US commander in rare visit to nuclear-armed submarine in Arabian Sea

The top US military commander for the Middle East boarded a US ballistic missile submarine in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday, in a rare move highlighting US nuclear undersea capabilities during tense times with Iran and Russia.

Gen Erik Kurilla was shuttled out to the USS West Virginia and was aboard for about eight hours, as the submarine rose to the surface in an undisclosed location in international waters.

The West Virginia is one of the US Navy’s Ohio-class long-range submarines, known as boomers.

Ohio-class submarines form one part of the US's nuclear triad — along with US Air Force strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

They are equipped with Trident II D-5 missiles and considered a key strategic deterrent.

The US seldom advertises the location of its nuclear-powered submarines and rarely has them patrolling in the Middle East.

On Wednesday, US Central Command said Gen Kurilla met with Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, on the submarine.

It said Gen Kurilla was given a “hands-on demonstration of the capabilities of the vessel”.

“These submarines are the crown jewel of the nuclear triad and the West Virginia demonstrates the flexibility, survivability, readiness and capability” of the US forces at sea, Mr Kurilla said.

This visit comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons, as his forces lose ground in the war in Ukraine.

Read More : https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/10/20/us-commander-in-rare-visit-to-nuclear-armed-submarine-in-arabian-sea/

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