Mysterious' cutback by nuclear sub patrols

-NO AUTHOR-·8 hours ago

The number of Pacific patrols by America's nuclear-armed ballistic submarines dropped "mysteriously" during 2017, according to a report from the Federation of American Scientists.

The report by Hans Kristensen explains that the nation's fleet of subs still carry out strategic deterrent patrols – at a steady rate of about 30 per year – according to the U.S. Navy, says Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

"Yet the data shows the U.S. SSBN fleet conducted a total of 27 patrols in 2017 (five less than in 2016), the lowest number of patrols in as single year since the early-1960s when SSBN deterrent patrols began," the organization said in a new report.

"The new data reveals a mysterious reduction of deterrent patrols in the Pacific in 2017: a nearly one-third drop from the 2016 level of 19 patrols to only 13 in 2017. The drop in Pacific patrols in 2017 happened despite completion of a second Explosive Handling Wharf at the Kitsap-Bangor Submarine Base that same year, which is intended to allow for additional maintenance needed as the submarines get older," it said.

The FAS report said the cause for the cutback in Pacific patrols isn't known.

"The size of the SSBN fleet at Kitsap-Bangor Submarine Base hasn't changed, the Navy and U.S. Strategic Command haven't announced a change in strategy, and there has been no public reports about serious technical problems that could have forced the reduction."

The report said whatever the reason, the drop seems to have disappeared.

"In mid-March this year, the Navy told Congress that SSBNs 'conducted 33 strategic deterrent patrols … over the past year,' or five more than the 27 patrols the FOIA release says were conducted through 2017," the FAS said.

There are eight subs in the Pacific fleet and six in the Atlanta, the report said.

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//www.wnd.com/2018/05/mysterious-cutback-by-nuclear-sub-patrols/