Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada (SSBN 733) celebrated the ship’s 30th anniversary with a ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, August 12.
With this milestone, Nevada became the fourth active nuclear-warhead carrying ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) and the third based in Bangor to go beyond its originally planned 30-year service life.
Current Ohio-class SSBNs are reaching the end of their life cycle. When Nevada was commissioned Aug. 16, 1986, it had an anticipated service life of 30 years. However, the Ohio-class submarines lifetime has been extended from 30 to 42 years.
“The age of the ship really makes our Sailors more important than ever,” said Cmdr. Gene Severtson , commanding officer of Nevada Gold. “The hard work of Nevada’s Sailors for the last 30 years has kept the ship in great material condition that lets us keep going out on patrol for months at a time.”
USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) was the first of the Ohio-class to reach this service milestone in 2014, with USS Alabama (SSBN 731) following in 2015.
“Quite frankly, this could have been a decommissioning ceremony,” said Rear Adm. John Tammen , commander of Submarine Group 9 who also served aboard Nevada early in his career. “Fortunately for the Navy and the country, our crews and maintenance teams have taken great care of the SSBN force over the years and today is a celebration of the next 12 years to come.”
The Ohio-class submarines are set to be replaced by the Ohio Replacement Program that will be named will be named Columbia, as the first ship in the class will be called.