Mystery Sub Terrorizes Americans

[Valin]

Strategy Page:

August 17, 2012:

 

Recently there was another media report of a Russian SSN (attack sub) that was alleged to have recently operated undetected in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks. This attracted the attention of professional submariners (especially retired ones, who could post more freely on the Internet). It was quickly determined that this was likely a made up story as attempts to trace it back to the source ended at the politically funded, as in 501©4, web site. The U.S. and Russian Navy refused to comment and attempts to confirm the incident have come up empty. Moreover, no law was broken by having an Akula sub cruise around the Gulf of Mexico in international waters. Indeed, such an event makes it easier for the U.S. Navy to get more money for new submarines.

 

This sort of thing has happened before. Three years ago two Akulas were detected (by the U.S. Navy) off the east coast of the United States, in international waters. Russia admitted two of its Akula class boats were out there. This was the first time Russian subs had been off the North American coast in over a decade. This spotlights something the Russian admirals would rather not dwell on. The Russian Navy has not only shrunk since the end of the Cold War in 1991, but it has also become much less active. In the previous three years, only ten of their nuclear subs had gone to sea, on a combat patrol, each year. Most of the boats going to sea were SSNs, the minority were SSBNs (ballistic missile boats). There were often short range training missions, which often lasted a few days, or just a few hours.