The Russian Navy is expanding the scope of their teachings, holding them in the Black, Baltic, and Mediterranean seas, and more recently in the Barents sea. Russia held its exercises in the Arctic after American and British military court for the first time since the cold war carried out maneuvers in the region. The Arctic is the headquarters of Russia’s Northern fleet, responsible for naval strategic nuclear forces of the country and which has many bases in the Murmansk region.
At present the Barents sea is the object of attention of the United States and its NATO allies amid tensions with Russia. In this regard, the U.S. Navy and its partners began to spend more time in this region to gain experience in the implementation of the naval operations in difficult conditions, primarily in conditions of extreme Arctic cold, as reported by Business Insider.
Given that the United States and its allies actually perform the maneuvers in areas that Russia considers its “backyard”, it is logical that Moscow has intensified its efforts to develop new anti-submarine tactics.
This new anti-submarine tactics were developed in the last year, but the strength of the Russian fleet have experienced it in action recently, according to reports by Navy Recognition. Part of the Russian special strike group consists of several small anti-submarine ships and a few corvettes of project 22160, which is equipped with modern sonar equipment for detecting submarines, torpedoes and underwater combat swimmers. Corvettes can lead and provide guidance to the rest of the warships that will attack the enemy with torpedoes and depth charges.
An expert on submarines Igor Kurdin said in an interview with Navy Recognition: “At present, submarines are particularly vulnerable. The greatest danger is posed by enemy aircraft and mines that could block exits from bases. You need to conduct the whole operation, so that the submarine could put to sea. Submarines follow mine-sweepers, who clear their way from the min To the sea is also coming out and strike group, which is engaged in search of enemy submarines”.
The implementation of such tactics should be a troubling sign for the Ministry of defense. Nuclear submarines US Navy-armed ballistic missiles remain a Central component of the nuclear Arsenal of the United States. The Pentagon plans within the next decade to begin the replacement of obsolete submarines of class “Ohio”, but the cost of a dozen new submarines of class “Columbia” could limit the operation of the U.S. Navy to restore other forces that may be needed to meet the challenges from Russia and China.
Meanwhile, NATO forces also conduct their own anti-submarine exercises, as more countries not members of NATO, and deploy their submarines. In 2020, they conducted anti-submarine exercises Dynamic Manta, which was attended by nine countries, decided to test their potential anti-submarine warfare, including military ships, patrol aircraft coastal aviation, helicopters and submarines, as well as to improve the ability of NATO forces to act together. Edition USNI News noted that “the ability of NATO forces to locate, track and detect submarines is important not only to strengthen the defense against Russia, but to ensure the basic safety of movement in the Mediterranean”.
