Navy Ohio Class Submarine will be getting Hypersonic weapons as part of its payload as improvements to its existing complement. These missile subs are the most modern in the world, exceeding other nations.
The U.S. operates these heavily armed conventional strike platforms under the sea. The four Ohio Class cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) of the U.S. Navy can carry 154 154 Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM Block-IV) inside the storage shaft. If the torpedo room is added, then it will add to 176 full-sized projectiles. The sheer number of available weapons on board is more than the latest Russian subs by current standards.
To beef up their complement will be the addition of high-speed missiles to their current load. The super-fast missile is under development with the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) program to have it ready to counter other navies, reported Naval News.
It will be able to reach and hit targets with precision at longer distances when fully developed. One asset of the super-fast missile is the traveling speed that is Mach 5 +. Its velocity will allow it to reach targets much faster and lessen the enemy's chances to stop it. These next-generation weapons have speed and maneuverability.
One of the next platforms the U.S. Navy wants to put the missiles on is the Ohio-class SSGNs. According to Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe, the subs will be armed by 2025 with super-fast missiles. Just in time to compete against rival navies later on.
Also read: U.S. Navy Submarines to Be Equipped with Anti-Ship Missiles to Take on More Surface Threats
The missile chassis or Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB) that mounts the weapon will be the same as the Army. One addition will be a booster that the glide body is linked to in the vertical tubes for launching. It will occupy a Trident missile container, fitting seven Tomahawks inside a U.S. Navy Ohio Class submarine until hypersonic weapons are ready.
It is not apparent how many missiles will fit inside each silo is two or three at this stage. All the 22 tubes should house the weapon, and a full load of 44 to 66 missiles is equipped. Still, the Tomahawk is currently in use, and mix-matching what is load can be done.
One reason for adding super-fast missiles is that more can be carried. It makes the Ohio class capable of multi-mission loadouts. It then can deal with a variety of threats that will be an advantage.
Russians are also making their super-fast missile to be mounted in their subs. The new 3M22 Zircon missile is also for killing ships and in the same containers. The exact speed is not known but will be used for several Russian submarines. An exact number of missiles that can fit might be 32 and 72 inside. It is not totally without its problems; on November 30, a test was reportedly successful.
Compared to the U.S., which needs time to develop it, China is less evident in its plans. Claiming to have missiles for air and ground launching system, with ship-mounted but not thoroughly tested! Most information is kept under wraps too, and they are less technically capable.
U.S. Navy Ohio Class Submarine types are the best platforms for hypersonic weapons until another platform is available.
Related article: Pacific Air Commander: More Hypersonic Weapons are Needed by the US Air Force
