submarines have more than twice the total displacements, and the Russian Federation's Borei-class submarines have roughly 25 percent greater displacements, but the Ohio-class warships carry more missiles and warheads than either of the other designs.
The Ohio-class submarines were designed specifically for extended war-deterrence patrols. Each of these submarines are provided with two complete crews, called the Blue crew and the Gold crew, with each crew serving typically on 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 high-diameter resupply and repair access. These hatches allow rapid transfer of supply pallets, equipment replacement modules, and machinery components, significantly reducing the time required for replenishment and maintenance of the submarines.
The design of the Ohio class allows the warship to operate for about fifteen years between major overhauls. These submarines are reported to be as quiet at their cruising speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) or more then the previous Lafayette-class submarines were at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph), although exact information remains classified.
The Ohio-class submarines were constructed from sections of hull, with each four-deck section being 42 ft (13 m) in diameter. The sections were produced at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and then assembled by the Electric Boat Company at Groton, Connecticut.
Fire control for their Mark 48 torpedoes is carried out by Mark 118 Mod 2 system, while the Missile Fire Control (MFC) system is a Mark 98.
Except for the USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730), the Ohio class submarines are named for States of the United States.
History
The first eight Ohio-class submarines were armed at first with 24 Trident I C4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Beginning with the ninth Trident submarine, the USS Tennessee (SSBN-734), the remaining warships were equipped with the larger, three-stage Trident II D5 missile. The Trident II missile carries eight multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), in total delivering more destructive power than the Trident I missile and with greater accuracy. Starting with the USS Alaska (SSBN-732) in 2000, the Navy began converting its remaining ballistic missile submarines armed with C4 missiles to carry D5 missiles. This task was completed in mid-2008.The first eight submarines had their home ports at Bangor, Washington, to replace the submarines carrying the Polaris A3 missile that were then being decommissioned. The remaining ten submarines originally had their home ports at Kings Bay, Georgia, replacing the Poseidon and Trident Backfit submarines of the Atlantic Fleet. During the conversion of the first four submarines to SSGNs (see below), five of the submarines, the Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Nebraska, Maine, and Louisiana, were transferred from Kings Bay to Bangor. Further transfers occur as the strategic weapons goals of the United States change.
Popular culture
As ballistic missile submarines, the Ohio class has occasionally been portrayed in fiction books and films.- USS Alabama is the setting for the film Crimson Tide.
- The sinking of the fictional USS Montana is the inciting incident in James Cameron's 1989 film The Abyss.
- In Tom Clancy's novels, these missile submarines play important roles. For example, the fictional Akula-class submarine Admiral Lunin attacks the USS Maine (SSBN-741) near the end of The Sum of All Fears. Also, in Debt of Honor, five Ohios of the U.S. Pacific fleet (specifically those named after battleships damaged in the Pearl Harbor attack) are used as attack submarines due to their availability from nuclear disarmament. One is also deployed as an Army special operations support platform.
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