US Navy looks to hone SSGN ability to operate in contested areas

The US expects more contested operations for guided missile submarines such as USS Ohio , shown here operating off the coast of Guam. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Having noted the effectiveness of guided missile submarines (SSGNs) in recent high-profile missions, US Navy (USN) officials are now looking to sharpen these vessels' abilities to operate in more heavily contested environments, according to officers aboard USS Ohio (SSGN 726).

“Most of [the] strikes that have been done in the past may not look like strikes we need to do in future,” Captain Eric Hunter, Ohio commanding officer, told Janes on 12 August during a tour and set of briefings aboard the submarine as it conducted operations in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam.

“We can shoot these missiles untouched, unchecked, and uncontested,” Capt Hunter said. “We have to start testing ourselves. Adversaries can track us. We have to get more defensive. We can't count on going unnoticed. We are going to be contested.”

These contested environments will offer their own challenges based on the location and other forces, and these challenges will evolve.

“It's ever-changing,” Capt Hunter said. “We're going to develop new systems. The adversaries are going to develop new systems.”

Commander Andrew Jacobs, Ohio executive officer, agreed that SSGNs likely will be operating in more contested areas. “That makes our mission more challenging,” he told Janes on 12 August in an interview aboard the submarine.

Changed world

“The world's changed,” he said. “And combatant commanders have changed what they want submarines to do.”