Cornyn writes to the Navy's Admiral Jonathan Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations for an explanation:
"According to press reports, a Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine recently traveled undetected in the Gulf of Mexico on a month-long patrol. This submarine activity reportedly occurred in June and July, simultaneously with incursions by Russian strategic bombers into restricted U.S. airspace. If these reports are accurate, the repercussions are serious. It is my understanding that an Akula-class submarine can be armed with an array of weapons, including torpedoes and long-range cruise missiles, capable of destroying both U.S. nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. The submarine patrol, taken together with the air incursions, seems to represent a more aggressive and destabilizing Russian military stance that could pose risks to our national security. This is especially troubling given the drastic defense cuts sought by President Obama, which include reductions in funding for antisubmarine defense systems. In light of the gravity of this situation, I request a detailed explanation of the facts surrounding these reports. Thank you for your faithful service to our nation, your dedication to our Armed Forces, and your commitment to ensuring the welfare of our men and women in uniform and their families."MARK MAZZETTI and THOM SHANKER of the New York Tmes reported on August 4, that:
"..A pair of nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines has been patrolling off the eastern seaboard of the United States in recent days, a rare mission that has raised concerns inside the Pentagon and intelligence agencies about a more assertive stance by the Russian military...The episode has echoes of the cold war era, when the United States and the Soviet Union regularly parked submarines off each other’s coasts to steal military secrets, track the movements of their underwater fleets — and be poised for war...But the collapse of the Soviet Union all but eliminated the ability of the Russian Navy to operate far from home ports, making the current submarine patrols thousands of miles from Russia more surprising for military officials and defense policy experts..."Mazzetti and Shanker quoted a Defense Department spokesman:
“...'Anytime the Russian Navy does something so out of the ordinary it is cause for worry,' said a senior Defense Department official who has been monitoring reports on the submarines’ activities...The official said the Navy was able to track the submarines as they made their way through international waters off the American coastline. This can be done from aircraft, ships, underwater sensors or other submarines...'We’ve known where they were, and we’re not concerned about our ability to track the subs,' the official added. 'We’re concerned just because they are there.'..."
