Summary and key points: The USS Florida (SSGN-728), an Ohio-class guided missile submarine, recently completed a historic 727-day patrol, demonstrating the capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s submarines.
-Originally a submarine with ballistic missiles, Florida was converted into a guided missile system between 2003 and 2006, making it even more effective in conflicts such as the Global War on Terror.
-During his extended patrol Florida deployed in multiple global theaters, demonstrating the power and deterrence of the U.S. Navy. However, the mission also highlighted the strain on the U.S. Navy due to limited resources as rivals such as China expand their naval capabilities.
The USS Florida Just returned from a two-year patrol: This is what it means
The USS Florida is a legendary Ohio-class guided missile submarine (SSGN). After its commissioning in 1981, it was originally commissioned as a ballistic missile submarine under the designation (SSBN-728). In 2003, it was converted to a guided missile submarine and given the designation SSGN-728. The submarine’s conversion was completed in 2006. In its new role, it completed several missions.
The submarine’s conversion was a perfect move, given the era in which it took place. The Global War on Terror was originally intended to counter the Soviet nuclear threat during the Cold War of 2003-2006, but it was a different kind of conflict.
In fact, the Florida would be far more useful to the Navy in the application of force as a guided missile submarine than as a ballistic missile submarine, since the Global War on Terror was a conflict between special forces and long-range bombardment of terrorist targets. Florida was well suited for this mission set.
So it finally experienced a brilliant second life as SSGN.
A historic opportunity
USS Florida played a crucial role in Operation Odyssey Dawn, the Obama administration’s attack on Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya. The Florida joined several warships at this time and attacked several targets of opportunity in Libya. US special forces were probably also deployed in Libya at this time.
Despite its already impressive service record, the FloridaThe most important mission was only recently completed. This happened when the Florida returned to port after a historic 727-day patrol. This patrol was a monumental achievement in submarine engineering and a critical step in restoring deterrence at sea.
The fleet is multi-area operational and spans the Fifth Fleet, Sixth Fleet, and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibility (Middle East, Europe, and Western Pacific). Florida served as an important force multiplier in three areas that are currently experiencing great instability. As SSGN, the Floridais capable of firing over 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles at distant targets and deploying elements of US special forces.
An impressive performance
The ability of Florida Operating continuously for more than 700 days, remaining undetected and travelling nearly 70,000 miles around the world, reassured the allies while making the insidious plans of America’s rivals even more uncertain. Not knowing exactly where the Florida America’s enemies could never say for sure where the submarine was, whether near Iran, Russia or China.
SSGN-728 was involved in attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen when the submarine fired Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is believed that the boat also housed U.S. special forces during its time in the Middle East, likely using them on covert missions.
Over and beyond Florida The circumnavigation has shown the world that American nuclear submarines are still the best in the world. These missions also prove that the U.S. Navy’s submariners are the best in the world.
After all, these crews were at sea for more than two years. They never succumbed to the pressure. There were no accidents or mistakes. The submarine behaved as expected in every operational area it passed through.
The dark side of the patrol
At a strategic level, however, the submarine’s historic mission helped cement the notion that the U.S. Navy is a global power. Unfortunately, the fact that this mission had to be undertaken is a tacit admission that the Navy is overstretched.
Yes, it was a successful and impressive achievement for the submarine. One for the history books.
The reason it was sent out of the country for two years was because the Navy was facing pressure from multiple threat actors and, as it turned out, the Navy did not have the force levels needed to deter these emerging foreign threat actors. So the Pentagon is sending its limited submarine fleet on extended patrols around the world to re-establish deterrence.
While the presence of the Florida brought a short-term deterrent to the region in which it operated, but once the submarine disappeared, chaos returned. A larger naval fleet could solve these problems simultaneously.
Meanwhile, rivals, especially China, are expanding their navies. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) already has more ships in its fleet than the United States Navy. Now the Chinese are also building submarines like crazy.
For all ra-ra about the FloridaDespite the historic effort, the impact at the strategic level is mixed at best. The Navy must pour its resources into rehabilitating the dilapidated American shipyards and then building many more submarine units. No amount of patrolling by a limited number of US submarines will stop a numerically superior enemy from imposing its will.
Author’s experience and expertise: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a national security analyst for the National Interest, is a former congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor to The Washington Times, The Asia Times, and The Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, will be published by Encounter Books on October 22. Weichert can be followed on Twitter. @WeTheBrandon.
All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock.
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