The Ohio-Class Submarine Crisis, Explained: A U.S. Navy guided missile submarine (SSGN) is a lethal war machine that stretches the length of two football fields and can carry as many as 154 Tomahawk missiles. Named the Ohio-class, they are among the most powerful subs to ever slip below the ocean waves.
The undersea war platform’s massive firepower brings land-attack support to any military campaign.
The guided missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) arrives in Souda Bay, Greece, May 21, 2013, for a scheduled port visit. The Florida was underway in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Paul Farley/Released)
The Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) begins a dive into the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the Washington Coast, March 18, 2025, during routine operations. Special units within the Coast Guard are tasked with the protection of U.S. Naval submarines while surfaced and transiting U.S. territorial waters to and from their patrol stations. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Strohmaier)
However, these boats and their firepower will be retiring in the coming years, and the Navy is aggressively scrambling to replace the SSGNs with the Block V Virginia-class submarines—attack submarines built with an extra 80-foot section to carry 28 additional Tomahawks per boat, bringing their total firepower to 40 Tomahawks.
The Navy is moving fast to accelerate production and delivery of these boats.
154 Tomahawks Each for Ohio-Class SSGNs
The SSGNs are the USS Ohio, USS Georgia, USS Michigan, and USS Florida.
These heavily armed boats are slated to retire from 2026 to 2028. The Ohio-class submarines have already operated years beyond their intended service life, but their anticipated retirement means the Navy is setting aside a massive amount of collective firepower.
SSGNs have proven extremely valuable during key military campaigns, such as the attack on Libya in 2011 and the Gulf War. Their ability to unleash mass precision fires at the beginning of a military campaign has proven decisive.
Tomahawk weapons are often among the first to strike in a military operation.
The Tomahawks can destroy fixed infrastructure, command and control areas, bunkers, leadership locations, and force concentrations without putting attackers at risk. Tomahawks can travel as far as 900 miles at speeds greater than 550 miles per hour.
Block IV Tomahawks have a loitering Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance function and a two-way datalink enabling them to receive new information in flight and readjust. While capable of precision strikes, they are critical in any effort to mass firepower, given the sheer volume with which they can be deployed by an SSGN.
Beyond the Tomahawk
While the Tomahawk has achieved tremendous breakthroughs in range, data networking, and precision targeting, there will likely always be a need for mass firepower in a great power conflict.
Perhaps enemy air defenses can be targeted from the ocean; battlefield surveillance identifies weapons storage facilities; or force concentration targets are found.
Support Special Operations
Mission longevity has also been a key factor for SSGNs, as they are capable of remaining at sea for continuous missions of nearly two years if needed.
The USS Florida, for example, traveled nearly 70,000 miles over 700 days. This dwell time means a submarine is able to sustain undersea operations, increasing survivability and improving mission prospects.
This is important in areas such as the Pacific, where vast maritime geography might require extended deployments.
A boat that does not need to return to port can remain underwater in strategically vital locations and be positioned to support clandestine undersea surveillance and attack operations.
Further, the SSGNs can carry and deploy groups of special operations forces to conduct covert missions that begin with stealthy, surprise undersea attacks or reconnaissance operations.
About the Author: Kris Osborn, Warrior Maven President
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
