Recent Submarine Headlines in Curious Context

Sub squadron CO’s ouster unrelated to hazing case story here

He was an enlisted Marine for 7 years prior to earning an electrical engineering degree and Navy commission. He is a Bronze Star recipient for service as commander of the attack submarine Providence, which conducted combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, two operations in support of national security objectives, one multinational exercise, and represented our nation in visits to five foreign countries, earning two Navy Expeditionary Medals and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

In 2002, he won the John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership from the Navy League, according to his official biography.

He is an author:
“A Submarine CO’s account of the first hours of the war on terror,” written by Cmdr. Scott Bawden.

Official Navy bio for Capt. Scott Bawden

One would obviously think Capt. Bawden should be one of the last submariners fired. Quite a shame, in any case.


1994 - (sound familiar?)
U.S Carrier Kitty Hawk, Chinese Sub, Squared Off (1994)

--Beijing promises to shoot to kill the next time
The American aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and a Chinese nuclear submarine squared off in international waters off China's coast Oct. 27-29, 1994, the Los Angeles Times reported in December. According to the Times, shortly after the incident, which occurred in the Yellow Sea, China served notice through a U.S. military official in Beijing that the next time such a situation arises, China's orders will be to shoot to kill. Although in the end no shots were fired, U.S. officials acknowledge the confrontation was serious. The Navy's carrier battle group in the region included not only the Kitty Hawk, but also three cruisers, one frigate, one submarine, two logistics ships and an estimated 10,000 American naval personnel.

In 1994, an S-3 anti-submarine aircraft from USS Kitty Hawk tracked a Chinese Han class submarine.

2006-
Navy confirms Chinese sub spotted near carrier (11 hours ago)

The Washington Times claimed that the Chinese submarine “shadowed” Kitty Hawk, surfacing within five miles of the carrier before it was finally spotted by an aircraft. Kitty Hawk and various units of the 7th Fleet have been taking part in AnnualEx 18G, the largest bilateral exercise between the Navy and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force.

In reality, the presence of China's Song-class submarine had to have been anticipated by the USN, and ample US intelligence resources had been deployed in the area to gather clandestine data providing/confirming tactical capabilities and weaknesses.