Ohio’s departure from Bremerton delayed

[unhappycamper]

Ohio’s departure from Bremerton delayed
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Oct 14, 2007 11:44:45 EDT

BREMERTON, Wash. — The submarine Ohio’s departure from Bremerton has been delayed by one day.

The Ohio was set to leave Bremerton’s Pier Delta on Saturday for its maiden voyage after being converted from carrying nuclear weapons to carrying cruise missiles. But some last-minute minor problems delayed its sailing to Sunday.

Ohio, the first Trident submarine ever built, entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on Nov. 15, 2002, for a $250 million, one-year refueling and a $750 million, two-year conversion. It rejoined the fleet on Feb. 7, 2006, and its crews have been training ever since.

Instead of carrying 24 Trident nuclear missiles, the 560-foot sub now is armed with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles. It also can accommodate a 66-member special operations team that can leave and enter the sub underwater through missile tubes.

The Ohio is the first of four Trident submarines that will be converted to carry cruise missiles. The Navy says the Ohio will likely be deployed to the Western Pacific.


Article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_ohio_071014/



uhc comment: 154 Tomahawks cost $2,002,000,000. --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=259x5225

Here's a little more on the Ohio --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ohio_%28SSGN-726%29

[Submariner]

1. I was more than glad to serve on the boats when we had to play

"chicken-of-the-sea" with the Soviets during the Cold War, but it has got to be weird to arm and man (retrofit) a submarine nowadays to fight Islam which has no Navy, Air force, or other organized military structure. Let's hope the cruise missiles aren't necessary to use, nor the special forces contingent.

The submarine force has been looking for a way to remain relevant in a post-Cold War world for awhile now, but Dubya the Dummy seems to be pissing off the Kremlin and Beijing, so we may need them again yet.