Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Out There, Quietly Waiting

There was much fanfare a couple years ago as our Ohio class guided missile submarines converted from their nuclear role put to sea. Now I don't read anything at all about them in the press. A quick search finds nothing at all.

They are pretty awesome:

Each SSGN is capable of carrying up to 154 Tomahawk or Tactical Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles. The missiles are loaded in seven-shot Multiple-All-Up-Round Canisters (MACs) in 22 of 24 missile tubes. These missile tubes can also accommodate additional stowage canisters for SOF equipment, food, and other consumables, extending the amount of forward-deployed time for on board SOF forces.


We have four of these cruise-missile (and SEAL) platforms out there, lost in the vastness of the oceans, quietly waiting in case they are needed.

I assume two are at sea at any one time. I'd want one in the East China Sea for Taiwan and North Korean scenarios and another in the Arabian Sea.