The disturbing cost figures come as Defence officials revealed that at least two possible contenders for the navy's new submarine fleet, the Spanish S-80 and French-Spanish Scorpene class boat, have been ruled out of the future submarine project.Īnswering questions on notice from Opposition spokesman David Johnston, Defence said both vessels did not meet "Australia's broad needs as outlined in the Defence White Paper". The annual price for "sustainment" (maintenance and support) is $415.9 million for 2011-12 with operating costs (fuel, rations, wages, weapons etc) running at $213.4 million for the 12 months for a total of $629.3 million or $104.8 million each.īy comparison a US Navy Ohio Class nuclear attack submarine, that is more than five times the size of a Collins boat, costs about $50 million a year to operate. Its ability to project power and provide forward presence makes Ohio - and its fellow SSGNs - a key component of our nation's maritime strategy.AUSTRALIA'S troubled Collins Class submarines are more than twice as costly to operate as US Navy nuclear submarines that are more than five times larger.Īccording to new figures obtained by News Limited, the six Collins boats cost about $630 million a year or $105 million each to maintain and sustain, making them the most expensive submarines of any type to ever put to sea.Īt present just two of the fleet of six boats could go to war and with a maximum of three available at any one time the costs are even higher when applied to serviceability. Today, with 30 years of service in the books, Ohio is as relevant to the nation's defense as ever. In three decades of service, Ohio has captured the Battle Efficiency Award (Battle "E") multiple times, the most recent coming in 2012. A year later, she proceeded to Guam to begin the first SSGN forward deployment. Ohio completed its conversion and rejoined the fleet on Feb. The other two launch tubes were converted to lockout chambers, allowing for the embarkation and deployment of special operations forces such as Navy SEALs. Under then plan, 22 Trident launch tubes were reconfigured to carry either canisters containing seven Tomahawks each - for a total of up to 154 missiles - or special operations weapons or equipment. The result would be four platforms capable of supporting strike or special warfare missions around the world. But another plan was in the works - to use the versatile Ohio seaframe to carry Tomahawks or other payloads in lieu of ballistic missiles. The other 14 would remain in service as SSBNs carrying the Trident II D-5 missile. With the end of the Cold War, the first four Ohio-class SSBNs - Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Georgia - were scheduled to be decommissioned in the early 2000s. In October 1982, Ohio began her first strategic deterrent patrol she would continue to patrol out of Bangor for the next 20 years. 12, 1982, when she arrived at Naval Submarine Base Bangor as the first operational unit permanently assigned to Commander, Submarine Group 9. Ohio began her long association with the Pacific Northwest Aug. Bushtold the 8,000 guests that the Ohio and her class represented a "new dimension in our nation's strategic deterrence." During the commissioning ceremony, Vice President George H.W.
Ohio was launched Apby Annie Glenn, wife of then-U.S. ship to bear the name, began Apat Groton, Conn., home of General Dynamics Electric Boat.
Navy.Ĭonstruction on Ohio, the fourth U.S. At 560 feet, the Ohios became the largest submarines ever built by the U.S. The Ohio-class SSBN was conceived in the early 1970s as an eventual successor to the original group of 41 SSBNs - the famed "41 For Freedom" - commissioned between 19. USS Ohio (SSGN 726) is the first of her class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and guided missile submarines (SSGNs), and the fourth U.S.
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