Finally a task for Russia's submarines

Russia's submarine fleet has finally reclaimed a national pride duty. At the beginning of August two smaller submarines descended on the North Pole underwater seaflor and planted a Russian flag there to cement the country's claim on the area oil and other resources.

The biggest agglomeration of Russia's nuclear submarine fleet is found in the Mursmansk area on the Kola peninsula. Zapadnaya Litsa is the most important naval station with its bases Andreeva Bay, Bolshaya Lopatka, Malaya Lopatka, and Nerpicha [Nerpichya]. All can be viewed openly on Google Earth (69°27'00"N 32°22'00"E).

As SIPRI points out in its 2006 yearbook, Russia has quite a fleet on the Kola peninsula.

"In 2005 the Russian Navy deployed 13 SSBNs with the Northern and Pacific fleets. Of these, six were Delta III (Project 667BDR Kalmar) submarines.26 Some experts suggest that the submarines of this class, which first entered service in 1982, may be retired during the next few years.27 The Navy continues to operate seven Delta IV Class (Project 667BDRM Delfin) submarines. One SSBN has been paid off and is currently being refitted as a special-purpose submarine. The six remaining SSBNs—Verkhotur’e, Yekaterinburg, Novomoskovsk, Tula, Bryansk and Kareliya—are based in the Northern Fleet."

Soon a new face will be seen up there the "Borei Class". We are already very impatient how this new class will be able to even more quickly plant Russian flags on the sea floor.