Russia Freaked: Why the Navy Revealed the Location of an Ohio-Class Missile Submarine
All You Need to Know: In a rare public disclosure, the U.S. Navy announced that the Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) was operating in the Norwegian Sea in June.
-Joined by the USS Normandy and P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the presence of an E-6B Mercury "doomsday plane" made the revelation particularly significant.
-Ohio-class submarines, a crucial part of the U.S. nuclear deterrent, typically remain hidden, but this public disclosure likely responded to Russian naval deployments near Cuba and the Mediterranean. The move highlights the U.S.'s strategic messaging as tensions rise with Russia.
Why the U.S. Navy Revealed the Location of the Ohio-Class USS Tennessee
The United States Navy's Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines remain a key component of the nation's nuclear triad and serve as a nuclear deterrent. The warships are often spoken/written about – yet rarely seen. As part of the "Silent Service," the submarines spent much of their patrols under the sea, with their locations rarely disclosed.
However, in June, the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet posted on X—the social media platform formerly known as Twitter—to announce that USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) was operating in the Norwegian Sea. The nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed sub was joined by the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60) and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. In addition, an E-6B Mercury strategic communications plane was also reported to be flying over ahead.
The unusual disclosure--the submarine was surfaced and not under the waves operating in stealth--of the movements of any of the U.S. Navy's 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines is already highly unusual. However, the fact that an E-6B jet – one of the Navy's 16 modified Boeing 707s that serves as an airborne strategic command post and like the U.S. Air Force's E-4B is often known as a "doomsday plane" – makes it especially noteworthy.
The "boomers" as the submarines are known can disappear for months at a time. That is exactly what they were designed to do, as the boats remain the most destructive weapon system employed by the U.S. military. Given that there are just 14 in service – along with four more modified Ohio-class subs that serve as cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) – revealing the location of any isn't something taken lightly.
Yet, since 2020, the U.S. has disclosed the locations as a reminder of the Ohio class's destructive capability.
"Any decision to highlight the presence of one of these submarines, which are key components of America's nuclear deterrent arsenal and typically keep well out of sight while deployed, inherently sends a message to potential adversaries, such as Russia," TheWarZone reported.
So why did NAVEUR-NAVAF offer up the location of the SSBN-734?
The most likely answer is that it was a direct response to the Russian Navy's deployment of the guided-missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the Yasen-M-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine Kazan to the Caribbean earlier in June. The Russia flotilla – which also included the replenishment tank Academic Pashi and a tug boat Nikolay Chiker – made a rare port-of-call visit to Havana, Cuba, at the time
In addition, the Russian Navy had been conducting drills in the Mediterranean, involving its missile cruiser Varyag following another port visit to the Libyan city of Tobruk. The cruiser, which also took part in joint exercises with the Egyptian Navy, is quite far from her home port, as she is the flagship of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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