Is Trump Really Sending Ohio-Class SSBNs to Russia’s Backyard?

That President Donald Trump is threatening nuclear war over mean tweets seems perfectly in line with the way things are going in 2025.

There’s something odd happening with the Trump administration’s Ukraine War policy. Throughout Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, he maintained the need to end the ruinous war in Ukraine. Trump even went so far as to say that he would accomplish it “on Day One.” Though this statement probably should not have been taken literally, it was a clear indication that Trump viewed solving Ukraine as his highest priority once he retook the Oval Office.

Nearly eight months into the Trump administration, something has changed. The war remains in full swing. In fact, the American president appears to relish its escalation—recently declaring that he had moved two US nuclear submarines near to Russia. 

Why Has Trump Moved Nuclear Submarines Close to Russia? 

It seems that Trump was upset by a nasty tweet that former Russian president and the current deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev put out. In retaliation, he declared that he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions … Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

As a result, the world is living through yet another era of tensions that, if poorly managed, might lead to nuclear war.

The History of the Ohio-Class Submarine

Starting in the 1970s as a response to advancing Soviet submarine threats and the need for a more capable platform to deploy the new Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), the Ohio-class program was designed to be the tip of America’s spear in the last decade of the Cold War.

The lead boat, USS Ohio (SSBN-726), was laid down in 1976, launched in 1979, and commissioned in 1981. Built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., the class was designed with enhanced stealth, extended endurance, and improved missile capabilities. The first eight boats were equipped with Trident I C4 missiles, while the later ones started with the more advanced Trident II D5. By mid-2008, all SSBNs had been upgraded to the D5 system.

In the post-Cold War era, a 1994 Nuclear Posture Review determined that only 14 SSBNs were needed for deterrence, leading to the conversion of the four oldest boats—USS Ohio, Michigan, Florida, and Georgia—into guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) between 2002-08. This shift emphasized conventional strike and special operations roles. The conversions complied with arms control treaties, including the 2010 New START Treaty, which reduced missile tubes per SSBN from 24 to 20, by deactivating four per boat.

Ohio-class SSBNs have conducted literally thousands of deterrent patrols since the 1980s, maintaining a continuous at-sea presence. They employ a dual-crew system (Blue and Gold crews) to maximize deployment time, typically 77 days at sea followed by 35 days in port for maintenance. This allows for high operational tempo without crew burnout.

The Ohio-Class Submarine’s Specs

• Length: 560 feet
• Weight: 16,764 tons when surfaced, 18,750 tons when submerged
• Speed: 12 knots when surfaced, 25 knots when submerged
• Power source: One S8G pressurized water nuclear reactor
• Total crew: 155 (15 officers, 140 enlisted)

Engineered for quiet operation, these boats are nearly undetectable. The hull of these subs is constructed in massive, 42-foot-diameter sections and incorporate advanced sound-dampening materials. They employ pump-jet propulsors to enhance stealth.

As for the ship’s sensor systems, they come with a BQQ-6 bow-mounted sonar, BQS-13 active/passive sonar, BQQ-10 sonar suite, WLR-8(V)1 ESM receiver, and WLR-9 acoustic receiver. 

Ohio-class SSBNs are armed for strategic nuclear strikes. They come with 20 Trident II D5 SLBMs. Each of those missiles has up to 12 MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicle) warheads: W76 at 100 kilotons or W88 at 475 kilotons, each with a range of around 7,000 miles, capable of singlehandedly delivering a nuclear second strike on any adversary. These submarines come with four 21-inch torpedo tubes for Mk48 torpedoes as well. 

How Does America’s Submarine Fleet Stack Up to Russia’s?

The US and Russian nuclear submarine fleets are essential for their respective nuclear triads, but they differ in design philosophy, numbers, and capabilities. The Americans emphasize technological edge and global power projection, while Russia focuses on asymmetric warfare and Arctic operations—though the newer Russian submarines are quite technologically impressive in their own right.

Possessing a submarine fleet that is exclusively nuclear-powered, the US Navy operates around 68 submarines of varying classes. The Ohio-class SSBN and its sister SSGN variants are one such class. There are roughly 20 active Virginia-class subs, around 28 remaining Los Angeles-class submarines, and three Seawolf-class boats in America’s fleet. 

Russia maintains around 35 to 40 nuclear-powered submarines, part of a larger fleet of 58 to 63 total submarines including diesel-powered boats. Russia has a total of 14 SSBNs. The Borei-class is probably one of Russia’s most advanced submarine classes. There are eight of these boats active now, and another four more planned by 2027. The Borei class are SSBNs, much like the Ohio-class SSBNs. Another Russian SSBN type is the Delta IV-class, with six boats active. There’s then five Yasen-class attack submarines (SSNs), eight to 10 Akula-class SSNs, and four or five Oscar-class SSGNs.

While America’s nuclear submarine fleet is bigger than Russia’s, Russia’s submarine modernization has been proceeding apace. To pick a fight with the Kremlin in these waters—particularly as other crises around the world demand America’s attention—seems a poor strategic choice. Nevertheless, this is the situation the United States finds itself in. 

That nuclear war is being threatened over mean tweets seem perfectly in line with the way things are going in 2025. If such a war were to come, the Ohio-class SSBNs—and likely two in particular—are certain to be on the frontlines.

About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

Image: Shutterstock.