West Seattle scene: Watching a submarine on the move

Thanks to JMB for sharing that photo of a submarine passing Alki Point this morning, with a Coast Guard vessel and a Seattle-Bremerton state ferry in view as well. Northwest Navigator had a story a few days ago about the USS Ohio getting ready to leave Bangor to head back out to sea – so perhaps that’s what JMB caught on camera (we trust expert sub-watchers will correct us if you can tell from the photo it’s a different class of sub).

19 Replies to "West Seattle scene: Watching a submarine on the move"

  • Jake of 8bitjoystick.com June 13, 2009 (10:40 pm)

    Looks like a fast attack boat by the small size of it. The USS Ohio is the first of the SSGN class subs. Yup that is an Ohio class sub and is probably the USS Ohio. Rare to see it in the day.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident June 13, 2009 (11:49 pm)

    The class of sub is correct, it is an Ohio Trident Ballistic Missile Submarine. But it can not be leaving Bangor and be seen from Alki Point. Bangor is on Hood Canal.
    This is more than likely a sub that went through a refit period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton and is leaving Bremerton

  • WSB June 14, 2009 (12:23 am)

    EWR, the article I linked to does mention the Ohio having just gone through “major maintenance” but I cannot find anything online regarding where that happened. If it happened at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard maybe this would make sense – otherwise of course you’re right, Bangor’s on Hood Canal and not on the Sound. I don’t know if Navy Public Affairs can discuss deployment details but I will try to check Monday just in case they would be able to say which sub this was for sure – TR

  • Adam June 14, 2009 (1:02 am)

    Jake: The Ohio isn’t a fast attack sub, not sure what you’re talking about.

    It certainly appears to have a flat deck, which is the only easily differentiating feature my untrained eyes can use to tell an attack sub from a ballistic missile sub. (aside from length, but that’s hard to tell from a tiny picture with nothing to compare against.)

  • Robert June 14, 2009 (7:21 am)

    Ahhh come-on guys – think out of the box – maybe one of the local Seattle Billionaires built himself a sub. :-)

  • Matt Durham June 14, 2009 (7:46 am)

    What location was this photo taken from?

  • Ex-Westwood Resident June 14, 2009 (9:55 am)

    Trust me in this, it is an Ohio class sub. I spent three of my 22 years in the Navy working on them at Bangor.
    One sure fire way to tell is to look toward the aft ent of the sub. If you follow the sail (conning tower) back you will notice that it makes a shallow fall toward the stern, before the seperation of the water between the rudder rising out. That is not a pronounced in Trident as in previous SSBN’s. A fast attack is completely flat from the sail area to the stern.
    Compare the size of the CG boat, which is an 87′ Patrol Boat (http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/87wpb.asp), to the sub.
    Tridents are approx 600′ long.
    The Ohio did go through a conversion from SSBN to SSGN and it took place at PSNS, don’t know if it was finished yet, but it isn’t the only one being converted, so it may be the Ohio, or one of the others that just finished.
    TR – you are correct, the navy won’t discuss deployment info, esp the info on our subs, but PSNS routinely performs extended refits on the tridents stationed at Bangor along with the conversions from SSBN to SSGN.
    It may or may not be the “Ohio” but it is, with 100% certainty, an Ohio Class Trident Sub.

    ETC(SW/AW)
    USN Ret.

  • AlkiMom June 14, 2009 (11:42 am)

    That’s the USS Ohio SSGN 726. My son’s on it, and they’re heading out on patrol for a few months.

  • Andrew June 14, 2009 (4:47 pm)

    Considering it doesn’t have the expanded missile deck around the first 6 missile tubes (at least it can’t be seen in this image), nor does it have the drydock shelter or Spec Ops deployment units attached to the missile deck, it’s probably not the USS Ohio. I was on the Ohio during the SSGN conversion as PSNS. I doubt the Ohio would go on deployment without these important features.

    However, as EWR states, it *is* an Ohio class submarine.

    Here is a link that shows the features I mention: http://www.militarypictures.info/d/361-3/USS_Ohio.jpg

  • wseye June 14, 2009 (9:39 pm)

    Interesting discussion. I had never heard of “Dry Deck Shelter” (that is the correct term) conversion. One thing I learned in doing some further research is that the DDS is a removable feature that can be added in 1-3 days to all already adapted vessel when needed:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Deck_Shelter

    So this could well be the Ohio with the DDS removed. Since it would significantly affect performance, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a standard fitting.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident June 14, 2009 (9:56 pm)

    If I remember correctly, the first 5 or 6 subs of the Trident class were to be converted to SSGN. Added to that conversion was the hardware required to mount various attachments to the area aft of the sail. Those included special ops equipment, SEAL equipment…etc.
    All this was due to the fall of the USSR and the rise of smaller rogue nations that represent a different kind of response.

  • Brian June 15, 2009 (8:44 am)

    Yup. SSGN formerly SSBN. Ohio Class.

    Sure miss my boat :-) USS Georgia SSBN 729 (b)

  • Bruce June 15, 2009 (11:32 am)

    Thanks for sharing. Sorry I missed seeing her from my Belltown perch. Unlike Brian, I don’t miss my boat, but I’m proud of my service the distant memories.

    USS M.G. Vallejo SSBN 658 blue crew ’69-’72

  • West Seattle June 15, 2009 (12:56 pm)

    Keeping America free, thank you guys (and gals) of the USN.

  • Andrew June 15, 2009 (5:45 pm)

    The first four Ohio class SSBNs are being converted to SSGN. The first two tubes serve as spec ops gear stowage/showers/lockout chambers.

  • nukeman June 19, 2009 (6:03 pm)

    @ Andrew: No it doesn’t have the DDS on. Yes it was coming from PSNS, The DDS will be put on before it gets to Guam. (where its forward deployed) It gets put on by the SEAL team, and they are not in WA.

    Also, it IS the OHIO. Wish these guys luck with the heightening tension in the far east. Hopefully we wont have to use its capability, but its nice to know we have them.

  • Torpedoman June 22, 2009 (12:08 pm)

    Yes, it is the Ohio. Yes, we are on deployment, and yes, we are ported somewhere outside the continental US currently and those of you that think we are small, you better get a closer look!

  • WSB June 22, 2009 (12:18 pm)

    As site admins we’ll say only that the above comment appears to be for real.

  • Brittany July 5, 2009 (8:05 pm)

    this is the USS Ohio. They were just leaving the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on their way out for their deployment. I would know, my husband was on that boat when the picture was taken.

Sorry, comment time is over.