Russia's New Submarines Are Being Noticed By The West

© Sputnik/ V. Kiselev

David Axe, Daily Beast: Russia’s Mysterious New Submarine

It looks like the Moscow vs. the USS Jimmy Carter. But can the Kremlin afford the ship’s new technology?

On August 11 at the port of Severodvinsk in northern Russia, a huge and imposing black shape emerged from a dry dock, observed by ranks of uniformed dignitaries. The Russian navy’s latest submarine is 574 feet long, displaces no fewer than 18,000 tons of water and packs two nuclear reactors.

Named Moscow, she’s actually a refurbished, 1980s-vintage ballistic-missile sub that once prowled underneath the Arctic ice, cradling nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, awaiting Armageddon.

Today, as best as any outside observer can tell, the Moscow has a new mission. She appears to be part science vessel, part spy ship, part commando transport, and part “mothership” for mini-subs and drones.

WNU Editor: Here is a Russian "puff-piece" on Russia's evolving submarine fleet .... Kremlin's New Sub: Russians Are 'Far More Innovative' Than US Ever Was (Sputnik).

Update: The U.S. also has its "secret submarines" .... This is the U.S. Navy's most secretive submarine (David Axe, The Week/War Is Boring).