Russian Subs Patrolling Off East Coast of U.S.

[groovedaddy]

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.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/world/05patrol.html?th&emc=th

[cliffordu]

1. Yawn. This is some kind of long con associated with that missile defense system

chickenhawks want to park in Uzbekistan, or some fucking place.

Let's measure 'em and see which one's bigger.

[mediaman007]

2. That's cheaper than having our subs patrolling there.

They could make a movie about this. What a comedy: We could call it "The Russians Are..." Oh, its already been done.

[monmouth]

3. Long-range binoculars eyeing American bathing beauties on the beaches

along the east coast....Well it could, right???

[liberal N proud]

4. Maybe the captain wants to defect

[Staph]

5. Is it the Vilnius Schoolmaster?

Captain of the Red October?

[liberal N proud]

7. Great movie

Could history imitate Hollywood?

[TreasonousBastard]

6. They heard the Russian Tea Room has reopened...

and they haven't had a decent blini since leaving Vladivostok.

[votingupstart]

8. i am unimpressed - with the price of oil down - thats going to get expensive

and as much as russia would like they arent exactly swimming in excess cash.