[Thermodyne]

Originally posted by Cyrien:
I always liked the boomer class subs. You have to admire something that in its ultimate US, the Ohio class, and Soviet, the Typhoon, incarnations could with a full salvo from a single sub devestate the whole world. OHIO-class boats each have 24 missiles with each Trident II missile capable of carrying 8 W88 warheads of 475kt yield. First deployed in 1990. The W88 is considered to be the US's most advanced nuclear weapon. Remember the whole Chinese trying to steal nuke plans? That's the one.

It is the hunter-killer types (Los Angeles Class) that have (currently) been refitted to aid in covert operations and to launch tomahawk cruise missiles. The boomers (still) just hide in the waters and wait to launch their nukes. Although, there are plans to convert several boomers into dedicated tomahawk/special ops platforms but the rest would keep their Trident II missiles with MIRV warheads in case we have an urge to blow up the world a few times over... pick 192 of your least favorite cities and there you go... per sub.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_class_submarine

As part of our draw down of strategic forces, we were required to take 4 Ohio’s out of service. These are now being refitted to carry batteries of cruise missiles. Gotta love the idea, give it a quick reload and it’s a boomer again.