Adm. Richard Correll, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), said Thursday the Navy has a plan to extend the lifespan of the Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarines to “bridge” the gap as its replacement Columbia-class endures delays.

Correll, in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on STRATCOM’s posture for fiscal 2027, was responding to a question by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Correll was also questioned about the Columbia-class submarine’s 16-month delay, and what STRATCOM was doing to extend the “useful life” of the Ohio-class submarine while waiting for the Columbia-class to finish production.

“The Navy has a plan to do maintenance on existing Ohio-class submarines to extend service life,” Correll said. He added “there’s high confidence in the ability to extend their service life so that we can manage the risk of sustaining the capability we have to bridge to the Columbia-class and the new capability, and there’s sufficient margin there to address that with the maintenance plans.”

Kaine then asked if STRATCOM’s capabilities wouldn’t be jeopardized as long as the Ohio-class submarine has an extended lifespan, to which Correll agreed.

The Columbia-class submarine will eventually replace the aging Ohio-class submarine fleet as the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is responsible for providing and sustaining the warheads that will tip the Trident II D5 missile system the submarine will be built to carry.

Correll also, in response to a question on capabilities that could threaten China and Russia by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), said the nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) is a “primary example” of a capability STRATCOM is investing in to counter the threat China and Russia present.

In terms of SLCM-N, NNSA weapons directors told the audience at Exchange Monitor’s Nuclear Deterrence Summit in January that the W80-5, a new variant of the W80 warhead family, is on a “more aggressive schedule” to go on SLCM-N. SLCM-N is being developed to go on the Virginia-class submarines, with expected delivery by 2034.