first nuclear submarine to fire a regulus missile

One suggestion in 1957 was to fit wing tanks on the missile to extend its range. Regulus II could carry its 2,920-pound warhead 570 nm at Mach 2, and over 1,150 nm at reduced speeds. In March 1954, the Navy planned to have Regulus II operational by 1957 and Triton operational in 1965. Thirty-six months later, the first Regulus II flew when aġ15,000-pound-thrust booster launched the canard-configured missile. Vought began design of the supersonic winged missile in April 1952, receiving a development contract in June 1953. Regulus II was the supersonic inertially guided successor to the Regulus I missile. Today the four SSGNs represent more than half of the Submarine Force’s vertical launch payload capacity combined as they carry up to 154 Tomahawk TLAM (land attack) or Tactical Tomahawk missiles.With the demise of Rigel, the Regulus successor became another Chance Vought product designated Regulus II. In 2020, the USS Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Georgia were refitted with additional capabilities. adversaries since these submarines can be anywhere at any given time. Unlike their SSBN counterparts which carry nuclear weapons, the SSGNs feature specialized operations mission centers, additional sensor and communications systems among other capabilities that enable them to function in shallower waters and still remain undetected.Īccording to The Drive, “22 out of the SSGN’s 24 missile tubes are now capable of launching up to seven BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles rather than the nuclear-armed Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) fired by Ohio SSBNs, while the remaining two missile tubes were converted lockout chambers for embarked SEALs.”Īdditionally, “Two dry deck shelters can be installed atop the SSGN’s hull while linked to the lockout chambers, allowing Navy SEALs to enter or exit the shelters and deploy and recover swimmer delivery vehicle mini-submarines.” The SSGN’s concealment and strength undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in deterring U.S. The four submarines, now SSGNS, represent more than half of the Submarine Force’s vertical launch payload capacity combined. Therefore, four of the remaining SSBNs were transformed into conventional land attack and SOF platforms by the Navy.

only needed 14 of its SSBNs to provide the level of deterrence necessary. However, the 1994 Nuclear Posture Review determined that the U.S. By the end of the Cold War, the first four Ohio-class submarines – Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Georgia – were expected to retire by 2022. In the 1970’s, the USS Ohio entered service as the eventual successor of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarines. Between 19, 41 ballistic missile submarines were commissioned. This innovation spearheaded the Navy’s ballistic missiles and submarine launch platforms. However, the service soon envisioned a new weapon system that would allow the submarine to launch a missile while submerged, a capability the Regulus did not possess. Prior to the production of the Nautilus, the Navy designed the Regulus I missile which represented the first sea-launched missile that could be fitted with a nuclear warhead.

By the mid-1950’s, the Navy developed the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, Nautilus (SSN-571). began seeking out ways to modernize its submarine technology while implementing its growing missile capabilities in light of growing Soviet aggression. Navy’s SSGNsįollowing World War II, the U.S. Since tensions between Washington and Beijing have dramatically increased since 2010, could the Navy’s fleet of SSGNS – a capability China does not possess – resurface? The PRC conducted its most recent test this June, bringing the tally of publicly announced land-based anti-ballistic missile tests to six. Over the last decade, Beijing has prioritized the modernization of its military including its ballistic missile arsenal. displeasure over Chinese missile tests in the East China Sea.” Three of the Navy’s Ohio-class cruise missile submarines (SSGN) simultaneously surfaced in Western Pacific and Indian Ocean waters, “allegedly to signal U.S. Since this behavior suggested an uptick in hostility, the U.S. responded with a show of force that may surprise some today. officials, the PRC did not provide prior notification of the launch. to successfully use a land-based high-altitude anti-ballistic missile system.Īccording to U.S. Navy SSGN Ohio-Class Submarines As They Can’t Easily Counter Them Nor Sink Them: Back in 2010, the People’s Republic of China reportedly became the second country in the world after the U.S.

First nuclear submarine to fire a regulus missile