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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The United States and Russia have recently sent nuclear-powered submarines for Pacific missions, as Washington and Moscow continue to demonstrate their military capabilities.
The U.S. Navy said the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Springfield reaffirmed its vital role in maintaining security and stability in the region during a routine deployment.
Meanwhile, distinguished Russian navy crew members assigned to the Yasen-M-class cruise missile submarine Krasnoyarsk were awarded medals and promoted to higher military ranks.
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Why It Matters
Serving as underwater combat platforms, submarines can operate undetected for extended periods using nuclear propulsion. Both U.S. and Russian submarines are capable of launching torpedoes and missiles for anti-submarine, anti-surface and land-attack missions.
The submarine missions were part of American and Russian naval activities in the Pacific last month. While Russia conducted a joint patrol with China, it appeared to be shadowed by a U.S. destroyer, which the Navy said was ensuring security and stability in the region.
The disclosure of submarine deployments also comes after the highly anticipated U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska on August 15 to discuss the war in Ukraine, which U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were unable to turn into a ceasefire agreement.
What To Know
The Submarine Squadron 15, a U.S. Navy unit operated out of Naval Base Guam, said the Springfield completed a deployment in the Indo-Pacific region and returned to the base on Sunday. Guam, the westernmost U.S. territory, is home to five nuclear-powered submarines.
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During the deployment, the start date of which was not officially disclosed, the submarine carried out missions vital to national security, reinforced regional deterrence and enhanced its operational capabilities. It also made at least two port visits to Japan during the voyage.
The Springfield was spotted at Sasebo Naval Base on May 17 and reported at White Beach Naval Facility in Uruma on August 13. Sasebo is on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, while Uruma is on the southwestern outlying island of Okinawa.
Captain Neil Steinhagen, the commander of the Submarine Squadron 15, praised the Springfield for demonstrating the strength and professionalism of the U.S. submarine force and for playing a critical role in sustaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, a news release said.
According to the U.S. Navy, each Los Angeles-class submarine is equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk cruise missiles and four torpedo tubes for MK-48 torpedoes.
On Tuesday, the Russian Pacific Fleet said the Krasnoyarsk had returned to its base on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East after a three-month voyage. During the deployment, the submarine completed tasks in the fleet's area of responsibility, covering more than 11,500 miles.
Defense outlet Naval News has described the *Yasen-M-*class as Russia's "most modern and powerful" attack submarine in service. Each vessel is equipped with 32 vertical launch tubes for three types of anti-surface and land-attack cruise missiles, as well as 10 torpedo tubes.
Commissioned in December 2023, the Krasnoyarsk transited across the Arctic in September, shifting from the Russian Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea to the Pacific Fleet.
While the Krasnoyarsk's tasks of the deployment remained unclear, the Russian Pacific Fleet said the submarine's crew would resume scheduled combat training after a period of rest.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Navy Submarine Squadron 15 said in a news release on Sunday: "Renowned for their speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, fast-attack submarines are the backbone of the Navy's submarine force. Regarded as apex predators of the sea, Guam's fast-attack submarines serve at the tip of the spear, reaffirming the submarine force's forward-deployed presence in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific."
Russian presidential aide and Chairman of the Maritime Board Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview on Tuesday: "Building up our defensive potential in the Far East and strengthening our naval power in the Pacific is one of the priorities of military development. The Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy shows excellent training and a high level of combat readiness, which was demonstrated, among other things, by the July Storm exercises."
What Happens Next
As the U.S. and Russia continue their submarine and ship deployments in the Pacific, it remains to be seen whether their undersea and surface forces will come into contact.
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