In a rare event, a Russian submarine, which was being tracked by a UK naval warship on patrol in the North Atlantic over a year ago, had hit a sonar the vessel it was towing, said the UK Ministry of Defence.
In a statement on Thursday, a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson said, “In late 2020, a Russian submarine being tracked by HMS Northumberland came into contact with her towed array sonar.”
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The statement said, “The Royal Navy regularly tracks foreign ships and submarines in order to ensure the defence of the United Kingdom.”
A towed array sonar is a sensor, which is spooled out by a ship on deployment.
The HMS Northumberland had carried out a “vital mission to protect UK waters and the nation’s nuclear deterrent” in 2020, as per the British Royal Navy.
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Meanwhile, Russian President Putin had earlier inaugurated the building of new nuclear submarines and other warships as part of a broad military modernisation effort amid tensions with the West.
The event, which is a mix of war drills and an arms display, was intended to highlight Russian military weapons and lure foreign buyers. King Abdullah II of Jordan, for example, was among those present.
(With inputs from agencies)
