Russian Subs Patrolling Off East Coast of U.S.

[GabonX]

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.

“I don’t think they’ve put two first-line nuclear subs off the U.S. coast in about 15 years,” said Norman Polmar, a naval historian and submarine warfare expert.

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.

According to Defense Department officials, one of the Russian submarines remained in international waters on Tuesday about 200 miles off the coast of the United States. The location of the second remained unclear. One senior official said the second submarine traveled south in recent days toward Cuba, while another senior official with access to reports on the surveillance mission said it had sailed away in a northerly direction.

The Pentagon and intelligence officials spoke anonymously to describe the effort to track the Russian submarines, which has not been publicly announced.

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, although another source of friction between the two countries did. Mr. Medvedev called Mr. Obama to wish him a happy birthday and the White House said the president used the opportunity to urge Russia to work through diplomatic channels to resolve rising tensions with Georgia.

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.

Defense Department officials declined to speculate on which weapons might be aboard the two submarines.

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.

“Anytime the Russian Navy does something so out of the ordinary it is cause for worry,” said a senior Defense Department official who has been monitoring reports on the submarines’ activities.

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. Moscow has contributed warships to the international armada searching for Somali pirates. In addition, a flotilla of Russian warships participated in exercises with Venezuela last year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/world ... .html?_r=1

[SultanOfSurreal]

god you're so racist

[jay_a2j]

I just saw this and came here to post it but you beat me to it. Something is up.

[Titanic]

So what? They are not threatening the USA, and the USA has a large part of its navy parked in SE Asia next to China and Russia as well as tens of thousands of troops in Europe near the old USSR states.

[thegreekdog]

Yeah, I don't really see a problem with this (nor do I really care all that much).

THIS JUST IN - GREEK MILITARY SHIPS SEEN OFF THE COST OF SOUTH AFRICA!!! SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT FLEES IN TERROR BEFORE THE MIGHTY GREEKS!!!

[Sackett58]

This is a job for Jack Ryan

[Neoteny]

This is a job for Jack Ryan

It's true.

[Sackett58]

This is a job for Jack Ryan

It's true.

Another stress related item to put on my plate. I'll give it some thought when New Yorks high of today hits 300,000 celsius.

[PLAYER57832]

So what? They are not threatening the USA, and the USA has a large part of its navy parked in SE Asia next to China and Russia as well as tens of thousands of troops in Europe near the old USSR states.

Exactly. Much ado about nothing.

We used to SEE Russian subs all the time off the coast of CA (deep waters allow close proximity, post cold war they were allowed to approach in some cases).

200 miles is not even US waters, its fully in the international zone!

[GabonX]

I believe that they are doing this to communicate a message.

We used to communicate with Russia like this all the time.

Think about what their reasons for doing this could be rather than what you would do if you were them.

[PLAYER57832]

I believe that they are doing this to communicate a message.

We used to communicate with Russia like this all the time.

Think about what their reasons for doing this could be rather than what you would do if you were them.

According to you, we are already headed for communism, so why fight the inevitable?

[GabonX]

We shall fight on the seas and oceans,
We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air
We shall fight on the beaches,
We shall fight on the landing grounds,
We shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
We shall fight in the hills;
We shall never surrender!

-Winston Churchill

[jay_a2j]

I believe that they are doing this to communicate a message.

We used to communicate with Russia like this all the time.

Think about what their reasons for doing this could be rather than what you would do if you were them.

They haven't done this in 15 years. It's most likely just them wanting to stroll down memory lane.

Yeah, there is a reason for it. Just like there is a reason China buys up all of our debt. THINK about it people!

[SultanOfSurreal]

I believe that they are doing this to communicate a message.

We used to communicate with Russia like this all the time.

Think about what their reasons for doing this could be rather than what you would do if you were them.

They haven't done this in 15 years. It's most likely just them wanting to stroll down memory lane.

Yeah, there is a reason for it. Just like there is a reason China buys up all of our debt. THINK about it people!

you guys sure are making a lot of sinister insinuations and telling us to THHHHIIIIINNNNNKKKK ;____; like it's so blindingly obvious, but clearly we're too stupid to understand the implications of this.

so why don't you tell us what exactly it is the russians are doing and what they hope to communicate with this move. assuming this isn't just a lot of half-baked, knee-jerk, reactionary paranoid hand wringing (it clearly isn't!)

[jay_a2j]

so why don't you tell us what exactly it is the russians are doing and what they hope to communicate with this move. assuming this isn't just a lot of half-baked, knee-jerk, reactionary paranoid hand wringing (it clearly isn't!)

I don't know WHY the Russians are doing this. On a personal note, I think the Russians and China have a secret alliance. Lots of senerios can be derived from events that have taken place. As to why they took place? Nothing is done without reason, with the exception of recurring American Idol year after year. I have a feeling, and I hope it's gas or heartburn, that something is going to happen and relatively soon.





What if..... China and Russia are working together to bring down the US?


What if?

[oVo]

It will be really crazy if they ground one of 'em, but I don't find it all that weird otherwise.

I used to fish in the Gulf Stream off the Carolina coast and we would see USSR fish processing ships that were as big as an aircraft carrier. These encounters used to freak me out as the giant Russian flag on the stern was bigger than our boat and the little dots of people on board would wave from about twenty stories up.

[SultanOfSurreal]

I don't know WHY the Russians are doing this. On a personal note, I think the Russians and China have a secret alliance.

oh lolllll this is where my eyes glazed over and i stopped reading

[oVo]

I think the Russians and China have a secret alliance.

king achilles reports they are [cleared].

[Snorri1234]

I don't know WHY the Russians are doing this. On a personal note, I think the Russians and China have a secret alliance.

Yeah, but you also claimed that Bush would remain in power and declare martial law.

[Semigall]

Well, maybe the commies are just gettin' ready to strike the other Georgia You know maybe there was just a little mistake in the first war against Georgia... they've realised they have hit the wrong Georgia Or maybe Putin just wants to get the title "The Fierce Conqueror of both Georgias"