Nuclear Guided Missile Submarine's (SSGNs) Mission Statement

The U.S. Navy's Nuclear Guided Missile Submarines (SSGNs) were originally
commissioned as Ohio Class SSBNs. In 1994, the Navy determined that
the United States needed only 14 of its existing 18 SSBNs to meet the
nation's strategic force needs, and decided to transform the following
four Ohio-class submarines into conventional land attack and special
operations forces (SOF) platforms:

* U.S.S. Ohio
* U.S.S. Michigan
* U.S.S. Florida
* U.S.S. Georgia

These submarines were retrofitted with 22 multiple, all-up, round, canister
launch tubes called MACs. Each MAC contains either 7 Tomahawk Land Attack
Crusie Missiles (TLAMs) or 7 Tactical Tomahawk (Block IV) Missiles .

SOF capability was added as follows:

* capacity was added to host up to 66 SOF personnel at a time
* installed berthing in the missile compartment to accommodate added personnel
* measures taken to extend the amount of time that the SOF forces can spend deployed
* forward most missile tubes were permanently converted to lock-out chambers
* lock-out chambers allow clandestine insertion and retrieval of SOF personnel
* each lock-out chamber can also accommodate a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS)
* enhanced communication capabilities
* serve as a forward-deployed, clandestine Small Combatant Joint Command Center

Today, with its tremendous payload capacity, dual crew (Blue/Gold) deployment
concept, and inherent stealth, each SSGN brings mission flexibility and enhanced
capabilities to the Navy's fighting force.