Submarine Industrial  Base Council

Ohio Class SSBN

General Characteristics: Ohio Class
Builder: General Dynamics Electric Boat Division
Propulsion: One nuclear reactor, one shaft
Length: 560 feet
Beam: 42 feet
Displacement: 16,764 tons surfaced; 18,750 tons submerged
Speed: 20+ knots (23+ miles per hour)
Crew: 155: 15 Officers, 140 Enlisted.
Armament: 24 tubes for Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles, MK48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes.

Currently, the U.S. SSBN force consists of 14 Ohio Class submarines.  Built between 1974 and 1997, they remain ready, in a secure and survivable posture to strike if needed. 

Ohio Class SSBNs can carry up to 24 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with multiple independently-targeted warheads. The SSBN’s strategic weapon is the Trident II D5 missile, which provides increased range and accuracy over the now out-of-service Trident I C4 missile.

Ohio Class SSBNs are specifically designed for extended deterrent patrols. To decrease the amount of time required for replenishment and maintenance, Ohio Class submarines have three large-diameter logistics hatches that allow sailors to rapidly transfer supply pallets, equipment replacement modules and machinery components thereby increasing their operational availability.

The Ohio Class SSBNs are home ported in Kings Bays, Georgia and Bangor, Washington. On average, the submarines spend 77 days at sea followed by 35 days in-port for maintenance. Each SSBN has two crews, Blue and Gold, which alternate manning the submarines while on patrol. This maximizes the SSBN’s strategic availability, reduces the number of submarines required to meet strategic requirements and allows for proper crew training, readiness, and morale.

090109-N-1255R-098
KINGS BAY, Ga. (Jan. 9, 2008) The Ohio Class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) approaches Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. Wyoming is the 17th submarine in the Ohio-class and the fourth U.S. Naval ship to be named after the 44th state of the Union. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Rebecca Rebarich/Released)

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