By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
A US Navy Ohio-class submarine has mysteriously appeared in the Middle East, an indication of the kind of massive firepower the US Navy can bring to the region if necessary…… a move which continues to result in a rapidly expanding US military footprint in the region.
The US Navy published an essay stating that indeed an extremely lethal Ohio-class Submarine has now entered the 5th-Fleet area of operations in the Middle East, a powerful move sending a strong signal to potential instigators that the indeed the Pentagon is firm in its resolve to prevent escalation of the Israel-Hamas war and protect US interests increasingly under threat in the region.
The Navy essay said the Ohio-class submarine arrived in Bahrain Nov. 5, and is there to “reassure partners” and “deter potential adversaries.”
Ohio-class Mystery .. Nuclear Armed?
The Ohio-class submarine in Bahrain is a non-nuclear-armed SSGN Ohio-Class Guided Missile Submarine, one of four US Ohio-class submarines converted into guided missile undersea attack boats.
It seems unlikely that any kind of location, if even in a general way, would be mentioned by the Navy related to its existing fleet of it Ohio-class submarines, yet these guided submarines are well known for bringing unrivaled undersea attack power.
The submarine in Bahrian is not a nuclear-armed submarine, likely for clear and obvious reasons. Th entire purpose of nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine missions is clandestine, meaning they are designed to lurk secretly and quietly in the dark corners of the ocean to ensure massive counterstrike capability in the event the US comes under nuclear attack. The concept is strategic deterrence… ensuring peace through the promise of destruction. Therefore, the submarine in Bahrain is, in fact, a non-nuclear armed variant, as locations of nuclear-armed submarines are never announced.
The US Navy now operates four SSGNs, each armed with an ability to carry as many as 154 Tomahawk missiles, a “massive” amount of destructive firepower. SSGNs have been used to fire weapons in several conflicts, including Libya in 2011.
These guided missile boats are slated to retire by the end of the decade, a key reason why the US Navy is adding firepower to its Virginia-class attack submarines through the Virginia Payload Modules.
Nevertheless, the question remains …. Is the Navy simply being clear that it can operate massive amounts of undersea firepower and is it also “hinting” to or “reminding” Iran that indeed the US Navy is in position to retaliate should Iran ever possess and attack US interests. Obviously the US is not suggesting or implying it might consider a first strike, yet it might be a rare and mysterious way to remind US adversaries of the US Navy’s power of deterrence.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization and Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
