English: Crop of Image:Submarine Vepr by Ilya Kurganov.jpg/Русский: Обрезка Image:Submarine Vepr by Ilya Kurganov.jpg, Author ru:User:Vlsergey, ru:User:Курганов Илья СергеевичStories like this always get my attention. For HF Milcom monitors here on the east coast might want to keep an eye on the following:
Fiddle - TSC NAS Jacksonville 4716.6 4739.0 8971.0 kHz USB
Golden Hawk - TSC Brunswick 4739.0 8971.0 8980.0 11205.0 kHz USB
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 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.
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.
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.
The complete story is available from the NYT website at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/world/05patrol.html?_r=2
