This Submarine Was The First Of Its Class To Fire Tomahawks In Combat, And Now It's Retiring

For decades, the United States Navy's Ohio-class nuclear submarines were the best unused weapons in the U.S. arsenal. This is because the Ohio-class was designed for one purpose: to deliver its payload of 24 Trident II ballistic missiles in a nuclear war. Fortunately, they never fired any in anger, though the Navy routinely shoots off unarmed missiles in training exercises. Still, no nukes departed an Ohio-class sub's launch tubes, but the mighty boats have been used in combat many times.

In 1994, the Nuclear Posture Review reduced the U.S.' number of nuclear-armed submarines from 18 to 14. To keep the remaining four boats in the fleet, the Navy converted them to guided-missile submarines (SSGN) with 22 tubes capable of firing up to 154 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles. This enabled the fleet of Ohio-class subs to take part in combat operations, and they've been doing so since the conversion. All 14 nuclear-armed Ohio-class subs remain in service, lurking in the depths should they ever be needed. Unfortunately, the class' SSGNs are ready for retirement.

They're set to be retired in 2026 through 2028 and will eventually be replaced by the Columbia-class. Some Ohio-class subs have already been stricken from the inventory. One boat set for retirement is the USS Florida (SSGN-728), which holds a unique distinction. It's the first of its class that fired Tomahawk cruise missiles in combat in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, targeting Libyan air defenses on March 19, 2011. The storied boat is set to retire in 2026 alongside another historic Ohio-class submarine.

The U.S. Navy has used a variety of vessels to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles dating back to 1991, but it took another 20 years before the USS Florida had the opportunity. Before that happened, the USS Florida operated as a Ship, Submersible, Ballistic, Nuclear (SSBN), carrying two dozen nuclear-armed Trident II missiles ready to fire them at targets in Russia, China, or wherever a potential nuclear threat arose. The boat's first strategic deterrent patrol ended in July 1984, and by 2002, the USS Florida had completed 61 patrols of this type.

In 2011, the USS Florida fired more than 90 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) at targets in Libya, softening the nation's air defenses. This enabled U.S. and allied aircraft to operate with air superiority, which was achieved quickly, thanks in part to the efforts of the crew of the USS Florida. Over the course of its service, the USS Florida received numerous accolades, and it capped off its long history when it embarked on an epic deployment in August 2022.

The USS Florida circumnavigated the globe, starting in the Atlantic Ocean before wrapping up its time in the Pacific Ocean. This wasn't a sightseeing tour, as the USS Florida was deployed to counter potential threats from Iran, China, and Russia. It received five crew swaps during this time, returning to port on July 31, 2024 — a full 727 days at sea. Now, the USS Florida is set to retire alongside its sister ship, the first-in-its-class USS Ohio (SSGN-726) in 2026, ending a 43-year service to the U.S. Navy.