Nuclear-Armed US Submarine Surfaces Near Europe
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A United States submarine armed with nuclear ballistic missiles recently operated in the North Atlantic Ocean near Portugal's Azores islands, the Navy confirmed to Newsweek.
The presence of USS Maryland, an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, coincided with the deployment of an E-6B Mercury aircraft—capable of communicating with nuclear-armed submarines. The Navy also confirmed to Newsweek the aircraft's presence in the region.
Why It Matters
While ballistic missile submarines are tasked with deterrent patrols and launching missiles if necessary, it has not been uncommon for the Navy to publicize their movements in recent years—including participating in exercises with other units and preparing for deployments.
What To Know
The U.S. Navy operates a fleet of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, each capable of carrying up to 20 submarine-launched ballistic missiles armed with multiple nuclear warheads. The fleet is split between two home ports on the East and West Coasts.
CNN Portugal reported that a U.S. nuclear submarine arrived at the port of Praia da Vitória, on the island of Terceira in the Azores, on Sunday afternoon. The report, which described the visit as "extremely rare," identified the submarine as the Pacific-based USS Michigan.
Praia da Vitória is in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 944 miles west of mainland Portugal.
Commander Tim Gorman, U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson, told Newsweek that the submarine in question was the Maryland, not the Michigan. The Maryland—homeported in Kings Bay, Georgia—"operated in the vicinity of the Azores and conducted a brief stop for personnel."
It remains unclear whether the Maryland was conducting a patrol at the time. It and its sister ships normally spend 77 days underway at sea with either the Blue or Gold crew. This two-crew system maximizes the submarine's "strategic availability," according to the Navy.
This was not the first time the Navy simultaneously deployed a ballistic missile submarine and an E-6B aircraft in the Sixth Fleet's area of responsibility—a vast region that covers half the Atlantic Ocean and all of Europe—according to a map shown on the fleet's website.
Just over a year ago, on June 23, one of the Maryland's sister ships, USS Tennessee, was transiting on the surface in the Norwegian Sea while an E-6B aircraft flew overhead.
"It's certainly true that where Ohio [ballistic missile submarines] go, in general, an E-6B is usually not that far away," the specialist outlet The War Zone commented at the time.
The United States Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS "Maryland" returns to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, on May 26, 2022.
The United States Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS "Maryland" returns to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, on May 26, 2022.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Xavier Saldana/U.S. Navy
Meanwhile, the Michigan, homeported in Bangor, Washington, is one of four Ohio-class guided-missile submarines. Originally armed with nuclear ballistic missiles, it was later converted to carry up to 154 cruise missiles, used for conventional land-attack missions.
Last December, the Navy awarded the crew of the Michigan for "extremely meritorious service" between October 2022 and January 2024, after completing three "missions vital to national security" that significantly enhanced warfighting readiness in the Western Pacific.
What People Are Saying
Commander Tim Gorman, U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson, told Newsweek: "These evolutions enhance the [ballistic missile submarine] force's resupply capabilities, strengthen cooperation between the United States and European Allies, and demonstrate U.S. capability, readiness, flexibility, and continuing commitment as part of NATO."
A U.S. Navy spokesperson told Newsweek: "The U.S. Navy can confirm that an E-6B Mercury aircraft did operate over the North Atlantic Ocean. We operate aircraft and vessels wherever international law allows and coordinate closely with allies and partners to address shared security concerns."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. military will disclose additional activities of its nuclear forces to demonstrate its deterrent capabilities, as other major nuclear-armed states—including Russia and China—continue to modernize and expand their arsenals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Goose droppings plague Finland's short and precious summers
Now, after Sisyphean summers facing down the fowl's feces, he thinks that he just may have found a solution: a wheeled cage with a strong resemblance to an old-fashioned hand lawn mower that is meant to sift the dirtied sand and whisk up only the offending feces. The contraption may be Helsinki's most innovative poop-fighting effort yet. It is being tested this summer on about half the city's 25 public beaches. It was designed in-house by beach staff members, who drew inspiration from a public competition last year meant to crowdsource poop-scooping ideas. Advertisement Finns are hardly alone in their fight against goose droppings, which can carry dangerous germs like E. coli and Salmonella. In other places, officials fight the problem at its source: the birds themselves. In recent years, Canadians have tried to relocate the geese, New Yorkers hired a patrol dog, and Californians moved to cull them. Advertisement But Finland does not allow culling, and hunting geese in urban Helsinki would not be a feasible option anyway. The Finns are desperate for solutions because their summers are precious. They live so far north, two months are about all they get. However brief, the summers they do get can sometimes be unpredictably hot, with this past Sunday marking the 16th consecutive day that temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit, somewhere in Finland — a record. So on a recent afternoon — a warm day in a city where anything over 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 Celsius) is considered hot — Pauli Puirava biked with his wife and two children to Hietsu Beach, whose formal name is Hietaranta. They brought some nuts and a few juice boxes for their children, five and eight. 'The summer is so short,' said Puirava, an entrepreneur, pharmacist, and restaurateur. 'We really have to make the most out of it.' Helsinki's humans are not the only ones who gravitate to the beach in summer. Last July, according to the Finnish Environment Institute, researchers counted about 5,300 geese in the Helsinki area. The plump birds are everywhere. They jaywalk across bike paths, swagger through crosswalks barefoot like the Beatles, preen in the parks, and sometimes strut between office buildings and cultural landmarks in the city center. In parks, the problem can be even worse, with the droppings matting the grass and squishing into the treads of shoes. At the beach, sunbathers must check the sand before they lay down their blankets. Beach volleyball players hope that a dive does not bring them face-to-face with the feces. And parents, like Puirava, keep a watchful eye out so their young children do not end up putting the droppings in their mouths. Advertisement 'You have to watch your every step,' he said. 'Wherever you go outdoors in Helsinki, there is nowhere without goose poop.' To keep up with the cleaning demands, the ranks of summer maintenance workers have grown in the past decade, Lundgren said. Some beaches can see well over 40 pounds of excrement a day, he said. His team keeps looking for new solutions. They once tried to mix the poop into the sand, which just dirtied the water, he said. They tried to scare the geese by broadcasting the sounds of sea eagles, but the geese quickly got wise to it. He even considered hiring gig workers, in this case, skilled patrol dogs, as have other Finnish cities. But, he said, the few eligible dogs would have been too expensive. 'And,' he lamented, 'they would have been able to get there only a couple of times per week.' The latest hope was the new wheeled contraption that the summer maintenance crew at Hietsu Beach rolled out to use, said crew leader Minni Aakko. But they soon found it was heavy, she said, dragging on wet sand. Now, the machine that was supposed to be the solution mostly sits in the storage room. So Aakko has returned to the old-fashioned method: scooping up goose poop with a spade and rubbery gloves. She finds the work almost meditative, she said. But the smell — grassy, a little mildewy, and undeniably fecal — can linger. 'It's not bad work,' she said. 'But it's not my favorite job here.' This article originally appeared in Advertisement
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ashland SWCD and Farm Bureau to honor conservation leaders Aug. 18
The Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Ashland County Farm Bureau are teaming for their annual meeting on Aug. 18 at Ashland University's Myers Convocation Center in Ashland. Attendees may to vote in the SWCD supervisor election, provide feedback on local Farm Bureau policy initiatives and recognize conservation and agricultural leaders in the county, according to an announcement. The Ashland SWCD will honor Rooks Brothers Farms as their Cooperator of the Year. 'When we select a cooperator of the year, we look for someone enthusiastic about conservation and making a difference in the long-term sustainability of their farm,' Jane Houin, Ashland SWCD director, said in the announcement. 'The Rooks family are long-term advocates for conservation-focused agriculture, from being long-term participants in our Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District cover crop program to being one of the first farms to jump on board the new H2Ohio expansion into Ashland County.' Houin said Bob Rooks went to extraordinary measures to ensure the family farm could take advantage of voluntary conservation opportunities, including completing enrollment from a hospital bed. More awards to be presented John Jolliff will be recognized as the district's 2025 Horizon Award winner. The award honors a long-time pioneer and advocate for conservation in Ashland County. 'For decades, woodland owners in Ashland and surrounding counties have been able to rely on the expertise, advice, and input of Ohio Department of Natural Resources Service Forester John Jolliff,' Houin said. 'John has shared his knowledge, wisdom and experience with landowners to help make a difference in the health and long-term sustainability of local woodlands, and the fact that he is an Ashland County resident just makes that even sweeter.' Tim and Paula Lavey will be honored as the district's 2025 Volunteers of the Year. 'One of the first programs our board planned in 2021 as they looked to reinvest and revitalize the Hazel Willis woods was a certified volunteer naturalist program, and the Laveys were participants in that first class,' Houin said. 'Since that time, they have been tireless volunteers for our district, from serving as speakers at Conservation Chats to helping to lead invasive plant removal projects at the Hazel Willis woods. Our district just could not find two better advocates for the voluntary conservation our district is built upon.' Voting for SWCD supervisor now underway Meeting attendees can vote in the annual Ashland SWCD supervisor election. All landowners and residents 18 years and older within Ashland County are eligible to vote in the election, which determines the board of supervisors to set the direction and priorities for Ashland SWCD. Voting will take place through Aug. 22 at the Ashland SWCD office at 100 Cottage St., in addition to at the annual meeting on Aug. 18. Voting is also available through absentee ballot. Supervisors are elected to a three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Candidates on this year's ballot are Valerie Hall, Kent McGovern and Justin Ringler. For more information on how to vote in the election, contact the Ashland SWCD office at 419-281-7645. Registration for the meeting is $5 per person and includes dinner. Registrations must be received by Aug. 10 by calling the Ashland SWCD office at 419-281-7645. This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland SWCD and Farm Bureau annual meeting set for Aug. 18 Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
16 hours ago
- Newsweek
China's Submarine Rescue Ship Detected Sailing Toward Russia
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Chinese naval vessel designed to rescue submarines in distress was spotted last week while transiting waters near Japan—a key ally of the United States in Northeast Asia—and apparently en route to Russia. The presence of the Chinese submarine rescue ship coincided with Russian naval drills that spanned the Northern Hemisphere, including the Pacific Ocean, from July 23-27. Newsweek has contacted both China's defense and foreign ministries for comment via email. Why It Matters Japan forms part of the first island chain—alongside Taiwan and the Philippines—under a U.S. containment strategy aimed at limiting China's military activities across the Western Pacific. Tokyo routinely reports Chinese aircraft and ships operating near its territory. China, which operates the world's largest navy by hull count, with more than 370 ships and submarines, has been expanding its military presence beyond the first island chain and into the second, formed in part by the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. In June, two Chinese aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the broader Western Pacific in a sign of Beijing's maturing operations in what it calls the "far seas." What To Know The Joint Staff Office of Japan's Defense Ministry said a Chinese navy Dakai-class submarine rescue vessel with the hull number 841 was observed sailing in the East China Sea on July 24, marking the first time the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force had identified the ship. On Friday, the Chinese naval vessel passed through the Tsushima Strait and entered the Sea of Japan—known as the East Sea in the two Koreas—according to the report. The Sea of Japan borders the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese archipelago and Russia's Far East. The vessel, also known as the Type 927 submarine support ship, is one of three ships of its class built by China, according to Australia-based naval analyst Alex Luck, who writes about Chinese naval developments for the specialist outlet Naval News. "The Chinese Navy has been significantly expanding their submarine salvage capability with two new designs," Luck told Newsweek, referring to the Dakai and Dafeng ship classes. A Chinese Dakai-class submarine rescue vessel transits the East China Sea on July 24, 2025. A Chinese Dakai-class submarine rescue vessel transits the East China Sea on July 24, 2025. Joint Staff of Japan's Defense Ministry Luck described both classes as large, modern vessels that considerably enhance the "capability and range for Chinese submarine salvage and support operations." Given the significant expansion and ongoing modernization of China's submarine fleet, he said it was "very much plausible" that a submarine was part of the Dakai-class vessel's deployment. In its latest report on China's military development, the Pentagon assessed that the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)—the official name of China's navy—has "highly prioritized" the modernization of its submarine fleet, which is expected to grow from 60 to 80 vessels by 2035. What People Are Saying Australia-based naval analyst Alex Luck told Newsweek: "Generally speaking, the Chinese navy would want to ensure their logistics support chain in the context of significantly expanded submarine operations particularly for the nuclear-powered fleet. Therefore this deployment is yet another sign of things to come." The Pentagon said in its 2024 China military power report: "The PLAN operates six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN), and 48 diesel powered/air-independent powered attack submarines (SS). Despite the ongoing retirement of older hulls, the PLAN's submarine force is expected to grow to 65 units by 2025 and 80 units by 2035 due to an expansion of submarine construction capacity." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Japanese military will detect the Chinese submarine rescue ship on its return journey—or even track a Chinese submarine operating near its territory.
