A Russian Navy flotilla from the Northern Fleet recently embarked on a significant training mission aimed at long-range strikes while en route to Cuba, positioning itself just 350 kilometers off the coast of the United States. This naval group comprises two formidable combat vessels: the Yasen-M Class nuclear-powered attack submarine Kazan and the Gorshkov Class frigate Admiral Gorshkov, both representing Russia's most advanced ocean-going surface and submarine combatants.
During the mission, these vessels executed simulated long-range strikes against enemy naval targets situated more than 600 kilometers away, as per the Russian Defense Ministry's statement. This exercise follows previous drills by Admiral Gorshkov, which involved simulated countermeasures against air raids using its guns and anti-aircraft systems.
So apparently Russia decided to conduct marine exercises with nuclear submarines just 66 miles off the coast of Florida.
— Richard (@ricwe123) June 12, 2024
What the US can do to Russia, Russia can do to the US....... pic.twitter.com/KZetJndlTp
The deployment of these ships to Cuba is viewed as Russia's response to heightened US military support for Ukraine, including supplying longer-range missiles for potential use against Russia and offering personnel and targeting data via aircraft and satellites to support such actions. The Yasen-M Class submarines and Gorshkov Class frigates are equipped with an array of cruise missiles, notably the new hypersonic Zircon, the P-800 anti-ship missile, the 3M54 Kalibr anti-ship missile, and the 3M14 Kalibr anti-surface missile.
Since 2019, both classes have been receiving priority deliveries of the Zircon missile, considered one of the world's most formidable cruise missiles due to its Mach 9 speed and 1,000-kilometer range. These missiles, if launched from near Cuba, could reach targets across much of Florida and beyond.
In response to the Russian naval presence, the US Navy deployed two destroyers and two support ships with sonar systems to monitor them closely. This move aimed to gather valuable data on the operations of these vessels and assess the stealth capabilities of the Yasen-M Class submarines.
The US Navy also deployed its P-8 Poseidon "submarine hunter" to search for the Russian submarine. Collaborating with the Royal Canadian Navy, the US conducted an extensive search operation, with the Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft dispatched by Ottawa to assist the P-8 Poseidon in its mission. Air traffic tracking apps captured screenshots of these aircraft circling within a defined quadrant as part of their search efforts, although there's no official update yet on the outcome of this joint naval mission.
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