Navy Admiral Warns of Growing Threat of Russian Submarines, Calls for US Action
One of America’s top admirals issued a warning Friday that Russia is causing concerns with the development of its submarine force.
Adm. James Foggo, the commander of American naval forces in Europe, said Russia has focused more on undersea warfare than on surface ships as its rebuilds its military strength,
“Russia is not 10 feet tall but they do have assets that keep me vigilant, concerned. One of them is in the undersea domain,” Foggo said.
While Foggo said Russia does “not have a robust capital ship capability,” the combination of submarines and cruise missiles is another matter.
The admiral says Russia has “continued to do research and development and recapitalize the undersea domain,” according to The Telegraph.
“They see it as one (in) which there is a challenge, and that challenge is the United States Navy and the United States submarine force,” he added.
Foggo’s comments at the Pentagon were similar to those delivered Friday to the Atlantic Council in Washington, CNN reported.
“We’ve seen creation of new classes of all sorts of submarines and ships. I’m more concerned with submarine warfare,” Foggo said.
At the Pentagon, Foggo told reporters the details of Russia’s submarine expansion.
“Russians have produced the new Dolgorukiy-class submarine. They’ve produced the Severodvinsk-class submarine. They’ve produced the new Kilo hybrid-class submarines,” Foggo said.
Six Kilo-class subs were either “operating in the Black Sea or the eastern Mediterranean,” where “they’re firing the Kalibr missile,” a cruise missile he said could reach “any one of the capitals of Europe.”
“That’s a concern to me, and it’s a concern to my NATO partners and friends. So we should know where they are at all times,” he added, advocating for increased U.S. and allied investment in anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
Foggo was asked if the U.S. knows where Russian submarines are at all times. He alluded to listening technology used to track them, but avoided a definitive answer.
“I can tell you that we hold an acoustic advantage and we will continue to do that,” he said, according to Radio Free Europe.
Foggo said a NATO exercise will take place Oct. 25 to simulate a Russian attack against Norway, The New York Times reported.
Foggo said the exercise is NATO’s largest since 2002, and will include 45,000 troops from NATO members as well as Sweden and Finland.
Russia has been invited to watch NATO troops go through their paces, Foggo said, noting that the exercise sends a message of deterrence.
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