Russian attack submarines, the most in two decades, are prowling the coastlines of Scandinavia and Scotland, the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic in what Western military officials say is a significantly increased presence aimed at contesting U.S. and NATO undersea dominance.
Adm. Mark Ferguson, the U.S. Navy’s top commander in Europe, said last fall that the intensity of Russian submarine patrols had risen by almost 50 percent in the past year, citing public remarks by the Russian navy chief, Adm. Victor Chirkov. Analysts say that tempo has not changed since then.
The patrols are the most visible sign of a renewed interest in submarine warfare by President Vladimir Putin, whose government has spent billions for new classes of diesel- and nuclear-powered attack submarines that are quieter, better armed and operated by more proficient crews than in the past.
You've reached your daily free article limit.
Subscribe and support our veteran writing staff to continue reading.
Russian attack submarines, the most in two decades, are prowling the coastlines of Scandinavia and Scotland, the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic in what Western military officials say is a significantly increased presence aimed at contesting U.S. and NATO undersea dominance.
Adm. Mark Ferguson, the U.S. Navy’s top commander in Europe, said last fall that the intensity of Russian submarine patrols had risen by almost 50 percent in the past year, citing public remarks by the Russian navy chief, Adm. Victor Chirkov. Analysts say that tempo has not changed since then.
The patrols are the most visible sign of a renewed interest in submarine warfare by President Vladimir Putin, whose government has spent billions for new classes of diesel- and nuclear-powered attack submarines that are quieter, better armed and operated by more proficient crews than in the past.
The tensions are part of an expanding rivalry and military buildup, with echoes of the Cold War, between the United States and Russia. Russia is projecting force not only in the North Atlantic but in Syria and Ukraine and building up its nuclear arsenal and cyberwarfare capabilities in what U.S. military officials say is an attempt to prove its relevance after years of economic decline and retrenchment.
Read More- Seattle Times
Image courtesy of ANATOLY MALTSEV/EPA
Russia Targets Starlink Signals with New Countermeasure System
Former Delta Force Operator Describes the Counter-Human Trafficking Operations of Deliver Fund
Inside Delta Force: America’s Most Elite Special Mission Unit
SOFREP Daily: Mystery Drones Prompt Temporary Flight Ban, Putin Challenges West to Test Hypersonic Missile, Japan Inspects US Base After Chemical Leak
Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis.
TRY 14 DAYS FREEAlready a subscriber? Log In
COMMENTS
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.