M10news – In a rare display of military strength, the US Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine, USS Tennessee, surfaced in the Norwegian Sea on Tuesday.
The ballistic submarine was accompanied by a guided missile cruiser and two naval aircraft, signalling a solid message amid escalating tensions with Russia.
This demonstration follows Russia’s recent deployment of a nuclear-powered submarine and naval fleet to Cuba, as well as ongoing war games conducted by the Kremlin in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Russian missile cruiser Varyag, currently stationed in the Mediterranean, has been conducting drills that include simulated attacks on enemy ships and submarines and countering kamikaze drones and other airborne threats.
The USS Tennessee, capable of carrying up to 20 Trident nuclear missiles, showcased “multi-domain readiness in action,” according to a spokesperson for the US 6th Fleet.
This public surfacing is seen as a direct response to Russia’s maritime activities and an assertion of US naval presence in the region.
Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, described the USS Tennessee’s appearance as “a blunt signal to Russia.” He noted that the US Navy’s increasing transparency regarding the locations of its nuclear submarines in the North Atlantic since 2020 reflects a strategic shift.
The E-6B Mercury, one of the naval aircraft involved, conducted operations off the coast of Norway on Sunday, further indicating forward operations with nuclear missile submarines.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin continues to project its maritime power with the Varyag, the flagship of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, conducting joint exercises with the Egyptian Navy and docking at the Libyan port of Tobruk.
Despite restrictions imposed by the Montreux Convention, which prevent Russian warships from accessing the Black Sea via the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, Russia aims to assert itself as a global power.
Since April, the Varyag’s presence in the Mediterranean and its anticipated voyage to Latin America highlight Russia’s efforts to challenge Western dominance on the world stage.
