The
United States submarine force consists of four operational classes -
Ohio,
Los Angeles,
Seawolf, and
Virginia - all of which are nuclear-powered. [1] The 14
Ohio-class
SSBNsserve as the sea-based leg of the U.S. strategic triad. [2] An additional four
Ohio-class submarines are configured as
SSGNs that possess both strike and Special Forces insertion capabilities. The three classes of U.S. attack submarines —
Virginia,
Seawolf and
Los Angeles - are tasked with engaging and destroying enemy vessels; supporting on-shore operations and carrier groups; and carrying out surveillance.
Capabilities at a Glance
Total Submarines in Fleet: 66 [3]
- Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs): 14
- Nuclear-Powered attack submarines (SSNs): 52
- Diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs): 0
- Air-independent propulsion submarines (AIPs): 0
Modernization and Current Capabilities
In its current modernization drive, the U.S. Navy hopes to add two to three
Virginia-class attack submarines annually to its fleet until the year 2043. However, achieving the current goal of 48 Virginia-class submarines will likely depend onto budgetary accommodations from Congress. Vice Admiral Michael Connor, former commander of US submarines forces from 2012 to 2015, wrote to the House Armed Services Committee in 2018 that he believes the U.S. needs 66 attack submarines to keep up with the increasing military demand for their underwater capabilities. [4]
The U.S. Navy is phasing out
Ohio-class SSBNs in favor of the newly designed
Columbia-class. In June 2018, a Congressional report noted that 12
Columbia-class submarines will replace the 14
Ohio-class vessels currently in service as the new underwater component of the U.S. nuclear triad. Each nuclear-powered
Columbia-class submarine will carry up to 16 Trident D-5
submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The same Congressional report noted that, based on the projected procurement schedule, the first
Columbia-class submarine will be delivered by 2028 and become operational by 2031, at a total cost of $8.4 billion (excluding testing costs). The second submarine in the class will be delivered for testing in 2031, with the following ten entering the fleet at a rate of one per year from 2033 to 2042, at an average cost of $6.5 billion per boat. [5]
Ship Biographies
Ohio-class
14
Ohio-class SSBNs, armed with Trident II D5 SLBMs, form the sea-based leg of the U.S. strategic
deterrent triad. Four of these vessels previously carried the Trident C-4 missiles, but have been retrofitted with the longer-range, more accurate D5. Assuming an average of twelve operational submarines with 24 launch tubes each and four warheads per missile, these boats carry roughly 1,152 warheads. [6] However, given that normally only eight to ten of the
Ohio-class submarines are deployed at one time, and that their launch tubes will be reduced from 24 to 20 in accordance with the requirements of the
New START treaty, the actual number of warheads in the field is closer to 720. [7]
Los Angeles-class
The nuclear-powered
Los Angeles-class SSN carries Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) and MK-48 torpedoes. The boat was primarily developed for anti-submarine warfare, but is also capable of inserting Special Forces and laying mines. The
Los Angeles-class is considered the backbone of the US submarine fleet with 34 now in commission. [8] As a result of technical improvements over time, there are three variants of the
Los Angeles-class. Beginning with the
USS Providence in 1977, the vessels were equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk missiles to complement the original
Los Angeles-class’s four torpedo tubes. The
USS San Juan, commissioned in 1988, was the first of the "improved" quieter
Los Angeles-class submarines, fitted with an advanced BSY-1 sonar system, and capable of operating under ice. [9]
Seawolf-class
The U.S. Navy also possesses three
Seawolf-class vessels, based at Bangor Trident Base in Washington state. Originally developed to hunt Soviet SSBNs, this class of attack submarine runs significantly faster and quieter than the
Los Angeles-class. [10] The boat's stealthy capabilities also make it well suited for the insertion of Special Forces. Although it does not possess a vertical launch capability, it can fire Tomahawk missiles through its torpedo tubes. [11] While the original plan was to produce as many as 29 submarines, construction costs proved too high and the end of the Cold War meant that their primary function was no longer applicable. As a result, Congress decided to terminate the program at three boats in 1995. [12]
Virginia-class
The
Virginia-class, designed by the Electric Boat Corporation of Connecticut, represents the next generation of U.S. nuclear attack submarines and a more cost-effective alternative to the
Seawolf-class. With 15 vessels already in service, the
Virginia-class will take over the
Los Angeles-class’s operation role. The
Virginia-class's ability to operate effectively in littoral waters, primarily due to its "fly-by-wire" control system, gives it an advantage over the
Los Angeles-class, while its unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV) and special force delivery vehicles make it suitable for intelligence gathering and special operation forces missions. [13] Furthermore, unlike the
Seawolf-class, the
Virginia-class possesses vertical launch tubes for firing its land-attack Tomahawk missiles. [14]
Virginia-class submarines are currently being built at an approximate rate of one per year, but their introduction rate will likely depend in part on the retirement rates of the older
Los Angeles-class vessels. [15]