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Business Insider
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
NATO is stepping up its anti-submarine warfare game — this flying hunter is key, top admiral says
NATO forces have seen noticeable improvements in anti-submarine operations in recent years, due in part to investments in more capable technology and surveillance platforms, a top US admiral told Business Insider on Wednesday. Adm. Stuart Munsch, the commander of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said that NATO has become increasingly involved and proficient in anti-submarine missions in the Atlantic Ocean and in the High North region. "They're to be applauded for their efforts," Munsch told BI during a phone interview from Iceland, where a US nuclear-powered submarine just made a historic first port visit. "That is one thing that has changed — I would say quite noticeably — over time." The US and its NATO allies are increasingly concerned about Russia's growing military activity, including its underwater presence, around the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. Western officials in recent years have drawn attention to Russia's submarine activity around the European continent, making it critical that NATO has the appropriate tools and systems to track these vessels and counter them if needed. Munsch said anti-submarine warfare is one of the hardest missions to execute in naval operations. The tasks are highly complex, personnel involved need to be highly proficient in the systems, and the technology must be tough and resilient to work effectively in the undersea environment. Russia has very capable submarines, such as the Yasen-class submarines, that are very difficult to track, making missions to keep tabs on their boats even more challenging. These assets represent real threats to NATO, so the alliance monitors the subs closely. "With the purchase of new ships and aircraft, and equipment, the technology has gotten progressively better among allies, and then bringing that all together with exercises," Munsch said. "So, in the realm of naval aviation, it supports anti-submarine warfare." Munsch specifically singled out an uptick in the procurement of the P-8 Poseidon by several NATO allies. The plane is a highly capable multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft made by American aerospace company Boeing and developed for the US Navy to replace the P-3 Orion. The P-8, a derivative of the civilian 737-800, can carry out anti-submarine warfare, maritime patrol, and reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with advanced technology, such as a synthetic aperture radar, an infrared sensor turret, and heightened acoustic capabilities. The aircraft carries sonobuoys and can also be armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles. In addition to the US, which flies dozens of P-8s, the UK, Norway, and Germany all collectively operate a handful of these aircraft. Canada, another ally, will join them in the coming years. NATO countries operating the P-8 also share their facilities, and even though Iceland doesn't fly the aircraft, the country allows the alliance to use its bases for deployments and maintenance, making it easier for operators to work together, Munsch said. Last year, for instance, Germany and the UK signed a key defense pact that will see Berlin periodically operate its P-8s out of a Royal Air Force base in Scotland, from which they will conduct patrols over the North Atlantic. Munsch said that the ability for the US to collaborate with NATO allies on high-end naval warfare "has gone up significantly" compared to that of previous years, and that is a major advantage. He said these efforts are not necessarily a reflection of anything new. Russia has been engaged in aggressive behavior for years now, especially from the onset of its initial 2014 invasion of Ukraine, and procuring large platforms like aircraft is a yearslong process. But it is coming together more noticeably to boost capability. Amid a surge in defense spending since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, NATO militaries have also made more recent purchases directly driven by war, such as uncrewed and autonomous systems. The P-8s are just one of many tools that the US and NATO militaries have to monitor Russia's submarine force, one of the largest fleets in the world, with an estimated 64 active vessels capable of carrying powerful cruise and ballistic missiles. Western forces can also track Russia with their own submarines, as well as helicopters and patrol vessels, which the UK demonstrated just a few days ago. Meanwhile, drones are increasingly proving capable of underwater surveillance missions. "The Russians recognize that much of their status and influence in the world stems from their military activity," Munsch said, adding that Moscow's submarine force is among its greatest strengths. When Russia "had significant budget problems after the Cold War, among the things that they did focus on maintaining was their ability to operate in the undersea environment," Munsch said. That, he added, is partly "why the United States Navy maintained our proficiency and our operations the way that we did, to make sure that we were always in a position that we could counter whatever Russia might be doing."
Business Insider
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
A US Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine just made an unprecedented stop. A top admiral says it sent a message.
A US Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine stopped in Iceland for the first time on Wednesday. A top admiral told Business Insider that the unprecedented port call sent a message to American foes. The first-of-its-kind visit to the Nordic island nation by the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Newport News comes as the US and NATO allies look with increasing concern at the growing Russian military activity across the Arctic and High North. Adm. Stuart Munsch, the commander of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said there is value in having different options throughout the region where American submarines can make port visits. Speaking to BI in a phone interview from the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, Munsch said the submarine port call is "also important for the strategic signal it sends to adversaries about our presence in the area" and for the reassurance it provides to US allies. The US views Iceland as a centerpiece within its Arctic strategy due to its strategic location. The country joined NATO as a founding member in 1949, but unlike other members of the alliance, it does not have a military. It, however, hosted Western troops during the Cold War, including a major American presence. "The US, for many decades, maintained a naval air base here," the admiral said of Iceland, and relied on assets stationed in the country "to track Soviet submarine operations, then Russian submarine operations." Munsch said "it's important to us to have additional options for where we can make strong port calls" and maintain a strong presence in the region that stretches from Greenland to Iceland and the United Kingdom. That's a key point made in the Pentagon's 2024 Arctic Strategy. While the strategy outlines Russia's increasing military and economic interest in the Arctic, it also draws attention to China's efforts to expand its influence in the region. The US sees Iceland as a key element of its security and deterrence efforts, as these two US rivals seek to project power into the strategic area. Erin Sawyer, chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Iceland, said in a statement Wednesday that Washington and Reykjavik "maintain the shared goal of low tension in the Arctic, with full awareness of Russia's efforts to build its military presence in the region." The Navy has been working with the Icelandic government for years, but mainly from a distance. For instance, an American vessel would pull up off the coast and maybe change out personnel or bring aboard supplies. In 2023, Iceland welcomed the first US nuclear-powered sub into its territorial waters. But Newport News' arrival in port this week — tied up to a pier and sending crew members ashore — marks a new moment in the relationship, Munsch said. Just over 40 Los Angeles-class submarines are in active service, making up a significant portion of the Navy's fast-attack submarine fleet. Newer Virginia-class vessels have, however, taken on an increasingly central role. USS Newport News, a late-1980s Los Angeles-class sub, is armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles and torpedoes and has conducted missions around the globe. US undersea capabilities are considered a cornerstone of American naval power. "The submarine force has been operating globally for many decades now," Munsch said, "and there's really no region that we have ever ceded to anyone else."
