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| Russian Subs Patrolling Off East Coast of U.S. | ||
| 2009-08-05 | ||
| WASHINGTON -- A pair of nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines has been patrolling off the eastern seaboard of the United States in recent days, a rare mission that has raised concerns inside the Pentagon and intelligence agencies about a more assertive stance by the Russian military. The episode has echoes of the cold war era, when the United States and the Soviet Union regularly parked submarines off each other's coasts to steal military secrets, track the movements of their underwater fleets -- and be poised for war. But the collapse of the Soviet Union all but eliminated the ability of the Russian Navy to operate far from home ports, making the current submarine patrols thousands of miles from Russia more surprising for military officials and defense policy experts.
The submarines are of the Akula class, a counterpart to the Los Angeles class attack subs of the United States Navy, and not one of the larger submarines that can launch intercontinental nuclear missiles.
President Obama spoke by telephone with President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia on Tuesday, but it was not clear whether the subject of the submarines came up. The submarine patrols come as Moscow tries to shake off the embarrassment of the latest failed test of the Bulava missile, a long-range weapon that was test fired from a submarine in the Arctic on July 15. The failed missile test was the sixth since 2005, and some experts see Russia's assertiveness elsewhere as a gambit by the military to prove its continued relevance. "It's the military trying to demonstrate that they are still a player in Russian political and economic matters," Mr. Polmar said. One of the submarines is the newer Akula II, officials said, which is quieter than the older variant and the most advanced in the Russian fleet. The Akula is capable of carrying torpedoes for attacking other submarines and surface vessels as well as missiles for striking targets on land and at sea. While the submarines have not taken any provocative action beyond their presence outside territorial waters of the United States, officials expressed wariness over the Kremlin's motivation for ordering such an unusual mission. The official said the Navy was able to track the submarines as they made their way through international waters off the American coastline. This can be done from aircraft, ships, underwater sensors or other submarines. "We've known where they were, and we're not concerned about our ability to track the subs," the official added. "We're concerned just because they are there." Once among the world's most powerful forces, the Russian Navy now has very few ships regularly deployed on the open seas. | ||
| Posted by: |
| #16 GLOBAL SECURITY NEWSIWRE > US MAY WITHDRAW EUROPE-BASED NUKES, in return for a MisDef deal wid RUSSIA??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-08-05 23:27 |
| #15 They will pass through our patrols, past our sonar nets, and lay off our largest city, and listen to our "rock 'n roll" while they conduct missile drills. Heh. One ping and one ping only, Vasili. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2009-08-05 21:24 |
| #14 OOOOOPSIES, forgor WMF > TAIWAN AND JAPAN'S SOVEREIGN STRATEGIC AIR DEFENSE ARCS INTER-CONNECT IN DEPTH OVER JAPAN-CONTROLLED YONUGUNI ISLAND; + TAIWAN LOSES THE "CENTER LINE" OF THE STRAITS: US DESIRES CLOSER CHINA-TAIWAN AIR FORCE COOPERATION? HMMMMM, HMMM, INTEWESTING, so IOW, TAIWAN > covertly becomes another HAINAN = GUAM, BUT FOR WHOM? a various Netters argue that TAIWAN IS ACTUALLY A US POSSESSION/TERRITORY SINCE WW2 [Japan formally surr TAIWAN to USA, NOT China]. TAIWAN = OWG-NWO FREE TRADE HUB, OWNED BY EVERYBODY AND NO ONE AT THE SAME TIME??? SRI LANKA? MADAGASCAR? MICHEGAN + CALIFORNIA ala NORTH AMER UNION? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-08-05 20:39 |
| #13 ION PAKISTANI DEFENCE EOFURMS/WAFF > THINK TANK [RAND}: CHINA NOW BEATS THE US IN SUMULATED TAIWAN AIR WAR, + NINGXIA BIDS TO MUSLIM TRADES HUB. HUI MUSLIM- majority province desires to dev close econ cooperation wid regional Muslim Countries. * WAFF > {China/Xinjiang] 718 UIGHURS HAVE NOW BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED, AND MANY WILL PROBABLY BE SHOT. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-08-05 20:14 |
| #12 ION WAFF > RUSSIA: GEORGIA REARMING FOR NEW AGGRESSION, + TURKEY WARNS AGZ NEW PROVOCATIONS IN THE AEGEAN + THE NEW GREEK-TRURKISH WAR: IT STARTED?. Turkey claims that Greece has been covertly sneaking in COMMANDOES, ETC. DISGUISED AS "TOURISTS/VISITORS" to Greco-Turkey disputed, TURKEY-CONTROLLED RO ISLAND in the AEGEAN, and repor is planning Milops to forcibly remove the Greel elments. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-08-05 19:24 |
| #11 They will pass through our patrols, past our sonar nets, and lay off our largest city, and listen to our "rock 'n roll" while they conduct missile drills. |
| Posted by: Mizzou Mafia 2009-08-05 15:22 |
| #10 I have no doubt that if the Russians open a single hatch the US sub shadowing them will sink them before Zero could get involved. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2009-08-05 15:15 |
| #9 It's a delivery mission. The Russians are bringing over pre-printed ballots for the 2010 election. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-08-05 12:29 |
| #8 It does seem like a good opportunity for our Navy to pick up some intel on current Russian sub practice, signatures, etc. If Obama really wanted to rattle them, he'd propose a joint training exercise, our anti-sub units against their two subs, to begin at 0100 EDT tomorrow. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-08-05 12:24 |
| #7 I'm proud of the Russians for being able to send multiple subs all the way across the ocean. But why? Can they put enough gear on these things to make them useful for SigInt while they're in international waters and we know where they are? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2009-08-05 12:08 |
| #6 A rare bit of trivia, all Los Angeles attack class submarines are completely staffed by mexicans. It only hurts when I laugh. |
| Posted by: flash91 2009-08-05 11:43 |
| #5 These are attack boats. Akula means Shark. I'm not worried except if one breaks down. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2009-08-05 10:52 |
| #4 Am I alone in worrying a lot more about the stupidity of a potential Obama reaction to this than about the intent of the Russians? Yes. You assume that Nobama might actually do something other that theorize about it. |
| Posted by: gorb 2009-08-05 10:51 |
| #3 Am I alone in worrying a lot more about the stupidity of a potential Obama reaction to this than about the intent of the Russians? Based on his previous performance, no. The worst part of it is that he'll probably apologized for getting the subs wet. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2009-08-05 10:26 |
| #2 If left to the USN, it would be highly amusing when the two subs returned home and surfaced, one painted bright pink with green flowers, and the other tagged like a subway car. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-08-05 10:19 |
| #1 Am I alone in worrying a lot more about the stupidity of a potential Obama reaction to this than about the intent of the Russians? |
| Posted by: AzCat 2009-08-05 10:04 |