Meet the Columbia-Class: America’s Next-Generation Nuclear Submarines Designed to Replace the Ohio Fleet
The U.S. Navy is building the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, a fleet of 12 next-generation vessels expected to replace the aging Ohio-class. Each submarine will carry 16 Trident II D5 nuclear ballistic missiles and is designed to serve as a key part of the United States' nuclear deterrent for decades.
One of the Columbia class's biggest technological advances is its life-of-ship nuclear reactor, which is designed to operate for the submarine's entire 42-year service life without refueling. This eliminates lengthy mid-life overhauls required by the Ohio class, allowing a smaller fleet to maintain continuous strategic patrols.
Although construction of the lead submarine, USS District of Columbia, has experienced delays, the program remains the largest and most expensive shipbuilding project in U.S. Navy history, with an estimated cost of about $126.5 billion. The Columbia class is expected to become the backbone of America's sea-based nuclear deterrent well into the 2080s.
Source: U.S. Navy, U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Congressional Research Service (CRS)
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