SSBN: USS Maine

Well, I would start off by saying that an SSBN is one of the most complex, technologically demanding machines ever built by man. The B stands for ballistic missile, the N stands for nuclear, meaning it's nuclear powered, and the SS is what we use to denote submarines. Stealth, the submarine, that is our bread and butter. You don't see us, you don't hear us, you don't know where we're at, what we're doing, you know that we're out there. Silent but deadly, cannot be found. It's just an insurmountable task to find that submarine and prevent that submarine from executing its mission. You have a better chance of finding a needle in a haystack than you do finding an SSBN underwater. The SSBNs feature the Trident II D5 missile system. It's the most credible strategic turret ever fielded in the history of the world. Man, battle station missile for strategic launch. Count to 10 upon missiles. We test it frequently. We know that it works. Our adversaries know that it works. The order to launch is authorized by the President of the United States. It has to be validated on board and agreed upon by four personnel prior to being able to even attempt to obtain the key to conduct the launch. XO, message one, request permission to authenticate, message one. Authenticate, message one. Hey, Kirk, I have a message one, authenticate. Message is authentic, action directed. If you launch against us, we will respond, and we will respond in a manner that you cannot defend yourself from. Launch is authorized. Once we're underway, the submarine in and of itself would rate probably about the fifth most powerful nuclear nation in the world. Because of that fact, adversaries have to take pause and think about potential consequences of their actions. The future of the submarine force, the sky's the limit. Right now, the technology that we have and still creating is causing one submarine to go out and take cover areas that three or four service ships couldn't cover by themselves. All the personnel coming into the submarine force today will be the cream of the crop and the elite of the Navy. They're going to have the best technology, the best trained people, bar none of any service I feel that we have today.