Summary and key points: The U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, a key component of America’s nuclear deterrent, normally operate in secrecy. But in June, the unusual revelation of the location of the USS Tennessee (SSBN-734), which surfaced in the Norwegian Sea alongside the USS Normandy (CG-60) and strategic aircraft, was a calculated signal.
– Given the stealth and destructive power of submarines, such revelations are rare.
– This public announcement was likely a response to recent activities by the Russian Navy, including the deployment of its guided missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov and a nuclear submarine in the Caribbean. The US Navy’s move underscores its deterrence strategy and readiness to counter potential threats.
Why did the US Navy reveal the location of a stealth Ohio-class submarine?
The U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines remain a key part of the country’s nuclear triad, serving as a nuclear deterrent. The warships are often talked about/written about – but rarely seen. As part of the “Silent Service,” the submarines spent much of their patrols submerged, with their locations rarely disclosed.
In June, however, the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa/US 6th Fleet posted on X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – the announcement that the USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) was deployed in the Norwegian Sea, while the nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarine was joined by the guided missile cruiser USS Ticonderoga. Normandy (CG-60) and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. An E-6B Mercury strategic communications aircraft was also reported flying further ahead.
The unusual disclosure of the movements of one of the U.S. Navy’s 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines – the submarine was surfaced, not submerged, and operating in secret – is already highly unusual, but what makes it particularly notable is the fact that it was an E-6B jet – one of the Navy’s 16 modified Boeing 707s that serve as an airborne strategic command post and, like the U.S. Air Force’s E-4B, is often referred to as a “doomsday plane.”
The “Boomers,” as the subs are called, can disappear for months at a time. That’s exactly what they were designed to do, as the boats remain the U.S. military’s most destructive weapon system. Given that only 14 of them are in service – along with four other modified Ohio-class submarines that serve as cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) – locating one of these boats is no easy task.
Since 2020, however, the US has been announcing the locations to remind people of the destructive power of the Ohio-class missiles.
“Any decision to highlight the presence of one of these submarines, which are a key component of America’s nuclear deterrent arsenal and typically remain out of sight while deployed, inevitably sends a message to potential adversaries like Russia,” TheWarZone reported.
So why did NAVEUR-NAVAF reveal the location of SSBN-734?
The most likely answer is that it was a direct response to the deployment of the Russian Navy’s guided missile frigate. Admiral Gorshkov and the Yasen-M class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine Kazan In early June to the Caribbean. The Russian flotilla – which also included the supply tank Academic Pashi and a tug Nikolaj Tschiker – made a rare stopover in Havana, Cuba
In addition, the Russian Navy conducted exercises in the Mediterranean, in which its missile cruiser Varyag after another port visit to the Libyan city of Tobruk. The cruiser, which also took part in joint exercises with the Egyptian Navy, is quite far from its home port, as it is the flagship of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet.
Author’s experience and expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a writer from Michigan. He has published over 3,200 articles for more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites in his twenty-year career as a journalist. He writes regularly about military equipment, weapons history, cybersecurity, politics and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Author for Forbes and Clearance jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciuYou can send an email to the author: (email protected).
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