Russian ‘black hole’ submarine intercepted in English channel just days after Royal Navy’s warning over Putin’s threat to UK

A Russian submarine was shadowed through UK waters by the Royal Navy during a powerful storm, in what officials described as a tightly coordinated three day tracking operation. Dramatic images showed Vladimir Putins stealthy black hole submarine moving through the English Channel, closely monitored by British forces. The Soviet era vessel, Krasnodar, was followed by support ship RFA Tidesurge, which carried a Merlin helicopter for airborne surveillance. The submarine and its accompanying tug, Altay, travelled from the North Sea, passed through the Strait of Dover, and then entered the English Channel under constant watch. Captain James Allen, commanding officer of RFA Tidesurge, said: There is nothing like a Russian submarine to focus the mind for any mariner. Lieutenant Commander David Emery, flight commander of 814 Naval Air Squadrons Atlantic Flight, added: Maintaining an overt presence and continued overwatch of Russian vessels in UK waters is vital for national security. Despite the rough weather, the submarine sailed on the surface until it reached waters near the island of Ushant, off north west France, where monitoring responsibilities were handed over to a NATO partner.  The Kilo class submarine is known for its stealth capabilities and has been dubbed Black Hole by some in the US Navy. Designed in the 1970s by the Soviet Union, the submarines remain a key part of Russias naval force, equipped with torpedoes, naval mines, and Kalibr cruise missiles capable of long range strikes. This operation follows a similar incident in July, when Portsmouth based patrol ship HMS Mersey, a Wildcat helicopter, and a submarine hunting Merlin aircraft tracked another Russian submarine, Novorossiysk, as it passed through UK waters. Earlier this week, Defence Secretary John Healey unveiled plans to protect critical undersea cables and pipelines from Russian submarine activity through a new programme called the Atlantic Bastion. The Ministry of Defence said the initiative was in direct response to the resurgence in Russian submarine and underwater activity. A specialist Merlin helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron and the RFA tanker Tidesurge shadowed the Kilo class submarine Krasnodar during the latest operation. The Royal Navy said Russian vessels threatening UK waters have increased by 30 per cent over the past two years.  During a recent visit to Portsmouth, Healey warned: We track what their ships do. We track what their submarines are doing. We know that they are mapping our undersea cables and our networks and our pipelines, and we know that they are developing new capabilities all the time to put those at risk. Atlantic Bastion will consist of drones, gliders and surveillance aircraft designed to secure the UKs critical underwater infrastructure. The UK and Norway also recently signed the Lunna House defence pact to strengthen protection of vital undersea cables. In September, the parliamentary National Security Committee warned that Britain was not confident in its ability to defend its submarine cable network, adding that a successful attack would cause catastrophic disruption.The post Russian black hole submarine intercepted in English channel just days after Royal Navy’s warning over Putin’s threat to UK appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.