Guided-Missile Submarine USS Ohio Visits Subic Bay

The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) arrived in Subic Bay Oct. 1 for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific.

With a crew of approximately 160, Ohio will conduct a multitude of missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet.

“The Officers and Crew of Ohio are extremely excited to visit one of our oldest and most steadfast allies in the region,” said Capt. Brian N. Humm, Ohio Blue crew’s commanding officer. “The Philippines and the U.S. Navy enjoy a long and rich history together, and many of our very best sailors can claim heritage from this great island nation. My crew is extremely excited to experience the people and culture of the Philippines, and they are looking forward to some well deserved time off.”

Measuring 560 feet long and displacing more than 18,000 tons of water when submerged, Ohio is one of the largest and most versatile submarines in the world. Ohio is capable of supporting a vast multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, tomahawk strike, naval special warfare involving special operations forces, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Ohio is equipped with advanced sonar, fire control, and weapons systems and state-of-the-art sound silencing equipment allowing it to conduct its missions while remaining completely undetected.

“The crew has been working very hard this past year,” said CMDCM(SS) James G. Miller. During our current deployment, we have excelled in every assigned mission to include a coordinated multinational Special Forces insertion training exercise. This will be our first port visit in two deployments, and it gives our dedicated sailors some well-deserved liberty.”

For many of the crew members, this is their first time visiting the Philippines.

“I am looking forward to the time off in the Philippines,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Christopher D. Christian. “All I have heard are good things, and I am very excited to see what is in store.”

Commissioned in 1981 as SSBN-726, Ohio was once the lead boat of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. From 2002 to 2005, Ohio underwent an extensive refuel and overhaul where it was converted from a ballistic missile submarine into a guided missile submarine. Ohio was re-commissioned in 2005 as SSGN-726. Equipped with dual drydock shelters, Ohio is uniquely capable of supporting extensive naval special warfare operations. Ohio is armed with up to 154 tomahawk cruise missiles, far more than any other submarine or surface warship, and can launch its entire payload in a matter of hours while remaining submerged.

Ohio is homeported at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Wash. but remains forward deployed out of Apra Harbor, Guam, for most of its 16-month operational cycle. Ohio is manned by two separate crews (Blue and Gold) who alternate every four months.

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Source: navy, October 05, 2011