? Clock DVA: The Unseen | Main | Underhand, unfair, and damned un-English ?
March 21, 2011
SSGN
As the USS Florida and HMS Triumph fired shots in anger into Libya, I learned what SSGN stands for.
From 2002 to 2008 the U.S. Navy modified the four oldest Ohio-class Trident submarines to SSGN configuration. The conversion was achieved by installing vertical launching systems (VLS) in a configuration dubbed "multiple all-up-round canister (MAC)." This system was installed in 22 of the 24 missile tubes, replacing one large nuclear strategic ballistic missile with 7 smaller Tomahawk cruise missiles. The 2 remaining tubes were converted to lockout chambers (LOC) to be used by special forces personnel who can be carried on board. This gives each converted sub the capability to carry up to 154 Tomahawk missiles. The MAC tubes can also be used to carry and launch UAVs or UUVs which give the ship remote controlled "eyes & ears" allowing the ship to act as a forward-deployed command & control center. If the maximum of 154 Tomahawk missiles were loaded, one Ohio-class SSGN would carry an entire Battle Group's equivalent of cruise missiles.
Posted by Ghost of a flea at March 21, 2011 05:34 AM