The USS Ohio Just Arrived in the Philippines—and Won’t Be Retired Next Year!

“USN officials have confirmed it appears the SSGNs will not be inactivated during [the 2026] fiscal year as initially planned,” international military analyst firm Janes reported.  

Nearly two months after the United States Navy’s Ohio-class guided missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN-726) paid a high-profile port visit to Brisbane, Australia, where the nuclear-powered boat was replenished by the forward-deployed Emory S. Land-class submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS-40), SSGN-726 arrived at Subic Bay in the Philippines. Once again, the guided-missile sub took on supplies from AS-40.

The two port visits are a notable departure from the standard operating procedure of the US Navy’s “Silent Service,” which rarely receives such media attention. Instead, the US Department of Defense has gone to great lengths to highlight the presence of the USS Ohio in the region—apparently hoping to remind potential adversaries, including China and North Korea, of the vessel’s capabilities, while the deployment further highlights Washington’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The very public arrival of SSGN-726 in Subic Bay comes as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 003 Fujian, China’s third aircraft carrier, has been conducting what is likely its final sea trials, testing its electromagnetic catapults before officially entering service.

“USS Ohio is supporting the US [Seventh] Fleet, the US Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, operating with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the US Navy’s Submarine Group Seven told Newsweek in a statement last week.

What to Know About the Ohio-Class SSGN Submarines

• Year Introduced: 1981
• Number Built: 18 (24 ordered, 6 canceled)
• Length: 560 ft (170 m)
• Beam (Width): 42 ft (13 m)
• Displacement: 16,764 tonnes surfaced; 18,750 tonnes submerged
• Engines: One S8G PWR nuclear reactor; two geared turbines (35,000 shp)
• Top Speed: ~25 knots (29 mph, 46 km/h) submerged
• Range: Unlimited
• Armaments: Four 21-inch torpedo tubes; 20-22 additional torpedo tubes depending on variant
• Crew: 155 (15 officers, 140 enlisted)

Although no longer capable of carrying ballistic missiles, USS Ohio is still one of the most heavily armed submarines in service, equipped with 22 vertical launch system (VLS) tubes that can each carry seven Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs), for a total of 154 missiles. SSGN-726 is one of the four Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) converted under the 1993 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II).

In addition, the converted submarines were also given the space and necessary changes to host up to 66 Special Forces (SOF) personnel and two missile tubes modified to incorporate lockout-out chambers for a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS). The conversion also resulted in these vessels trading their SLBM control-related facilities for the Common Submarine Radio Room (CSRR) and two High-Data-Rate antennas. That greatly expanded the communication capabilities of the boats, and each was equipped with the necessary systems to act as a forward-deployed Small Combatant Joint Command Center for the Special Forces on board.

The Ohio Class’ Extended Deployments

During a Strategic Deterrent Patrol, each Ohio-class submarine (both the SSBNs and SSGNs) operates with a crew of up to 170, including officers and enlisted sailors, and spends approximately 70 days at sea, followed by a 25-day maintenance period. Two crews are assigned to each of the boats, designated “Blue” and “Gold,” allowing the submarines to increase their deployments and spend an average of 66 percent of their time at sea. Each crew has its own captain.

The United States Navy had designated USS Ohio and USS Florida (SSGN-728) as the first two guided-missile boats to be decommissioned in fiscal year 2026 (FY26). However, delays with the Block V Virginia-class submarines, which are to be equipped with the “Virginia Payload Module” intended to replace the four SSGNs, have resulted in the US Navy changing course with those plans.

“The submarines were not on an internal USN memo accessed by Janes on 15 September on FY 2026 vessel inactivations and USN officials have confirmed it appears the SSGNs will not be inactivated during that fiscal year as initially planned,” international military analyst firm Janes reported.  

In other words, the rumors of this being the final deployment of the USS Ohio appear to have been, as they say, greatly exaggerated!

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image: Wikimedia Commons.