Ohio-class submarines
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USS Michigan (SSBN-727) at a drydock, in November 2002, prior to conversion to SSGN.
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Ohio class |
| Builders: | General Dynamics Electric Boat |
| Operators: |
 United States Navy
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| Preceded by: | Benjamin Franklin class |
| Succeeded by: | Columbia class |
| Built: | 1976–1997 |
| In commission: | 1981–present |
| Planned: | 24 |
| Completed: | 18 |
| Cancelled: | 6 |
| Active: | 18 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | SSBN/SSGN (hull design SCB-304) |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 560 ft (170 m) |
| Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
| Draft: | 35.5 ft (10.8 m) maximum |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: | Limited only by food supplies |
| Test depth: | +800 ft (240 m) |
| Complement: | 15 officers, 140 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: | 4 × 21 inch (533 mm) Mark 48 torpedo tubes (Forward Compartment 4th level) |
| General characteristics SSBN-726 to SSBN-733 from construction to refueling | |
| Armament: | 24 × Trident I C4 SLBM with up to 8 MIRVed 100 ktTNTW76 nuclear warheads each, range 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) |
| General characteristics SSBN-734 and subsequent hulls upon construction, SSBN-730 to SSBN-733 since refueling | |
| Armament: | 24 × Trident II D5 SLBM with up to 12 MIRVed W76 or W88 (300–475 ktTNT) nuclear warheads each, range 6,100 nmi (11,300 km; 7,000 mi) |
| General characteristics SSGN conversion | |
| Armament: | 22 tubes, each with 7 Tomahawk cruise missiles, totaling 154 |
The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines currently used by the United States Navy. The navy has 18 Ohio-class submarines: 14 ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) and four that were later converted to guided missile submarines (SSGN).
The Ohio class was named after the lead submarine of this class, USS Ohio. The 14 Trident II SSBNs together carry approximately fifty percent of the total US active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. Although the Trident missiles have no pre-set targets when the submarines go on patrol, the warheads are capable of being targeted quickly using secure and constant radio communications links, including very low frequency (VLF) systems. All the Ohio-class submarines, except for USS Henry M. Jackson, are named for U.S. states, which until that point was a tradition reserved for battleships and cruisers.
The Ohio-class submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. Two classes of the Russian Navy's submarines have larger total displacements: the Soviet-designed Typhoon-class submarines have more than twice the total displacement, and Russia's Borei-class submarines have roughly 25 percent greater displacement, but the Ohio-class boats carry more missiles than either: 24 Trident missiles per boat, versus 16 missiles for the Borei class (20 for the Borei II) and 20 for the Typhoon class.
The Ohio-class submarines were designed specifically for extended war-deterrence patrols. Each of these submarines is 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 large-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.
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Wikipedia