Ohio-class cruise missile submarines deployed to Asia-Pacific

• Staff Reporter
 
• 2014-09-16
 
• 16:05 (GMT+8)

USS Michigan at the Changi Naval Base. (Photo/US Navy)

Two of the US Navy's four Ohio-class cruise missile submarines have been deployed to the Asia-Pacific to cruise disputed waters in the East China Sea, South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, according to the London-based Janes Defense Review.

Docked at Singapore's Changi Naval Base between Aug. 10-15, the USS Michigan is one of the Ohio-class submarines currently operating in Asian waters. The vessel had been underwater for three months before making its scheduled call. Equipped with 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles as well as a large complement of special operations personnel, the USS Michigan is an intimidating peacemaker in the region.

Captain Benjamin Pearson, the commanding officer of the USS Michigan, said that the vessel has been deployed in the Western Pacific since Dec. 2013 conducting surveillance, training, and other undisclosed missions. "We do operations in the East China Sea, South China Sea and Philippine Sea. This area is like our big backyard," said Pearson. Within just six minutes, an Ohio-class boat is capable of launching all 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.

The USS Michigan brings unique capabilities to fleet operations in the region, said lieutenant commander Aaron Kakiel, a spokesman for the USN's Commander Submarine Group 7. It enables the US Navy in the Asia-Pacific the wide strike capability it needs to engage heavily defended and high value targets at a range in excess of 1,000 nautical miles. In addition to the USS Michigan, the USS North Carolina, a Virginia-class attack submarine, was also deployed to the region in late 2013 from Pearl Harbor.

USS North Carolina docked at the Changi Naval Base to stock up on supplies four months prior to the Michigan's visit. The deployment of the two nuclear-powered strategic submarines is reportedly part of Washington's rebalancing in the region. Under this strategy, the United States plans to reallocate of up to 60% of its naval assets to the Far East by 2020 as a way to watch China's maritime expansion into the region.

The two lurking giants are supported further by the US base at Guam, into which the government is pouring money to bolster its facilities, reported the party-run Global Times. In addition to Singapore, other major allies in the Western Pacific including Australia, Japan, South Korea and the Philippine had been visited by the US nuclear-powered submarines as well.