Ohio-class

The United States Navy’s sea-based strategic deterrent — 14 nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines carrying Trident II D5 SLBMs, and 4 converted guided-missile submarines, the largest subs ever built for the US fleet.

Overview

The Ohio-class is the backbone of the US sea-based nuclear deterrent and a major conventional strike platform. Eighteen boats were built by General Dynamics Electric Boat, with USS Ohio commissioning in 1981. Fourteen continue as SSBNs, each capable of launching up to 24 Trident II D5/D5LE ballistic missiles, while four were converted in the 2000s to SSGNs that carry up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles and host special operations forces. The class remains in service, with the oldest hulls beginning to retire as the Columbia-class SSBN enters the fleet in the early 2030s.

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