USS Ohio submarine arrives in Philippines to boost U.S. Navy’s Indo-Pacific presence.

The U.S. Navy USS Ohio, a guided-missile submarine, arrived in Subic Bay, Philippines, on Sept. 23, 2025. The port call strengthens U.S. Navy operations in the Indo-Pacific as regional tensions escalate.

The U.S. Navy confirmed on September 23, 2025, that the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines, for a scheduled port visit. The submarine moored alongside the forward-deployed tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), reinforcing U.S. undersea power in the Indo-Pacific at a time of heightened regional tensions. The visit underscores Washington’s commitment to supporting allies and maintaining stability in contested waters.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

U.S. Navy Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726) transits Subic Bay to moor alongside the forward-deployed submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) during a scheduled port visit in Subic Bay, Philippines, September 23, 2025. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

The deployment of the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Ohio to Subic Bay, in the Philippines, signals a deliberate enhancement of U.S. undersea presence in proximity to strategic waterways, such as the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea. The Ohio-class SSGN represents one of the most heavily armed and operationally versatile platforms in the U.S. Navy. Converted from a ballistic missile submarine to a guided-missile configuration, USS Ohio is equipped with 22 vertical launch system (VLS) tubes, each capable of carrying up to seven Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs), for a total payload of up to 154 precision-guided cruise missiles. These missiles are capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 1,600 kilometers, giving the submarine significant standoff strike capability against land and maritime targets.

Beyond its missile capacity, USS Ohio supports advanced special operations missions. The submarine carries two dry-deck shelters that enable the deployment of Navy SEALs and other special operations forces while submerged. Each shelter can house swimmer delivery vehicles or unmanned underwater vehicles, extending covert insertion options across contested littoral zones. Internally, the vessel is configured to accommodate up to 66 special operations personnel, enabling multi-domain mission profiles that integrate strike, intelligence, surveillance, and unconventional warfare capabilities.

Ohio-class submarines are powered by a S8G pressurized water reactor, allowing virtually unlimited endurance and submerged operation for months at a time. With a submerged displacement of more than 18,000 tons and a hull length of 170 meters, USS Ohio is one of the largest submarines in the U.S. inventory. Its acoustic signature is kept exceptionally low through quieting technologies, making it extremely difficult to detect, track, or counter.

The submarine tender USS Frank Cable plays a critical logistical and operational support role during such forward deployments. Designed to sustain nuclear-powered submarines without requiring fixed naval infrastructure, Frank Cable provides at-sea maintenance, weapons handling, repair capabilities, and supply replenishment. The presence of both vessels in Subic Bay demonstrates the Navy’s ability to project, sustain, and regenerate combat power from mobile afloat platforms, reducing reliance on land-based installations.

Subic Bay remains strategically significant due to its deepwater port facilities, proximity to key maritime chokepoints, and increasing role in U.S.-Philippine defense cooperation under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. The ability to support large-scale undersea operations from Subic reflects new operational flexibility and a shift toward distributed, resilient basing concepts in the Western Pacific.

This deployment occurs amid rising tension over disputed maritime zones, expanded Chinese naval activity, and a growing need for credible U.S. deterrent posture in the First Island Chain. The forward presence of an Ohio-class submarine equipped with long-range precision strike weapons and covert operational capability delivers both strategic ambiguity and a potent conventional deterrent.

USS Ohio’s integration with USS Frank Cable in theater reflects a matured undersea warfare architecture capable of sustained operations far from continental U.S. support hubs. It also confirms the operational relevance of submarine tenders in enabling high-end naval assets to remain combat-ready while forward deployed.

With its combination of overwhelming strike volume, stealth survivability, and covert mission flexibility, USS Ohio continues to serve as a cornerstone of U.S. undersea dominance. Its deployment to Subic Bay underscores the evolving character of American maritime power in the Indo-Pacific and reinforces a credible, combat-ready posture in defense of allied interests and freedom of navigation across the region.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.