With the upcoming Columbia class ballistic missile submarines, the U.S. Navy is already looking forward to replacing its aging Ohio fleet, securing a sea-based nuclear deterrent for the United States well into the 2080s.
The Columbia class also features an electric-drive propulsion system, which makes them the quietest submarines ever constructed. This will not only enhance their strategic strike capabilities but will also make it much harder for enemy subs to detect and follow them.
Each submarine in the class will be armed with 16 Trident II D5LE missiles, capable of carrying multiple warheads.
The Columbia-class submarines are designed for a 42-year service life, so refueling the reactor is never required. In that respect, they can help reduce logistical challenges for U.S. shipyards.
This will become very important at times of strain on the Navy’s budget and amid the potential for global strategic shifts that could force a focus on hemispheric defense.
The Columbia-class submarines belong to a nuclear triad that holds the capability to retaliate against any nuclear attack by keeping nuclear weapons on land, at sea, and in the air. This triad formation makes it tough for rival nuclear states to attempt any decapitating strikes on the U.S. arsenal.
The commitment of the Navy to this Columbia-class program is very well represented in the advanced features of these submarines. That is, the electric drive propulsion system converts nuclear energy directly into electrical power.
Thereby it lowers its acoustic signature and enhances the efficiency. Thus, these are going to be the quietest submarines in the US fleet.
Every Columbia-class submarine will carry 16 Trident II D5LE missiles that, in turn, carry multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs. This nuclear arsenal speaks to the crucial role Columbia plays in America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent.
It is also considering converting some of the Columbia-class subs into guided-missile subs (SSGNs) for non-nuclear missions. This evolutionary pathway is quite similar to that taken by the Ohio-class submarines that were converted into SSGNs capable of land attack using non-nuclear cruise missiles.
The Trident II D5 missile deployed both by the United States and by the United Kingdom is a three-stage, solid-fueled submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile.
Equipped with a range of 12,000 km, up to a payload of 2,800 kilograms, with up to eight MIRV Mk 4 or Mk 5 warheads, Trident D5 entered service in 1990 and had been subject to intensive improvement programs aiming at raising the accuracy and extending its period of service.
The new Columbia-class submarines of the U.S. Navy will carry Trident D5 missiles, keeping a powerful and reliable sea-based nuclear deterrent in place.
Altogether, the Navy has announced plans to operationalize 12 submarines of this type, with each carrying four “quad packs” containing 16 Trident D5 missiles.
The strategic situation will change, and so, the U.S. nuclear deterrent, as has been seen recently, depends on Columbia-class submarines providing national security.