CNN.com - USS Jimmy Carter commissioned - Feb 19, 2005

U.S.S. Jimmy Carter 

CNN.com - USS Jimmy Carter commissioned - Feb 19, 2005

As a former (always) submariner I take great interest in the Navy’s ongoing submarine programs. And I have been following the Seawolf program from its inception and it’s a shame that the Navy cannot afford more of these boats, but at a cost of 3.2 billion, it not hard to understand why.

I will disagree with the articles’ assertion however that the U.S.S. Jimmy Carter is the most heavily armed submarine ever built. The most heavily armed “attack” submarine ever built perhaps, but arguably the Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN) of the Ohio class are more heavily armed, as are, or were the Russian Typhoon class SSBN’s. One must not forget that these submarines carry nuclear Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV) tipped Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) missiles. For instance, one Ohio SSBN carries some 192 strategic nuclear warheads, on 24 missiles, plus torpedoes making them far and away the most heavily armed submarines in the world.

V. Edward Martin
CTT1(SS) USN (Ret.)