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US nuclear sub offers show of force in the Middle East
(www.aljazeera.com)
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this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2023
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From another article I read, this is a nuclear-powered sub, that is one of a handful that has been retrofitted from ballistic middle duty to cruise missles. So basically it’s a cruise missle platform. The headline is playing a little fast and loose for effect.
Also worth considering that subs that launch nukes are assumed to be out, patrolling in enough areas to ensure last-word MAD deterrence, so you can just assume that US nuke-launching subs are already able to strike most major population centers and don’t need or want to broadcast their specific location (unless, like, a very intelligent former president specifically puts their location on a new broadcast for clout)
The article is playing fast and loose as well.
SSGNs are incapable of launching the missiles the article is thinking of. I suppose one could outfit the boat with the nuclear TLAM-D, but i doubt the Navy would bother.
And there's no chance in hell an SSBN, the actual sub with SLBMs on it, is going to surface anywhere and pop open a missile hatch (the missiles are launched submerged).
Article is bunk, a GN showed up somewhere and is ready to put tomahawks through windows, business as usual for one of those boats. Show of force? Yes? Show of nuclear warhead force? No.
Sauce - Submariner.
Also sub fun fact, the 4 SSGNs in the US Navy are the Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Georgia. They have a building in Bangor for them, lovingly called the OMFG building.
I concur. SSBN wouldn't risk sailing through the canal without shutting the entire canal down just for security reasons.