Ohio-class Submarine

Ohio-class Submarine

4 × 21 in (53 cm) Mark 48 torpedo tubes (midships)
SSBN-726 to SSBN-733 from construction to refueling
24 × Trident I C4 SLBM with up to 8 MIRVed 100 kt_TNT W76 nuclear warheads each, range 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi)

• SSBN-734 and subsequent hulls upon construction, SSBN-730 to SSBN-733 since refueling
  24 × Trident II D5 SLBM with up to 12 MIRVed W76 or W88 (300–475 kt_TNT) nuclear warheads each, range 6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi)
• SSGN conversion
  22 tubes, each with 7 Tomahawk cruise missiles, totaling 154.

The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The Navy has 18 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) and guided missile submarines (SSGN).

The Ohio class is 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. The exact number of warheads deployed in the oceans of the world varies in an unpredictable and classified manner, always at or below a maximum number set by various Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties. Although the Trident missiles have no pre-set targets when the submarines go on patrol, the warships, when required, are capable of quickly being assigned targets by using secure and constant radio communications links at sea, including very low frequency (VLF) systems.

Except for Henry M. Jackson, the Ohio-class submarines are named for States of the United States.

The Ohio-class submarines are the largest submarines ever built for the U.S. Navy. Two classes of Russian Navy submarines have larger total displacements: the Soviet-designed Typhoon-class submarines have more than twice the total displacement, and the Russian Federation's Borei-class submarines have roughly 25 percent greater displacement, but the Ohio-class warships carry more missiles and warheads than either of the other designs: 24 Trident missiles per boat, versus only 16 missiles for the Borei class (20 for the Borei II) and 20 for the Typhoon class.