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| Russian tug off Florida: supporting nuclear attack subs or observing SpaceX launch? |
| 2014-04-18 |
| A Russian tug has been operating off Florida for some weeks. What is it doing over so far from home? The Russian tug Nikolay Chiker is an ocean tag that has often deployed alongside Russian Navy's high value assets. According to Information Dissemination, the ship accompanied Russia's spy ship Viktor Leonov to Cuba last month, before moving off Florida, where it was parked on Mar. 15, ahead of the launch of Dragon spacecraft (Space Shuttle Orbiter replacement) on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket scheduled of Mar. 16 from the SLC-40 Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. However, the SpaceX launch was delayed and, since then, the ship has moved back and forth along U.S. East coast: it headed southbound, has made a port visit to Curacao, then it has operated in the Caribbean Sea and eventually returned more or less where it was on Mar. 15 and it is right now: off Cape Canaveral. The fact that the tug moved off Cape Kennedy in the days of the scheduled launch of SpaceX and returned there in anticipation of the new launch window suggests that the Nilolay Chiker is somehow interested in observing the Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft on the company's third commercial resupply mission and fourth visit to the space station. However, there's someone who suggested that the ocean tug is actually supporting Russian nuclear attack submarines monitoring U.S. Navy East coast bases. Hard to say. For sure the Russian tug is not there by accident. During the Cold War, Russian and Americans have monitored each others special special operations, military exercises, invasions, maiden flights etc. This is not changed with the collapse of the USSR. On the contrary, close encounters (as the one in the Black Sea) and reciprocal snooping are probably going to increase. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #10 Gievn the recent incidents invol the RussNav, "towing the Sub(s) in case of breakdown" is as valid a reason as any. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2014-04-18 19:47 |
| #9 I offer an alternative explanation: the condition of the Russian navy has become so poor that an ocean going tug is sent along with higher value ships to tow them home if they have a major breakdown. |
| Posted by: Chantry 2014-04-18 19:22 |
| #8 These fishermen hungrily staring Imply that their birds need repairing. With their nets and their dishes, Are they there for the fishes, Or are they just sharing red herring? |
| Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 2014-04-18 15:55 |
| #7 When I was a teenager, my dad and I went fishing out of Port Canaveral. On the way out we saw a US boomer, ships for supporting NASA launches, and, after we left the harbor a couple of Tomcats that had been flying escort for a shuttle returning from the west coast landing site. Right at the edge of international waters was a Russia. "fishing trawler"... Whether they were there for the shuttle or the sub, hard to say. But this is nothing new. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2014-04-18 11:34 |
| #6 A diver and submersible launch platform for repairing/replacing seabed communications lines. Maybe tapping the feed to the G.bay facility. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2014-04-18 11:23 |
| #5 Terrorist Clive Bundy re-supply vessel ? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-04-18 10:46 |
| #4 Not saying this is true or not, but a surface ship would provide a sort of shield; can't harass the sub without also harassing the surface ship. Well, at least not as easily. Hiding out in the open. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-04-18 10:14 |
| #3 Vlad's sticking his thumb in Obama's eye. |
| Posted by: Raj 2014-04-18 10:05 |
| #2 neither makes sense surface ships provide no value added to a missile submarine unless the submarine has a damaged communication system also a surface ship off the coast provides no value added for observing a high tech launch if your satellites are working |
| Posted by: lord garth 2014-04-18 07:43 |
| #1 Knowing Russians, both. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-04-18 04:02 |