Michigan Patrolling North Korea
The USS Michigan, a Trident class nuclear submarine has arrived off the coast of North Korea. I have been onboard the Michigan. It is affectionately called a ‘Boomer’ and these submarines ‘the last line of defense’ when it comes to defending America.
The ship has 7 decks, four of which are classified and can disappear into the ocean for months at a time. In fact it is very rare that it has shown itself at all. The Boomers usually cruise around the ocean undetected and maintaining radio silence however the Michigan has surfaced and taken on fuel and supplies in South Korea. The revelation is also a big statement by the US military.
The USS Michigan has more firepower on board than the sum total of all bullets, bombs, hand grenades and atomic weapons fired in World War Two combined. It carries 24 Trident Ballistic missiles and each missile can carry at least 10 nuclear warheads for a total of 240 thermo-nuclear devices. In all there are 14 like the Michigan. In all the Boomers can carry more than half of The United States Strategic nuclear weapons at any given moment.
Seems to me the Trump Administration is serious about the problem on the peninsula and is aiming to end it once and for all. I hope the Michigan can sit by quietly while that happens but that is certainly not guaranteed.
It is chilling for me to realize that I have walked around on the boat that could play a key role in how the Korean Crisis plays out. It could play a key role in something much larger as well.