Status of the United States Navy in 2005, Part 1

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14 Ohio-class SSBN: Displacement: 16,764 tons std/18,750 tons subm; Speed: 25kts surf/25kts subm; Crew: 159; Armament: 24 Trident II D-5 SLBMs, 4x21in torpedo tubes.

SSBN-730 Henry M. Jackson; SSBN-731 Alabama; SSBN-732 Alaska; SSBN-733 Nevada; SSBN-734 Tennessee; SSBN-735 Pennsylvania; SSBN-736 West Virginia; SSBN-737 Kentucky; SSBN-738 Maryland; SSBN-739 Nebraska; SSBN-740 Rhode Island; SSBN-741 Maine; SSBN-742 Wyoming; SSBN-743 Louisiana.

At this time these are the only strategic missile submarines in service. The other 41 Polaris-Poseidon strategic missile submarines have fallen under nuclear weapons reduction agreements. Only two, The DANIEL WEBSTER and SAM RAYBURN have been retained as immobilized Moored Training Ships for nuclear propulsion operators. The dismantling of a nuclear-propelled ship requires more than a year. By Federal law, these ships must be manned until the reactor is permanently closed down and the fuel removed, therefore, upon deactivation, these ships are placed “In Commission, In Reserve” (ICIR). Once a ship has been placed in ICIR status, she cannot be returned to service. After the reactor shutdown requirements are met, the ships are officially decommissioned and, in the case of the SSBNs are cut into sections to meet disarmament treaty stipulations.