BREAKING – In a clear message to North Korea's mercurial leader, Kim Yong Un, the United States has deployed a nuclear-powered guided missile submarine (SSGN) to South Korea for the first time in six years.
The USS Michigan arrived a day after North Korea resumed ballistic missile tests.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea and into Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Thursday in protest against the allies' massive live-fire drills that ended earlier in the day.
At 18,000-tons, the U.S. submarine is one of the biggest submarines in the world. It is also one of the most heavily conventionally armed subs. It can conduct long range strikes with over 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
In a statement, the South Korean Defense Ministry said that USS Michigan arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Friday (June 16). The U.S. and South Korean navies are to conduct drills on boosting their special operation capabilities and joint ability to cope with North Korea's growing nuclear threat.
The USS Michigan is one of America's 18 Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines. Fourteen of the boats are still classified as nuclear ballistic missile subs (SSBNs), often called “boomers.”
Each of those can carry up to 20 nuclear Trident D5 missiles — each armed with eight multiple independent reentry vehicles (MIRVs).
The other four boats, including the Michigan, are designed for conventional strike missions, and carry up to 154 Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAMs) with a range of about 1,550 miles, or other weapons instead of ballistic missiles.
South Korea's Yonhap News reported:
The U.S. SSGN's visit to South Korea is intended to substantively implement the agreement in the Washington Declaration made in April to enhance the regular visibility of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula,” ROK Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo was quoted as saying. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
“(It) demonstrates the overwhelming capabilities and posture of the South Korea-U.S. alliance to realize ‘peace through strength',” he added.
During the submarine's visit to the country, the South Korean and U.S. Navies plan to conduct combined special operations drills to strengthen their interoperability and capabilities in such operations as responding to advancing North Korean threats, according to the ministry.
The SSGN will also take part in various friendly exchange activities with the South Korean Navy to mark the 70th anniversary of the two countries' alliance.
Vice Admiral Johnny Ray Wolfe, Director of the U.S. Strategic Systems Programs, recently announced that Ohio-class SSGNs will get hypersonic strike missiles, with speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), by 2025.
In addition, the four SSGNs can launch special forces missions from a Dry Deck Shelter (DDS). DDSs can deploy and recover Navy SEAL commandos while remaining submerged.
Since last year, the South Korean and U.S. militaries have stepped up their joint exercises in reaction to North Korea's missile tests.
In April, Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed that the United States would ensure “regular visibility of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula” and reinforce mutual deterrence with periodic visits by U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarines.
The nuclear ballistic missile submarine hasn't yet come to South Korea. Let's hope none of them are ever needed for an actual war.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
READ NEXT: GOP Lawmaker Says Staffer Was Attacked After Congressional Baseball Game
This need never have happened if The Donald had been up top. Of course, with goofy Brandon and his Manchurian handlers, guess what? We lose!