USS Kentucky (SSBN-737)

USS Kentucky is a United States Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. We were the first civilian crew allowed onboard a ballistic submarine while on active patrol for this one-hour episode about the Kentucky. Our film crew of four was picked up in the waters just outside Pearl Harbor, where the sub surfaced and we did a ship to sub transfer, then submerging for days in the Pacific Ocean at a classified location. Before submerging we cruised into the crystal blue water off the Hawaiian coast, and I shared the top of the sail with Captain Ben Pearson. I’ll never forget the moment looking over this massive submarine cutting through the water, dolphins racing alongside us at the bow, then getting the call to head below and submerge the sub. After our few days of filming onboard was complete, the submarine surfaced, we disembarked, and Kentucky continued its patrol. A couple weeks later I travelled to Naval Submarine Base Bangor, Washington to meet up with the crew once again and film the Kentucky’s night arrival at home base.

Tech Specs

Class: Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine
Displacement: 16,764 metric tons surfaced
18,750 metric tons submerged
Length: 560 ft
Beam: 42 ft
Draft: 38 ft
Propulsion: 1 x S8G PWR nuclear reactor
2 x geared turbines
1 x 325 hp (242 kW) auxiliary motor
1 x shaft @ 60,000 shp (45,000 kW)
Speed: Greater than 25 knots (29 mph)
Test depth: greater than 800 ft
Complement: 15 officers, 140 enlisted
Armament: Up to 20 Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles