Submarine QUESTIONS of the WEEK

Leading from the Middle

QUOTATION

"Middle power achievements

A unique grouping of Canadian achievements are still spoken of in the cafes of Beirut, the restaurants of Amman, the Bedoiun tents of Wadi Rum, the Russian Navy Submarine Officers' Mess in Murmansk [emphasis mine], the Dom Cultura in Khanty Mansiysk, and the Koa Sami villages of Jona and Lovozero. I know because I was in these places. ..."  - Mike Robinson, Order of Canada,  Nov 16, 2014 TroyMEDIA, Vancouver, BC, "Canada can still lead as a thoughtful middle power".

BACKGROUND

Read more about Mike Robinson, OC, here.   And, if you have been sympathetic to the "Global Warming" next, "Climate Change" next, "Climate Disruption"  next, "Climate Justice" scam being pushed by the UN and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, read another of his elitist ramblings, An unforgettable lunch with Russian submarine captains. 

In 1992, more than half of the 54 Russian strategic submarines, each with 16-20 nuclear missiles, were still based near Murmansk. After their peak in 1984, Russian SSBN deterrence patrols declined to the point where there was less than one patrol per sub each year and at best one sub on patrol at any time. Hence Russians have not employed alternating crews like the U.S.'s Blue and Gold. Source: "Russian SSBN Fleet: Modernizing But Not Sailing Much". Federation of American Scientists. 3 May 2013. (Retrieved 19 October 2014.)  Modern Strategic Purpose Underwater Missile Cruiser, as the Soviets called their SSBNs include Borei, Delta, and Typhoon subs.

 
QUESTIONS of the WEEK

1. Referring to Mr. Robinson's article about taking lunch with 10 Russian boomer-class submarine captains.  In what year did his Murmansk Navy luncheon take place?

2. Why was Mike Robinson certain those COs were assigned to boomer subs?

3. What glaring clue, if any, might lead a qualified submariner to qustion Mr. Robinson's claim as to "boomer submarines"?

4. Might a glaring error concerning strategic missile subs published by Mr. Robinson lend doubt to the care he takes in his "thoughtful" (liberal) opinions about other stategic topics, such as:  Climate deniers hard to digest, Pipeline spin conceals the real issue with carbon, Government must help us break oil habit?

In exactly what, if anything, is Mr. Robinson an expert? [rhetorical]

ANSWERS (1 - 4):  Tuesday, 25 November.

Submarines are always silent and strange.