US Navy's most powerful submarine arrives in Guam to increase long-range strike options across the Pacific.

On April 23, 2025, the USS Ohio (SSGN 726), a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, arrived at Naval Base Guam while conducting operations within the area of responsibility of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The vessel is homeported in Bangor, Washington, and assigned to Submarine Squadron 19. Images released by the U.S. Navy show the submarine transiting Apra Harbor and mooring at the base, with personnel visible on deck. Capt. Andy Cain, commanding officer of the Gold crew, was present in the conning tower during the arrival.
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USS Ohio's deployment to Guam in 2025 marks the third visit by an Ohio-class SSGN to the Western Pacific within a year, following port calls by USS Florida in July and USS Michigan in November 2024. (Picture source: US DoD)

According to the U.S. Navy, the deployment is part of routine operations carried out in the region. The Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, operates with 50 to 70 ships, 150 aircraft, and approximately 27,000 personnel, and is described as the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, tasked with operations across the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.

USS Ohio's deployment to Guam in 2025 marks the third visit by an Ohio-class SSGN to the Western Pacific within a year, following port calls by USS Florida in July and USS Michigan in November 2024. According to public naval activity reports and open-source ship tracking, USS Ohio departed Bangor in late February, stopped in Hawaii, and left Pearl Harbor in early April to sail west. The submarine was still in Guam as of May 6, when it conducted joint training with the U.S. Marine Corps, an exercise described by the Navy as supporting flexible, forward-deployed, rapid-response options. The submarine’s presence in Guam places it approximately 2,900 kilometers from China’s coast and contributes to U.S. force posture along the Second Island Chain. Its arrival follows recent Chinese naval expansion, which has seen the People’s Liberation Army Navy grow to more than 370 vessels, including 12 nuclear-powered and 48 diesel-electric submarines.

USS Ohio is one of four Ohio-class submarines converted from ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to guided-missile submarines (SSGNs), alongside USS Michigan, USS Florida, and USS Georgia. The conversion process began after the 1994 Nuclear Posture Review concluded that 14 SSBNs were sufficient for strategic deterrence. Ohio entered conversion in 2002 and returned to service in 2006. The submarine was originally commissioned in 1981 and was the first of its class designed to carry 24 Trident C4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The conversion removed the ballistic missile system and retrofitted 22 tubes to carry up to 154 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs). The remaining two tubes were modified to serve as lockout chambers for special operations. The SSGN configuration also introduced updated communications and surveillance systems, and the platform was adapted to support the deployment of 66 special operations personnel.

As an SSGN, the USS Ohio retains four 533 mm torpedo tubes for Mk-48 heavyweight torpedoes in addition to the vertical launch system for Tomahawk cruise missiles. (Picture source: US DoD)

The submarine underwent a Major Maintenance Period (MMP) from 2022 to early 2025 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. The maintenance was completed in February 2025 and included 512,000 resource days of work. Upgrades consisted of shaft replacement, torpedo tube modernization, main ballast tank repairs, and structural preservation. The ship also received fixes to address material obsolescence, including replacement of a thin-walled section of trim and drain piping, which required fabrication of a mock-up and implementation of a modified reinforcement technique. The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) granted Ohio certification for unrestricted operations on February 24, 2025, following completion of these upgrades. Alternating crew rotations during the docking period helped maintain a stable work schedule throughout the maintenance phase.

As an SSGN, Ohio retains four 533 mm torpedo tubes for Mk-48 heavyweight torpedoes in addition to the vertical launch system for Tomahawk cruise missiles. It is capable of operating submerged at speeds exceeding 37 km/h and has an endurance limited only by onboard provisions and scheduled maintenance. The submarine measures 170 meters in length, with a beam of 13 meters and a maximum draft of 10.8 meters. Its submerged displacement is approximately 18,750 metric tons. Propulsion is provided by a single S8G pressurized water nuclear reactor driving two geared turbines, producing 26 megawatts (approximately 35,000 shaft horsepower). Auxiliary systems include a 242-kilowatt electric motor and a Fairbanks Morse diesel generator for backup electrical power. Sensor systems include BQQ-6 passive sonar, BQR-19 navigation sonar, and TB-16 or BQR-23 towed arrays.

Ohio’s operational history includes participation in Tomahawk strike training exercises and support for special operations missions. In 2010, it was part of a coordinated deployment during which three Ohio-class SSGNs surfaced simultaneously in different theaters. The submarine also served as one of the first platforms to integrate female officers into the U.S. Navy’s submarine force in 2011. Over the years, Ohio has received awards, including the Battle Efficiency Award (Battle "E"). According to statements from Rear Adm. Thomas Wall, commander of Submarine Group Nine, the four Ohio-class SSGNs are considered key assets for regional operational presence, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where more than half of the U.S. Navy’s submarine force is currently deployed.

The US Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan projects that USS Ohio and USS Florida will be retired in 2026, with USS Michigan and USS Georgia following in 2028. (Picture source: US DoD)

The US Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan projects that USS Ohio and USS Florida will be retired in 2026, with USS Michigan and USS Georgia following in 2028. These retirements will reduce the vertical launch payload capacity of the fleet, as the four SSGNs represent a significant portion of the Navy’s Tomahawk missile inventory. To address this gap, the Navy is acquiring Block V Virginia-class attack submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which will enable each vessel to carry up to 28 Tomahawk missiles. These submarines will operate alongside the forthcoming Columbia-class SSBNs, intended to replace the remaining 14 Ohio-class SSBNs beginning in the 2030s. Columbia-class submarines will be equipped with 16 Trident II D5 SLBMs and are expected to incorporate enhanced stealth, survivability, and reactor life.

The Ohio-class was developed beginning in the early 1970s to replace the "41 for Freedom" fleet. Built by General Dynamics Electric Boat between 1976 and 1997, the class includes 18 submarines—14 SSBNs and four SSGNs. SSBNs are capable of carrying 24 Trident II D5 SLBMs, although future Columbia-class boats will carry 16. The SSBN fleet includes USS Tennessee, the first to be equipped with the Trident II D5; USS Alabama; USS Alaska; USS Nevada; USS Henry M. Jackson; USS Maryland; USS Nebraska; USS Rhode Island; USS Maine; USS Wyoming; USS Louisiana; USS Kentucky; USS West Virginia; and USS Pennsylvania, which holds the record for the longest strategic deterrent patrol.

As of April and May 2025, USS Ohio’s deployment in Guam represents part of a broader U.S. undersea presence in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. continues to forward-deploy Virginia-class fast-attack submarines to Guam, including USS Minnesota. Other nations in the region are similarly increasing their submarine capabilities. Australia is acquiring SSN-AUKUS-class nuclear-powered submarines through the AUKUS partnership. India is upgrading its fleet with Kalvari-class (Scorpène-class) boats, and Singapore has commissioned Invincible-class submarines. China operates multiple Jin-class SSBNs and Shang-class SSNs, and Pakistan is incorporating Hangor-class submarines based on China’s 039A platform. USS Ohio’s return to this region, following its maintenance period, coincides with these ongoing naval developments and regional force posture adjustments.