NATO’s nightmare: Spanish Navy intercepts stealthy Russian submarine in the Mediterranean.
A helicopter flying over an M36 Tajo minehunter of the Spanish Navy during an exercise.
Credit: Shutterstock, StockPhotoAstur
A sneaky Russian submarine rippling near the Balearic Islands has got NATO on high alert:
The Spanish Armada’s rapid-response ship, BAM Tornado, tracked the stealthy Russian war submarine Novorossiysk as it sailed south of the Balearic Islands, setting off a high-stakes operation of surveillance and deterrence in the heart of the Mediterranean.
This 76-metre beast, armed to the teeth with six torpedo launchers and mines, is no ordinary vessel. Hailing from Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the Novorossiysk boasts the stealthy, almost invisible technology of the Varshavianka class, also known as the Kilo class, which NATO has dubbed the ‘black hole of the sea’ due to how hard it is to detect.
Russian sub ‘slipped through’ with NATO in hot pursuit
The Novorossiysk made its move through the Balearics after coming from the Eastern Mediterranean, where its home base, Tartus, has been left in limbo following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 9, 2024. With the future of the Russian naval base uncertain, this submarine’s presence has raised alarm bells across Europe.
But the Spanish Navy wasn’t letting the Novorossiysk slip by unnoticed. The BAM Tornado, a cutting-edge warship, shadowed the Russian vessel all the way from the Mediterranean, keeping a close eye until it crossed into Portuguese waters. And just when it looked like the submarine might escape, Spain’s Blas de Lezo frigate took over the surveillance as the Novorossiysk neared Galicia, close to the border with Portugal. It was a game of cat and mouse.
The Novorossiysk isn’t just any old submarine. It’s the first of its kind in Russia’s Black Sea fleet to come equipped with stealth technology that makes it nearly undetectable to radar. It can dive to depths of 300 metres, making it one of the most sophisticated and stealthy subs on the planet. Its six 533mm torpedo tubes and mines pack a serious punch, making it a major concern for naval forces in the Mediterranean.
Spanish Navy stayed on the trail, then handed over to French forces
The Novorossiysk’s path was closely monitored as it sailed northward, but the Spanish Navy wasn’t done yet. After the Blas de Lezo took charge of tracking the sub off Galicia, responsibility for the Russian vessel was handed over to French naval forces, ensuring that this shadowy presence in European waters won’t go unnoticed for long.
While NATO works to keep its finger on the pulse of Russian naval movements, the Novorossiysk’s stealthy, unpredictable movements have kept Europe’s military on edge, and the battle for supremacy beneath the waves is far from over.
Stay tuned.
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