U.S. Navy May Extend the Life of Strategic Missile Submarines
What is known
We are talking about Ohio-class submarines.One of these is called Rhode Island and has recently entered the Mediterranean Sea. Submarines of the Trident system are carriers of Trident ballistic missiles. In particular, up to two hundred nuclear warheads can be on board the said ship Rhode Island.
Extending the life of nuclear submarinesOhio will allow the United States to ease the transition to Columbia-class submarines. They will be able to carry 16 Trident II D5 missiles. The first submarine should appear in 2031.
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Columbia-class submarine (render)
The US Navy is considering an 18-montha refurbishment schedule for aging submarines that would extend their service life by three years. Rear Admiral Scott Pappano, Executive Director of the Strategic Submarine Program.
According to him, the most difficult period for the US Navywill be the beginning of the next decade, when the Ohio submarines will begin to retire, and the Columbia submarines will come to replace them (one per year). During this period, older vessels may experience "component problems" and newer submarines may experience "problems in the early stages of operation."
Image: CNN, Wikipedia