Russian subs slip behind US radar, fire missiles

[chriss]

13:3315/07/2009 MOSCOW, July 15 (RIA Novosti) - The United States was unable to detect the presence of Russian strategic submarines in the Arctic before they test-launched two ballistic missiles, a Russian intelligence source said on Wednesday.

Russia carried out test launches of two Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles from two Delta IV class nuclear-powered submarines, located near the North Pole, on July 13-14.

"The American radars certainly detected the missile launches but their location took them by surprise," the source said.

The first missile, flying a ballistic path, hit its designated target at the Kura testing grounds on the Kamchatka Peninsula, while the second, fired with a flat trajectory, destroyed a target at the Chizha testing site on the White Sea.

The source said that the launch area, covered by ice floe, was heavily patrolled by Russian attack submarines and the Americans were unable to detect the arrival of two strategic submarines before the launch.

"At the same time, U.S. reconnaissance satellites are unable to detect submarines under thick ice floe in the Arctic," he said.

The region around the North Pole is a perfect place for launches of ballistic missiles because it allows the submarines to arrive in a designated area undetected and to shorten the missile flight time to the target.

The RSM-54 Sineva (NATO designation SS-N-23 Skiff) is a third-generation liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile that entered service with the Russian Navy in July 2007. It can carry four or 10 nuclear warheads, depending on the modification.

Russia plans to equip its Delta IV class submarines with at least 100 Sineva missiles.

[ghost]

This isn't much of a surprise. The Russians have always been good at operating submarines in the arctic regions. So what now?

[bobdina]

not only that but we wouldn't tip our hand if we did have attack subs tracking them. Subs can't be seen by airborne radar anyway unless surfaced. I think this was for home consumption as it don't mean crap. I would be very surprised with SOSUS and our attack boats if we didn't know.

[ghost]

not only that but we wouldn't tip our hand if we did have attack subs tracking them. Subs can't be seen by airborne radar anyway unless surfaced. I think this was for home consumption as it don't mean crap. I would be very surprised with SOSUS and our attack boats if we didn't know.


Yeah, I was thinking that too. Of course they didn't see it, if they were trying to find it with a satellite. :hb:

[Yono]

I hope the U.S. army takes this as a warning and starts working on even better technology for finding subs.

[ghost]

I hope the U.S. army takes this as a warning and starts working on even better technology for finding subs.


Well, this doesn't really mean much, considering that there wasn't anything in the area that could have detected it(ships, submarines...etc). Not to mention, it was in Russian territory.

By the way, I think you mean, US Navy :D

[Yono]

No I mean the U.S. army as a whole.

[ghost]

No I mean the U.S. army as a whole.


So the US military? This encompasses everything, Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines.

[Yono]

Well yea. All 3 major branches should be working together on this one, Airforce,Army and Navy.

[Cruelbreed]

And if they were detected, why would they have bothered letting the Russians know? I find it always best to let certain characters think they're on top of the world.

[ghost]

And if they were detected, why would they have bothered letting the Russians know? I find it always best to let certain characters think they're on top of the world.


Point taken. This is true.

[Yono]

Well that is nice but it would kind of...scare the russians a tad letting them know that they are being watched.

[bobdina]

YONO each branch in the U.S. Military is responsible for different area's, specialization if you will. This is the Navy's job and they would never tip their hand to tracking other nations subs (Except for those shit head spies) there is no need to let them know anything as it would reveal to them they were being watched if they thought they weren't . Right now I can't remember the name of the book but it details how our boats continually tracked Russian boats without them knowing. Maybe my Navy friends can help me out. I really think this was just for home consumption as there would be politicians here throwing fit's if we didn't know about it. This is really a non event

[Cruelbreed]

It's not only the Russians, the Chinese are constantly doing the same exact thing to U.S. ships. So close recently they hit the towed radar array on a destroyer and broke it. This is supposedly an extremely dangerous feat for a sub as the array could tangle on the props. Either way being so close to the array the destroyer most likely knew it was there because the Chinese sub was so damn close, after hitting it it's even more obvious.

[Cruelbreed]

More examples of this article from other sources:

Russia outwitted U.S. strategic defenses with missile test

MOSCOW, July 15 (RIA Novosti) - The United States was unable to detect the presence of Russian strategic submarines in the Arctic before they test-launched two ballistic missiles, a Russian intelligence source said on Wednesday.
Russia carried out test launches of two Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles from two Delta IV class nuclear-powered submarines, located near the North Pole, on July 13-14.
"The American radars certainly detected the missile launches but their location took them by surprise," the source said.
The first missile, flying a ballistic path, hit its designated target at the Kura testing grounds on the Kamchatka Peninsula, while the second, fired with a flat trajectory, destroyed a target at the Chizha testing site on the White Sea.
The source said that the launch area, covered by ice floe, was heavily patrolled by Russian attack submarines and the Americans were unable to detect the arrival of two strategic submarines before the launch.
"At the same time, U.S. reconnaissance satellites are unable to detect submarines under thick ice floe in the Arctic," he said.
The region around the North Pole is a perfect place for launches of ballistic missiles because it allows the submarines to arrive in a designated area undetected and to shorten the missile flight time to the target.
The RSM-54 Sineva (NATO designation SS-N-23 Skiff) is a third-generation liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile that entered service with the Russian Navy in July 2007. It can carry four or 10 nuclear warheads, depending on the modification.
Russia plans to equip its Delta IV class submarines with at least 100 Sineva missiles.