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American Military News
06-08-2025
- Science
- American Military News
Tsunami Damages Russian Nuclear Submarine Base
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. A tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30 appears to have damaged the Rybachiy naval base — Russia's main base for nuclear submarines in the Pacific. Satellite imagery showed that one of the base's floating piers had been damaged. The 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurred just 140 kilometers from the base. Two of Russia's Yasen-class nuclear-powered attack submarines were seen docked at the base prior to the tsunami. Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute, told The Telegraph that a surface ship, not a submarine, was docked at the damaged pier, and there was no evidence of damage besides that to the pier. The quake is the strongest seismic event in the region since 1952, according to Russia's Geophysical Service of the Academy of Sciences. The earthquake highlights Kamchatka's location in one of the world's most active seismic zones — the Pacific Ring of Fire — where tectonic movements frequently generate powerful earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Newsweek
01-08-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Russian Nuclear Submarine Base Damaged By Tsunami: Satellite Images
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 tsunami that hit Russia's Pacific coast on Wednesday damaged the country's Rybachiy nuclear submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula, satellite imagery suggests. The images were taken by the U.S. space technology company Umbra Space and posted by engineer Logan Garbarini who compared them to Google/Maxar images from earlier this year to show what the base looked like before and after the tsunami hit. Why it Matters The Rybachiy base is the primary housing facility for Russia's Pacific Fleet nuclear submarines and serves as one of the closest Russian military outposts to the United States. The base's role in Russian naval strategy makes any threat to its operational capabilities significant, not only for Russia but also for U.S.-Russia security dynamics. What To Know The tsunami followed a 8.8 magnitude offshore earthquake centered roughly 75 miles from the base, impacting the country's Pacific coastline in the early hours of Wednesday. The Rybachiy nuclear submarine base, located inside Avacha Bay, is believed to have endured a direct hit from the waves within 15 minutes of the initial quake, according to analysis by the British newspaper The Telegraph. Images show that a pier section at the base was visibly bent and appeared detached from its moorings. Got the images back from Rybachiy Submarine Base (52.9112°, 158.49244°). Acquired 2025-07-30 10:18Z. Some notable changes: looks like a pier snapped in half from the wave. First image is Google/Maxar from earlier this year, second image is Umbra SAR post-event. — Logan Garbarini (@LoganGarbarini) July 31, 2025 Although two Yasen-class nuclear-powered submarines were docked at the facility before the incident, there was no evidence they sustained damage, Dr. Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told The Telegraph. Outside the base, other coastal areas, including the port of Severo-Kurilsk, experienced significant flooding and infrastructure destruction, with local footage showing waves up to five meters high. Russia's emergency alert systems and construction standards for critical infrastructure, which account for seismic threats, were credited with avoiding casualties at Rybachiy. Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry, via email, for comment. In this image taken from a video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers inspect a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. In this image taken from a video released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers inspect a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. AP What People Are Saying Retired Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe said: "If the base assumption is that a wave got in there and bent that jetty then yes, what else did it do?" The Kremlin said that regional authorities on Kamchatka were well prepared for the quake. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the warnings were issued in time, and people were quickly evacuated from dangerous areas. He added that the buildings proved resilient to shocks. What Happens Next Repair efforts appeared to be underway, as satellite images identified a tugboat operating near the damaged pier. Analysts predicted that the Russian navy would assess the current construction standards for piers at Rybachiy, and possibly update them, to mitigate future vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, there has been no official indication of any impact on Russian military operations, and global monitoring continues for further aftershocks or related events in the region. The Pacific seismic activity, which also triggered evacuations as far as Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific coast of South America, remains of concern for both regional stability and critical infrastructure readiness.
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."
