US Submarine Fleet Loses 616 Tomahawk Missiles with Decommissionings

The U.S. Navy has initiated the decommissioning of the USS Georgia, a nuclear-powered guided missile submarine (SSGN). This event, occurring at the Kings Bay submarine base in Georgia, signifies the beginning of the end for a specialized class of vessels that were converted from ballistic missile submarines to carry cruise missiles.

The USS Georgia is the first of four Ohio-class submarines to be retired after being refitted to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles. Originally designed to carry 24 ballistic missiles, these four submarines were converted at a cost of approximately $1 billion each. The conversion involved repurposing missile silos to hold canister launchers, with 22 silos on each submarine adapted to carry seven Tomahawk missiles, allowing for a maximum payload of 154 missiles.

The retirement of the USS Georgia means the U.S. Navy loses a significant portion of its submarine-based Tomahawk missile capability. While the submarine could carry up to 154 Tomahawks, it typically operated with around 100. These Tomahawk cruise missiles have a range exceeding 1,600 kilometers and are capable of striking land targets with high precision.

Beyond their missile capacity, these SSGNs were also equipped with specialized chambers allowing for the covert deployment and recovery of special operations forces underwater. Each submarine could accommodate 66 such personnel.

The decommissioning of the USS Georgia is just the beginning of a larger fleet reduction. The USS Ohio is scheduled for decommissioning next year, followed by the USS Florida in 2028 and the USS Michigan in 2029. By 2029, the U.S. Navy's submarine-launched Tomahawk capacity will decrease by a total of 616 missiles from these four vessels.