USN welcomes back Wyoming
Major midlife refurbishment completed at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) USS Wyoming (pictured) returned to the USN active fleet after a 27-month Engineered Refueling Overhaul midlife refurbishment programme at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Naval Sea Systems Command announced on 9 October.
Missile operational testing was completed in just eight weeks, breaking Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s previous record of 10.5 weeks for USS Rhode Island.
Ohio-class boats displace 17,033t surfaced and 19,000t submerged. The submarines measure 170.7m in length, have a beam of 12.8m and draft of 11.1m.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that all submarines in the class will eventually be removed from service between 2027 and 2040. They will be replaced by Columbia-class SSBNs from 2031.
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