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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

British Nuclear Submarine Suffered An ‘Ice Disaster’ Tracking Russian Subs

HMS Talent Royal Navy Submarine
HMS Talent Royal Navy Submarine

Key Words and Summary: In 2015, the British hunter-killer submarine HMS Talent sustained significant damage after colliding with ice while on a mission to track Russian submarines.

-The impact tore a six-foot hole in its conning tower. Despite this, the submarine remarkably remained operational for another seven years.

-Speculation suggests the crew may have prioritized stealth, relying on passive sonar to avoid detection by the Russians, potentially at the expense of using active sonar that could have identified the ice.

-This incident highlights the inherent dangers of operating in the Arctic and the strategic challenges faced by navies in this increasingly contested region.

-A British hunter-killer submarine collided with floating ice while tracking Russian submarines in 2015, yet the boat somehow kept functioning for seven more years until 2022.

Silent Running, Dangerous Waters: How a UK Sub Hit Ice While Shadowing Russians

The extent of the damage to the HMS Talent was quite significant, as the floating ice smashed a six-foot hole into the conning tower, the elevated part of the submarine from which commanders can survey the surroundings.  

Interestingly, British workers and crew members must have found a stop-gap or temporary solution through which to sustain operational functionality for the ship, at least temporarily, and it appears the majority of the hull of the boat remained intact. 

How might this happen? The HMS Talent was well equipped with advanced sonar and torpedoes as part of the UK’s Trafalgar-class submarines

Yet, the navigational system must have somehow malfunctioned or “missed” a critical cue or sign. 

Active Sonar “Off” for British Submarine HMS Talent? 

One possible explanation was suggested in a fascinating essay published around the time of the incident in 2015 by Jalopink, a magazine that raised a question about whether the HMS Talent’s Captain had essentially “turned off” active sonar. 

“Submarines tend to cruise along without banging away on active sonar to hide themselves, which is fine for most situations but can lead to unexpected collisions, with ice, submarines, surface vessels, or otherwise,” the essay explained. 

This would seem to make sense to a certain degree, given that “active” sonar sends a forward acoustic “ping,” which can reveal a submarine’s location. “Active” sonar sends a forward acoustic ping able to bounce off an object and deliver a return signal offering a rendering or image of the shape, size, and speed of a foreign object of threat.  

Acoustic “pings” function similarly to electromagnetic “pings” sent at the speed of light by radar, the bounce signals off of an object offering a return signal. Active sonar, therefore, would help the submarine essentially “see” or avoid major obstacles by scanning the surrounding area. 

Trafalgar-Class Royal Navy Submarine

Trafalgar Class Fleet Submarine HMS Turbulent is pictured with the Merlin helicopter from Type 23 frigate HMS St Albans, during an anti-submarine exercise in the Gulf of Oman. The ship tested sonar ranges, radar ranges and lookouts during the exercise also involving HMS Turbulent and a small number of foreign vessels. Organization: ROYAL NAVY Object Name: FK110085048 Category: MOD Supplemental Categories: Equipment, Submarines, Fleet, Trafalgar Class, Aircraft, Helicopters, Merlin Keywords: Royal Navy, Equipment, Submarine, Nuclear, Fleet Submarines, Ship Submersible Nuclear, SSN, Trafalgar Class, HMS Turbulent, Aircraft, Helicopter, Merlin , HM Mk1 Country: Middle East.

However, an active forward-sent sonar ping emits an acoustic signature, something detectable to the Russian ships the Royal submarine was tracking.  If the HMS Talent were operating near Russian ships, it was tracking. It likely had an incentive to “turn off” or avoid active sonar, which may have made it vulnerable to a potential collision. 

These collision risks are part of why submarines operate with “active” and “passive” sonar.  Passive sonar enables boats to passively listen to acoustic “pings” or signatures from moving objects, such as enemy ships and submarines,  without emitting a detectable signal.  

Therefore, it makes tactical sense that the HMS Talent may have relied only on passive sonar to remain near Russian ships without being detected. Such a strategy, while likely successful in ensuring the boat could sustain a “track” on Russian ships, may have made it vulnerable to the kind of collision that took place.

Russian Arctic Ambitions

The incident likely underscored long-standing Pentagon concerns about growing Russian ambitions in the Arctic

For many years, Russia has been intensely increasing its military presence in the Arctic, increasing patrols and leveraging its proximity advantages by traveling the well-known Northern Sea Route. 

Trafalgar-class

Trafalgar-class. Image: Creative Commons.

The Northern Sea Route is an icy, Arctic-like waterway bordering Russia and the Arctic continent. This geographical configuration continues to afford Russia a particular tactical and strategic advantage regarding access to the Arctic.

Russia is known to operate many more ice-breakers than the US and has been more aggressive in asserting its presence in recent years. 

This kind of competitive tension has, for many years no,w inspired the Navy and the Pentagon to examine its Arctic posture and pursue updated Arctic strategies closely. 

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Written By

Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19 FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven - Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

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