{
  "id": "us-ssbn-force",
  "name": "U.S. SSBN force",
  "aliases": [
    "Ohio-class SSBN force",
    "Trident force",
    "SLBM leg"
  ],
  "domain": "nuclear",
  "country": "USA",
  "category": "Nuclear force component",
  "status": "active",
  "fielded": null,
  "operators": [
    "USA"
  ],
  "summary": "Sea leg of the U.S. triad: 14 Ohio-class submarines carrying Trident II D5 missiles, with 8 to 10 operational at any time.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "platforms",
      "v": "14 Ohio-class SSBNs: 8 at Bangor (Pacific), 6 at Kings Bay (Atlantic); 8–10 operational at a time",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "launchers",
      "v": 280,
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "Up to 20 missiles per boat; U.S. says no more than 240; 220 counted deployed under New START (2023)"
    },
    {
      "k": "wh_deployed",
      "v": [
        950,
        970
      ],
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "Table total about 970; text gives about 950 on operational SSBNs"
    },
    {
      "k": "wh_assigned",
      "v": 1920,
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "Up to 1,920 warheads assigned"
    },
    {
      "k": "delivery",
      "v": "UGM-133A Trident II D5/D5LE",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "warhead_type",
      "v": "W76-1 (90 kt), W76-2 (8 kt), W88 (455 kt)",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "program",
      "v": "Columbia class: 12 boats planned with 16 tubes each; W93 warhead first production 2034–2036; D5LE2 to serve to 2084",
      "src": [
        "fas-nn-us-2026"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [],
  "art": "nuclear",
  "image": {
    "file": "us-ssbn-force.jpg",
    "thumb": "us-ssbn-force-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Petty Officer 1st Class Ashley Berumen, U.S. Navy / DVIDS",
    "license": "Public domain",
    "url": "https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6879328",
    "title": "USS Alaska (SSBN 732) Returns to Kings Bay",
    "source": "DVIDS",
    "dvids_id": 6879328,
    "unit": "Commander, Submarine Group Ten"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-08",
      "change": "Entry created from United States nuclear weapons, 2026 (FAS Nuclear Notebook)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/us-ssbn-force.html",
  "sources": {
    "fas-nn-us-2026": {
      "title": "United States nuclear weapons, 2026",
      "publisher": "Federation of American Scientists Nuclear Notebook, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists",
      "url": "https://thebulletin.org/premium/2026-03/united-states-nuclear-weapons-2026/",
      "published": "2026-03-01",
      "tier": 2,
      "checked": "2026-11-08"
    }
  }
}