The keel for the U.S. Navy’s second Columbia-class submarine was laid during an Aug. 27 ceremony in Kingstown, Rhode Island, marking the beginning of the sub’s construction.
The vessel, currently designated SSBN 827, will be known as the Wisconsin, becoming the third in a line of warships that served with distinction in U.S. history. The original Wisconsin was the flagship of the Pacific fleet until 1903, while the second was an Iowa-class battleship that fought in numerous World War II Pacific battles and was resurrected twice to serve in the Korean and Persian Gulf Wars.
As a ballistic missile submarine, the future Wisconsin will carry multiple nuclear warheads and conduct patrols to deter adversaries. Powered by a nuclear reactor, the Columbia-class submarine is designed to maneuver with total stealth and rapidly launch nuclear missiles in defense of the U.S.
It succeeds the Ohio class, which recently demonstrated the capabilities of current U.S. fleet of ballistic submarines. An Ohio-class delivered powerful strikes against Iran during Operation Midnight Hammer. It requires minimal maintenance stops and can transport over 66 Special Operations Forces and underwater vehicles.
The Columbia class is expected to exceed the capacity of the Ohio class, both in terms of missile payload and stealth capabilities. It’s also anticipated to field the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapons System, in addition to hypersonic missiles and the sea-launched nuclear cruise missile currently in development, known as the SLCM-N.
These new sea-launched weapons have been named as strategic priorities for the Navy in the face of evolving threats.
“Our ballistic missile submarines are the most survivable leg of our nation’s nuclear triad; they are the ultimate guarantee that no adversary will ever miscalculate America’s resolve,” Adm. William Houston, director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, said in a service release.
“From this keel, the Wisconsin will rise — an intricate structure of power, precision, and purpose,“ Houston added. ”And just as the keel bears the weight of the ship, this vessel bears the weight of our nation’s most solemn responsibility: to deter war and preserve peace through strength.”
Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.
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