The first Soviet nuclear submarines were designed to promote the mission. They sacrificed crew members to radiation to complete their mission.
“The Cold War was a deadly game in the depths of the oceans. More than 20 collisions between American and Soviet submarines are only the tip of the iceberg as far as these secret operations are concerned. The underwater interface was perhaps the most merciless frontier between East and West."
All major cities in the United States can be burned by Russian submarines off the coasts of the USA with less than 10 minutes notice. U.S. submarines would burn China & Russia.
Nuclear war is suicidal. Submarines alone could set the Northern Hemisphere of Earth on fire.
“Experts say this kind of weapon could have the potential to wipe out mega constellations of small satellites, like SpaceX’s Starlink, which has been successfully used by Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
This would almost certainly be “a last-ditch weapon” for Russia, the US official and other sources said — because it would do the same damage to whatever Russian satellites were also in the area.”
FROM:
CNN
"It is in this context that Moscow's subs have been moving along "strange routes," deviating from the trajectories Western defense officials have come to expect, British defense minister Ben Wallace noted during a trip to Washington, D.C. in mid-April. He said the U.K. had been tracking the paths of Russian undersea vessels in the North Atlantic, Irish Sea and North Sea "that they normally wouldn't do."
Russian nuclear-powered submarines have also been spotted "off the coast of the United States and into the Mediterranean and elsewhere along European periphery," Michael Petersen, director of the Russia Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College, previously told Newsweek.
Asymmetric Warfare and Undersea Cables
But Russian submarines are not just a strategic nuclear deterrent. A new submarine war is emerging, experts say, bringing maritime security concerns into the world of "seabed warfare."
The head of the U.K.'s armed forces, Sir Tony Radakin, suggested at the beginning of the year that Moscow could "put at risk and potentially exploit the world's real information system, which is undersea cables that go all around the world". Speaking to The Times of London in January, he said there had been a "phenomenal increase in Russian submarine and underwater activity" and Russia has "grown the capability to put at threat those undersea cables and potentially exploit those undersea cables."
But this emerging tactic is one rooted in changes in Russian military thinking in the early part of the 21st century. "There was an understanding that you simply can't compete on terms of scale with the West, and so the Russians developed an idea of integrated warfare," reinvented from Soviet days, U.K. politician and Russian military strategy expert Bob Seely told Newsweek."
Russia looked towards asymmetrical warfare and at nurturing new capabilities where Moscow could undercut Western military dominance, which could mean targeting internet cables and pipelines, Seely added. Areas in the North Sea, including oil extraction operations, appear to be increasingly monitored by Russian submarines, Paul van Hooft, a senior strategic analyst at the Hague Center for Strategic Studies (HCSS), told Newsweek.
Seabed warfare of this type is an area in which Russia has "invested considerable amounts," Childs said, focusing on technology such as special-mission submarines. It is also an area "in which it is dawning on NATO governments that they need to invest more in countering such threats," Childs said.
"This is something definitely that we've been slow to appreciate," Grove agreed. The modern world runs on these underwater cables, which are out of sight but of huge importance, he said. With a growing anxiety around undersea fibre optic connections and energy pipelines after last year's Nord Stream explosion, experts say decision-makers have finally appreciated the threat is a real and present one, and are "giving considerable assets to this."
In February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the creation of a Critical Undersea Infrastructure Coordination Cell, spurred on by the Nord Stream explosion and the "vulnerability of undersea energy pipelines and communication cables."
"In response, NATO allies have significantly increased their military presence around key infrastructure, including with ships and patrol aircraft," the alliance said in a press release.
In response to a Newsweek request for comment, NATO pointed to remarks made by Stoltenberg earlier in May, when he said that for the alliance, "protecting critical undersea infrastructure is essential to our security and defense because it is key to protecting the security and prosperity of our societies."
"This is an enormous amount of infrastructure, meaning that of course, we cannot protect every meter of this infrastructure at every time," Stoltenberg said in a separate event in March 2023. "But what we do is that we have stepped up what we do when it comes to exchanging intelligence, information, more closely monitoring the infrastructure, then we have increased our presence with more military capabilities."
"It is clear that this kind of asymmetric Russian underwater activities are taking on an increasingly prominent role in maritime strategic visions," Kabanenko said.
The underwater battle, with its submarines, increasing use of uncrewed underwater technology, and asymmetric warfare, should absolutely be a concern for NATO, experts say. Overall, NATO navies are "collectively significantly stronger than Russia's" but anti-submarine warfare, in all of its forms, is a "challenging business," Childs said."
MORE AT:
Newsweek
NATO Has a Russian Submarine Problem
Published May 13, 2023 at 5:00 AM EDT
Updated May 13, 2023 at 4:09 PM EDTSecurity & Defense Reporter
Russia closing in on Europe’s undersea infrastructure, internet cables fall victim to hybrid warfare
"Recent statements by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev regarding Russia's potential to destroy undersea internet cables have raised serious concerns among global security experts. As tensions escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the threat of sabotaging critical infrastructure highlights the vulnerability of undersea cables and the catastrophic consequences such an attack could have on global connectivity.
Seabed warfare involves the strategic manipulation and control of underwater infrastructure, which plays a crucial role in areas such as energy supply, communication networks, military operations, and sensor systems. By asserting dominance in the underwater domain, a nation can safeguard its interests and gain a tactical advantage over adversaries.
Energy Infrastructure:
Russia's seabed warfare capabilities extend to energy infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines and power cables. The Nord Stream project, connecting Russia and Europe, falls within this category. By securing and maintaining such infrastructure, Russia ensures the uninterrupted flow of energy resources and strengthens its energy security. Conversely, attacking or sabotaging these systems can disrupt energy supplies to targeted regions, undermining their stability.
Internet Cables:
Internet cables laid across the ocean floor have become indispensable for global communication networks. Russia recognizes the vulnerability of these cables and has been actively involved in developing capabilities to monitor, defend, or potentially disrupt them if necessary. Targeting internet cables could have severe consequences, impacting global communications, financial systems, and even national security.
Military Communications:
The Russian Navy's seabed warfare capabilities extend to military communications infrastructure. This includes covertly laying and maintaining cables that are not publicly disclosed on maps. By securing its own communication networks while potentially targeting those of adversaries, Russia enhances its ability to control and coordinate military operations, gaining a critical advantage in times of conflict.
Sensor Networks:
Sensor networks play a crucial role in detecting and tracking enemy submarines or surface ships. Russia's seabed warfare capabilities involve deploying and maintaining these sensor networks, enabling them to effectively monitor their territorial waters and potentially compromise the surveillance capabilities of rival nations. By controlling these networks, Russia can limit the effectiveness of adversary submarine operations and gain a tactical edge.
Wrecks and Sunken Assets:
In addition to active infrastructure, Russia's seabed warfare capabilities extend to wrecks of warships and aircraft, which can hold valuable intelligence or pose a threat if recovered and exploited by adversaries. By securing these sunken assets, Russia safeguards its technological advantages and maintains a strategic hold on historical artifacts that may have diplomatic or propaganda value.
Russia's seabed warfare capabilities are not limited to defensive actions alone. They encompass a range of offensive applications, such as deploying underwater infrastructure, monitoring and repairing existing assets, delousing or removing enemy-planted devices, and engaging in acts of sabotage to disrupt adversary infrastructure. This comprehensive approach allows Russia to both protect its interests and potentially inflict significant damage on its adversaries."
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