Although the claws are hidden... Kentucky ship carrying 20 SLBMs capable of North Korea annihilation

On the afternoon of the 19th, when the monsoon rain briefly subsided, the Busan Naval Operations Base was tense.

After undergoing ID checks and body searches by U.S. soldiers armed with machine guns, the atmosphere inside was filled with intense tension. Although the press entered the base after security checks, a U.S. Forces Korea official, who twice sent the press back outside citing insufficient preparation, wore an awkward expression and said, "Please understand that the procedures are complicated because this is an important strategic asset."

On the 19th, the USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the United States, docked at the Busan Naval Operations Base of the Naval Operations Command in Nam-gu, Busan. [Photo by the Presidential Office Press Photographers Group] [Image source=Yonhap News]

After walking for some time, under the intense sunlight, the Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), known as the "ultimate weapon" of U.S. nuclear forces, revealed its majestic presence. The hull, painted in deep black, measures 170 meters in length and 12 meters in width, so massive that its full scale is hard to grasp at a glance.

The U.S. currently operates 14 Ohio-class (18,750-ton) SSBNs, and the USS Kentucky was the 12th constructed among them. The Ohio-class carries SLBMs (Trident II D5) equipped with 8 to 12 warheads, each with a blast yield of 100kt (1kt = the explosive power of 1,000 tons of TNT).

At the time of the visit, all 24 vertical launch tubes were covered, but the thought that about 20 SLBMs capable of devastating the entire Korean Peninsula were lurking beneath the covers naturally evoked a sense of intimidation. It gave the impression of a fierce beast hiding sharp claws.

The USS Kentucky can carry up to 24 SLBMs with a range of 13,000 km, but under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the U.S. and Russia, it is reported to usually carry about 20. The destructive power of these 20 SLBMs is said to be more than 1,000 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during the Pacific War.

President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with Paul LaCamera, Commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, ahead of the visit of the USS Kentucky (SSBN-737), an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) of the United States, which docked at the Busan Naval Operations Base in Nam-gu, Busan on the 19th. Photo by Presidential Office Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

The U.S. Navy did not allow the press to tour the submarine’s interior, including the combat information center that controls SLBM launches. Colonel Isaac Taylor, the U.S. Forces Korea public affairs officer who guided the press, responded to questions about whether the USS Kentucky currently carries nuclear weapons by saying, "It is U.S. government policy neither to confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons." Considering that SSBNs rarely operate without nuclear armament, it is widely believed that nuclear weapons are onboard. SSBNs, along with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and long-range bombers (B-52H, B-2A), are called the three pillars of U.S. nuclear forces. Among them, the SSBN’s stealth?being undetectable even when close to the enemy’s doorstep?is key, making its movements highly classified.

Nevertheless, Kurt Campbell, U.S. National Security Council (NSC) Indo-Pacific Coordinator, publicly announced the USS Kentucky’s arrival in Korea at a press conference immediately after the launch meeting of the Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) the day before. On this day, the submarine was also revealed to the press corps covering the Ministry of National Defense, following President Yoon Suk-yeol and Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup.

This was interpreted as a message that U.S. nuclear forces operate 24/7 worldwide, ready to respond to threats from land, sea, or air. In particular, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) in a surprise attack early this morning, following the launch of the solid-fueled ICBM Hwasong-18 on the 12th. This routine provocation by North Korea was seen as a factor prompting the U.S. to take measures mindful of the rising domestic debate in South Korea over independent nuclear armament.

Public Affairs Officer Taylor emphasized, "The USS Kentucky provides the most survivable capability among the three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad. By calling at Busan, the U.S. has once again reaffirmed its extended deterrence commitment and demonstrated its ability to respond swiftly, overwhelmingly, and decisively to any nuclear attack North Korea might launch against the Republic of Korea."

The U.S. and South Korea did not disclose how long the USS Kentucky will remain in Korea. There is a possibility of future joint exercises with the South Korean Navy. When the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN) called at Busan on the 16th of last month, joint exercises were also conducted. Notably, the Aegis destroyer USS John Finn (DDG-113) of the U.S. 7th Fleet, which participated in the trilateral U.S.-South Korea-Japan missile defense exercise three days earlier, was docked at the Busan Operations Base, suggesting that additional joint exercises may take place.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.