Anti-sub jets airborne: Britain chases Russian submarines away from British shores - RFU News

[TexasTowelie]

Today, there is interesting news from the United Kingdom.

Here, Russian forces deployed their submarines and launched a covert operation right on the Britain’s doorstep, and dangerously close to the critical marine infrastructure. However, British forces have responded immediately to counter the Russian sabotage attempts, dispatching anti-sub jets to track them down.

The United Kingdom recently revealed that it had been secretly following three Russian submarines operating in the North Atlantic. The vessels were observed right above critical undersea infrastructure, including communication cables and pipelines. In response, the UK conducted a military operation that lasted for more than a month and involved over five hundred troops. The Defense Secretary warned that any attempt to interfere with or damage this infrastructure would trigger a firm response from NATO.

Anti-submarine aircraft and naval forces have been deployed to actively track Russian submarines in combination with sonars deployed to the seabed and pressure them into leaving UK waters. Over the past six months, London has significantly increased patrol flights, and an anti-submarine Poseidon plane has flown over four hundred fifty hours near Russia’s borders, including in the Barents Sea, the Baltic Sea, and around Kaliningrad. These aircraft are specifically used to track submarines by dropping sonobuoys, and since their intense deployment, the Russian vessels have been forced out of British waters without being able to damage critical infrastructure. The operation was intended to deter hostile actions and prevent potential sabotage, and while the UK’s undersea network remains robust, the number of threats targeting it continues to increase, so additional defense measures were immediately put into action.

Coordinated efforts between the United Kingdom and Norway, aimed at strengthening their joint response to Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, were started, as British Defence Secretary John Healey and Norwegian Defence Minister Tore Sandvik signed a new defence agreement focused on improving coordination against undersea threats. A key element of the agreement is the creation of a joint fleet comprising thirteen vessels, eight British and five Norwegian, tasked with maintaining a continuous patrol presence along the strategically important Faroe-Iceland line. It is five hundred kilometers long gap, where Russian submarines must be intercepted and tracked before they disappear in the North Atlantic Ocean. These forces are responsible for monitoring and countering potential threats to critical undersea infrastructure, including cables and pipelines, as well as tracking Russian submarines operating in the region. The partnership also includes UK participation in Norway’s plans to develop drones and autonomous systems for Arctic operations, further enhancing surveillance and response capabilities. In addition, Norway will supply Naval Strike Missiles to the Royal Navy, and both countries will grant each other access to key military bases, Harstad and Bergen for the UK, and Portsmouth for Norway, strengthening operational flexibility and interoperability.

This cooperation is vital because Russia has repeatedly targeted European infrastructure before. In the Baltic Sea, Russian-linked operations have shown a systematic focus on damaging fiber-optic telecommunications cables, power lines, and gas pipelines. In total, at least six suspected sabotage cases and damage to eleven undersea cables have been reported since the start of the war in Ukraine. A recurring feature of these incidents is the involvement of vessels associated with Russia’s shadow fleet, which often display unusual behavior such as prolonged loitering or dragging anchors along known cable routes. Notably, many of the damage incidents have occurred en route to Russian ports or shortly after ships departed Russian waters. Forensic findings, such as extended drag marks on the seabed and damaged anchors, indicate that the damage was caused by deliberate actions. Additionally, Russia has spent years mapping undersea infrastructure in the Baltic using research vessels, submarines, and other specialized assets. The Russian naval doctrine explicitly identifies critical undersea infrastructure as a strategic vulnerability of the West that could be exploited, particularly in the early stages of a conflict, to disrupt communications and energy supplies.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Wow that is newsworthy and unprecedented. /nt

[niyad]

2. Thannk you for this important update.