Desk Report,
US-Russian submarine battle: Who has more power under the sea?
The United States is deploying two nuclear-armed submarines to strategic positions, following an old Cold War-era tactic. The move comes after former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reacted angrily to President Donald Trump’s comments that the Russian economy is a “dead economy.” Trump ordered the submarines to be deployed to counter Moscow’s challenge after threats of tariffs and sanctions failed to work.
US-Russian submarine battle: Who has more power under the sea?
Trump’s decision came on Friday night. Earlier, former Russian President Medvedev threatened the US president with the “Dead Hand” strategy. Dead Hand is a type of automatic or semi-automatic nuclear weapons management system from the post-Cold War era, which is capable of launching a nuclear counterattack even if the country’s political leadership is completely destroyed. The main purpose of this system is to send a message of assured destruction to the enemy. There has been no direct response to Trump’s threat from the Kremlin yet. However, Viktor Vodolatsky, a top member of the country’s parliament, said that Russia has many more nuclear submarines in the ocean than the United States.
Vodolatsky said, “Russia has a much larger number of nuclear submarines in the world’s oceans than the United States. The submarines that President Donald Trump has ordered to be sent to Russia’s vicinity have been under our watch for a long time.”
Behind this is an attempt to rebalance defense and power. Both countries are working to modernize their submarine fleets and make them more strategically effective.
US Submarine Power
The US Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines are renowned for their stealth and precision nuclear weapons. These submarines are called “Boomers” and at least 14 of them are now active. Built for long-term use, these ships can patrol for up to 15 years without major repairs. Each submarine can carry up to 20 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Its main weapon is the Trident D5 missile. American fast attack submarines
The United States operates three types of fast attack submarines—the Virginia-class, the Seawolf-class, and the Los Angeles-class (also known as the 688 class). These submarines carry Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles and MK-48 torpedoes. They are used for destroying enemy warships, surveillance, information gathering, and mine laying.
The Virginia-class submarine is the United States Navy’s most advanced underwater combat platform. It has separate facilities for special operations and lock-in/lock-out chambers for divers. There are 24 Virginia-class SSNs active in the United States. These include the USS Hawaii, USS North Carolina, and USS Missouri.
There are only three Seawolf-class submarines, the first of which was commissioned in 1997. Although it does not have a vertical launch system, it has eight torpedo tubes. The torpedo bay can hold up to 50 weapons.
The Los Angeles-class (also known as the 688-class) submarines are known as the backbone of the United States submarine force. At least 24 are still active. Built in 1976, these submarines were originally designed to counter the Soviet threat. They are quite reliable due to their efficient speed and quiet operation. They will be replaced by the Virginia-class submarines at the end of their service lives.
Russian submarine force
The Russian submarine force is one of the largest in the world, with a fleet of about 64 submarines. Of these, about 14 are ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and are the centerpiece of Russia’s strategic defense.
The Russian Navy has eight Borei-class submarines, each carrying 16 Bulava SLBMs and 6 533 mm torpedo launchers. These submarines are also capable of launching rockets and seabed mines to destroy enemy submarines underwater. Each submarine is staffed by over 100 sailors.
The Borei-class submarines are gradually replacing the Delta IV-class submarines, which were developed as a contemporary of the Typhoon-class submarines. At least six Delta IVs are currently operational. Each submarine carries 16 Sineva SLBMs. These submarines are the mainstay of Russia’s undersea nuclear defense.
