Throughout the Cold War period the submarine forces of various western nations conducted numerous special operations such as harbour infiltrations,tailling etc.The thing I find hard to reconcile is did the Soviets really not realise that this was going on?The Walker family gave them access to key communications intelligence that must have given them a clue.I just find it hard to believe that this went on undetected for years.Did the Soviets try anything similar against the West?
Cold War submarine operations
- Thread starter Truculent
- Start date
They did. The "bells" operation, tapping a soviet undersea cable, was eventually compromised by a spy. The soviets then proceeded to play the "telephone game" with the west for various purposes; disinformation, out spies etc. Likewise the berlin tunnel operation [where the CIA dug under the soviet embassy to eavesdrop] was compromised from the start, with the soviets feeding all sorts of bs to the CIA when the berlin tunnel was completed.
The soviets had quite a bit of spies working for them, in the days when communisim was still an ideology people would take risks and die for. They infiltrated not just the US and the navy but also MI6 and allegedly MI5.
Of course mostly everything we read and hear about this comes from the people who's word you take huge grains of salt with, namely the intelligence community.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thank you both for your replies.I was just wondering if the Soviets were as aggressive in their submarine intelligence gathering as NATO or just waited for traitors to sell them the information they required?
It would be ironic if the Soviets were fully aware of the northern cruises and responded accordingly!
It would be ironic if the Soviets were fully aware of the northern cruises and responded accordingly!
My teacher (former captan of DeltaII sub) told that common task was to hold positions in sectors of pacific US coast -as close as 500 - 200 miles. Special devisions of Kilo- class subs were involved in data harvesting (noise signatures, sound velosity profiles, SOSUS gydrophone stations positioning and maintanance schedule), on positions not far from LA and San-Francisco. together with subsea tankers. "Harbour infiltration" were prohibited because of civil trafic as I know- no any information on attempts to get in ports at least on Pacific Ocean area.
Most navy bases in USSR had complex active acustic monitoring systems. I personnaly remember that navigation were closed for almost a day becouse of unrecognized submarine manuvers in fairway area of Vladivostok hurbour. All that kind of "Infiltrations" were observed. As I know in some cases it ends with depth bomb atack simulation - if intruder was assertive. In most cases sonars used in hi power to let em know they observed. In some cases local "water district defense brigade" did traning on searching and destroing this kind of targets. - So mostly it was kind of game everybody like to play. Intruder knows- nobody realy wants to destroy it - observer have good chance to train people and check eqipment on real target. Also data collected in such observation was qite useful. I wonder if there is some statistics on subs collisions with other subs or ships while such intrusions or other kind of cold war military games.
Most navy bases in USSR had complex active acustic monitoring systems. I personnaly remember that navigation were closed for almost a day becouse of unrecognized submarine manuvers in fairway area of Vladivostok hurbour. All that kind of "Infiltrations" were observed. As I know in some cases it ends with depth bomb atack simulation - if intruder was assertive. In most cases sonars used in hi power to let em know they observed. In some cases local "water district defense brigade" did traning on searching and destroing this kind of targets. - So mostly it was kind of game everybody like to play. Intruder knows- nobody realy wants to destroy it - observer have good chance to train people and check eqipment on real target. Also data collected in such observation was qite useful. I wonder if there is some statistics on subs collisions with other subs or ships while such intrusions or other kind of cold war military games.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
An interesting reply.If a nation had information that the opposition were going to stage a mission then perhaps the prospect of an interesting carrot would draw the quarry in so that instead of the opposition gathering data on you, the reality is that you were really gathering info on them!A classic double bluff and you know that the opposition will send their latest and best platform to do the gathering!It is akin to having a Michelin starred chef come to your home to cook for you for free!!