MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Sunday launched its first new generation nuclear submarine since the fall of the Soviet Union as the Kremlin seeks to upgrade its undersea nuclear strike force. The long delayed Yuri Dolgoruky, the first Borei-class (Arctic Wind) nuclear submarine, was moved to the dry docks at a highly secret submarine base in the Arctic town of Severodvinsk, the heart of Russia's northern submarine fleet.
Here's the highly secret base of Severodvinsk, near Archangel:
Drilling down, and what do you see, our old friend, the Kiev class aircraft cruiser Admiral Gorshkov:
She's being refitted for use in the Indian Navy as the INS Vikramaditya.
Full disclosure, as a phrap, Phred wanted to join the Navy. I figured it was as close as I could get to Starfleet. My love of ships has not quiet left me. I remember when the SOVUNION started flooding the seas with the Kiev.s, Kirov's and Kuznetsovs. Scary days indeed.
As part of the Superpower contest, the SOVUNION started building a blue water Navy to compete with us Merkins. Carrier Battlegroups, along with Nuclear Weapons, Space Program, Big Armies and Clients were considered de riguer for any respectable Superpower.
But the SOVUNION, a continental power, never quiet got the hang of Carriers. Largely do to the expense and complexity of maintaining them.
Today, the CHICOMs and Indians have bought a couple of Carriers from the RUSMOB fire sale (everything must go!! prices this cheap are inane!!). They're aiming for Great Power status, and Great Power status must be demonstrated. Right?
It's funny, we Merkins aren't "Super (Thanks for asking)" because of eleven carrier groups. Or our, rather delayed, space program. Or the soon to be fielded 45 Brigade Combat Teams. Or even, because of a twelve trillion dollars economies.
All those visible "things" are the result, not the reason.
So, If I were some middling power, I'd be asking "how", instead of focusing on the "what."
Mindset and all.
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