as a lot of people probably don’t know the USS Ohio and 3 other Ohio Class SSBN’s were rebuilt into SSGN’s (Guided Missile) and as such the Ohio Class Ballistic Missile subs do not exist anymore and they are I believe now the Florida Class SSBN’s now. I’m wondering if there are any 1/350 scale conversion kits for the DML kit?
As a guy who has worked on the conversions of these boats, I can tell you that there is scarcely any outward difference between them and the rest of the Ohio class boats (which are still serving as SSBNs, by the way). The only difference you will see would be if the ASDS is being utilized, which does change its configuration.
Here is a shot of USS Florida (SSGN-728) returning from a deployment. As you can see, you can’t tell the difference between it and a normal Ohio SSBN.
but of course you are talking a 7 cell TLAM launcher bundle. so wouldn’t the Turtledeck have 144 hatches on it as you can’t simply open those large missile bay doors to fire TLAM missiles. So would I have to glue the bay doors in place putty and sand to at least get rid of the Missile bay doors and are there any close up pics of the SSGN to be able to pick out the details for the TLAM launchers and the airlock for the drydock/ASDC attachment point.
There are 22 groups of seven missile bundles each (154 missiles). The remaining two missile tubes are modified for the use of SEAL deliveries. There are still only 24 missile tubes. How they launch the missiles in groups or individually is irrelevant.
From Wiki:
After the end of the Cold War, plans called for Ohio to be retired in 2002, followed by three of her sisters. However, Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Georgia instead were slated for modification, to remain in service carrying conventionally-armed guided missiles, and were designated SSGNs.
Beginning in 2002 through 2010, 22 of the 24 88-inch (2.2 m) diameter Trident missile tubes were modified to contain large vertical launch systems (VLS), one configuration of which may be a cluster of seven Tomahawk cruise missiles. In this configuration, the number of cruise missiles carried could be a maximum of 154, the equivalent of what is typically deployed in a surface battle group. Other payload possibilities include new generations of supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles, and Submarine Launched Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (SLIRBM),[17] unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), the ADM-160 MALD, sensors for anti-submarine warfare or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, counter-mine warfare payloads such as the AN/BLQ-11 Long Term Mine Reconnaissance System (LMRS), and the broaching universal buoyant launcher (BUBL) and stealthy affordable capsule system (SACS) specialized payload canisters.
The missile tubes also have room for stowage canisters that can extend the forward deployment time for special forces. The other two Trident tubes are converted to swimmer lockout chambers. For special operations, the Advanced SEAL Delivery System and the Dry Deck Shelter can be mounted on the lockout chamber and the boat will be able to host up to 66 special operations sailors or Marines, such as Navy SEALs. Improved communications equipment installed during the upgrade allows the SSGNs to serve as a forward-deployed, clandestine Small Combatant Joint Command Center.
For photos you need to check sites such as the Navy’s Photo Gallery at www.navy.mil. Here is the Michigan at Yokosuka, Japan. You can make out what looks to be a drydock shelter aft of the sail. I know that the Yankee Modelworks SSBN Polk has some of them cast in resin.
I’d also like to point out that the EXTCM launcher ports in the turtleback (4 per side just aft of the sail) have been plated over
The new configuration of EXTCM launchers is shown here, at the very end of the turtleback. I think the change happened to the SSBN line with the USS Maryland (SSBN738). This is an unidentified boomer, though it may be a SSGN, entering Pearl from the personal photo collection of Don Hinton.
Another from the Hinton collection:
What leads me to suppose that this may be a SSGN is the subtle change in the shadow just aft of the sail (or fin for you Brits!) It was my understanding that the first pair of tubes aft of the sail is where the SEAL handling gear is located. The launcher tubes were removed and the new equipment necessitated an ever so slightly larger space. The turtle back was widened and faired in.
And like young sailors everywhere, the lookouts pay more attention to the shore than to oncoming shipping … or perhaps he’s ordering two beers! Is that an M-60 in front of him?
Yes, you can visually tell the difference by the turtle back re-contour.
Could be, there are still some in inventory. Ought to be a Mk 47, Mod 0 (which is so much better than any other M60 out there)
According to my friend, who is the ET chief aboard USS Nebraska it’s an M-60 indeed. But seeing how he works in the reactor dept, he wasn’t sure of the mod #.