Russian President Vladimir Putin is positioning submarines armed with nuclear weapons "dangerously close" to the United States and countries in Europe, claims one Democrat in the U.S. Senate.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy said Monday the Navy has to put together an effective plan to replace some of its older subs, reports
The Washington Examiner.
"No one is suggesting that Putin is contemplating a nuclear launch against a NATO country, but it's not clear how tethered to reality Putin is," Murphy said. "And it should make us nervous that many of his submarines are starting to get dangerously close to the U.S. and our allies.
"Russian submarines have been pushing out to the very precipice of NATO-ally waters. We have seen Russian boats coming closer to the U.S. and to our European partner ports than ever before, in immensely provocative ways — in ways that were rare even during the days of the Cold War."
If the Navy is not able to secure the necessary funding to build more Ohio-class subs, which are armed with nuclear missiles, it will have to slow down its production of Virginia-class attack subs. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and other Pentagon officials were
on Capitol Hill last we, Town Hall reports, discussing the future of the U.S. submarine program.
Murphy said he would like to see both sub programs continue.
"We've got to find a way to do both," he said, reports the Examiner. "If you look at the pace of Russian and Chinese building programs, we can't afford to drop Virginia-class production back to one for more than a year."
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