Russia and its submarines in particular are always interesting. Perhaps not to the same level as we watched them in the Cold War, but that could change. As Russian interest and involvement in the Arctic grow, our need to understand what they are doing there and what they might do increases. Global warming may be changing the physical nature of the Arctic, but it will be a long time before ships can use those waters freely. The nuclear-propelled submarine will remain the most versatile military vessel in the icy waters of the Arctic. Maybe, long-term Canadian defence plans should again look seriously at acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the RCN. If we are serious about reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, greater use of nuclear power at sea should be considered.
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One thought on “Russian submarine activity hits levels not seen since the Cold War: report”
Recipe for ending up without a Navy is to go after nuclear submarines. We ended up with fewer frigates and no submarines last time around. We will be fortunate to be able to justify any submarines, pushing for nuclear boats would be very unwise.