It's a weapon that has made many a US admiral lose sleep, and this time it's not bluster from Mad Vlad. The threat is real.It's an advanced, double-hulled Titanium nuclear submarine and the West has nothing even close to it.The Sierra-class attack submarines showcase a significant technological advantage held by the Soviet Navy over its American counterparts, according to a report in National Interest. Introduced in the late 1980s, these submarines possess greater maneuverability, speed and deeper diving capabilities compared to steel submarines. Titanium's reduced magnetism also makes these subs harder to detect by standard magnetic anomaly detectors, enhancing their stealth, the report said. This scenario also underscores the geopolitical race for technological supremacy, where China also plays a dominant role in the rare earth market.Lightweight and durable, while packing quite a wallop, the old Soviet Navy’s Sierra-class submarine is remarkable for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons, though, is that it is an all-titanium submarine.A game-changer in submarine technology, the Sierra-class ultimately had a greater diving depth than its American rivals at the time of its deployment, the report said.Titanium also has the benefit of being more corrosion-resistant, a very positive attribute for warships and submarines that spend much of their time plowing through saltwater.The boats were specifically developed for search and destroy missions against US nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. There are three units in use today belonging to this class. In fact, one Sierra-class submarine conducted an intensive surveillance mission of the American East Coast back in 2012. These submarines have since been used in covert missions in the Barents Sea and the Baltic Sea, most notably during the Ukraine War..The US Navy, meanwhile, has no titanium submarines. And even if it wanted to build them, it could not. There is just not a sufficient, affordable cache of available titanium.To match the speed and maneuverability of their titanium hull subs, the Russians equipped the Sierra-class with an impressive arsenal.There were four 25.6-in. (650-mm) torpedo tubes. The Sierra sported an additional 21-in. (533-mm) torpedo tubes. Sierras had a minelaying function as well as anti-submarine warfare. The Kremlin is also developing a new breed of high-speed, nuclear-tipped torpedo — the terrifying Poseidon super torpedo.US and Russian officials have both described Poseidon as a new category of retaliatory weapon, capable of triggering radioactive ocean swells to render coastal cities uninhabitable.The Poseidon has its roots in Soviet plans under Josef Stalin for a nuclear torpedo which would be able to devastate the shores of the United States.It is not yet known which class of sub will carry this weapon, although some experts say it could be the Oscar II class Belgorod.Despite its impressive attributes, titanium is not without its drawbacks.The steep cost and sophisticated production processes present substantial challenges.To successfully weld huge titanium panels on a large scale, Soviet engineers had to first create enormous warehouses that were hermetically sealed and then filled with argon, an inert gas that would not interfere with the welding process.Welders had to wear a large cosmonaut-like suit that would supply them with oxygen while inside these warehouses.Titanium is also rare and costly compared to iron, while it isn't exactly easy to shape either.Any misstep by the welders would create a sub that would be dangerous to take on deep dives. The higher pressure could compromise the weakened hull.As you can expect, there is today a race among the three great powers (the US, China and Russia) for dominance of rare earth metals.Titanium is among those rare earth metals.Since 2010, the Chinese government has made it their mission to capture as many rare earth deposits globally as they can — akin to staking out all the waterholes in a desert — and today possess an astonishing 85% of the world’s rare earth market.The race even exists in Canada, when lithium deposits were found near Winnipeg. Lithium is one of the major elements needed for the tech transition away from oil & gas.Which is why China is trying to buy it up.However, it can be revealed in The Western Standard, the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency is aware and trying to stop it from happening.The Sierra-class submarine should have been a wakeup call for America and Western powers.Sadly, Washington and NATO weren’t paying attention. Russia’s mysterious titanium Sierra-class subs still threaten US Navy warships today.Will Russia build more titanium subs?President Putin has said his country would be building more nuclear-powered submarines that "will ensure Russia's security for decades to come."A Kremlin document signed by Putin in 2017, which lays out the Russian navy's improved capabilities, its evolving strategic and operational role, and its future ambitions, states the nation "must possess powerful balanced fleets in all strategic areas" by 2030.
It's a weapon that has made many a US admiral lose sleep, and this time it's not bluster from Mad Vlad. The threat is real.It's an advanced, double-hulled Titanium nuclear submarine and the West has nothing even close to it.The Sierra-class attack submarines showcase a significant technological advantage held by the Soviet Navy over its American counterparts, according to a report in National Interest. Introduced in the late 1980s, these submarines possess greater maneuverability, speed and deeper diving capabilities compared to steel submarines. Titanium's reduced magnetism also makes these subs harder to detect by standard magnetic anomaly detectors, enhancing their stealth, the report said. This scenario also underscores the geopolitical race for technological supremacy, where China also plays a dominant role in the rare earth market.Lightweight and durable, while packing quite a wallop, the old Soviet Navy’s Sierra-class submarine is remarkable for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons, though, is that it is an all-titanium submarine.A game-changer in submarine technology, the Sierra-class ultimately had a greater diving depth than its American rivals at the time of its deployment, the report said.Titanium also has the benefit of being more corrosion-resistant, a very positive attribute for warships and submarines that spend much of their time plowing through saltwater.The boats were specifically developed for search and destroy missions against US nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. There are three units in use today belonging to this class. In fact, one Sierra-class submarine conducted an intensive surveillance mission of the American East Coast back in 2012. These submarines have since been used in covert missions in the Barents Sea and the Baltic Sea, most notably during the Ukraine War..The US Navy, meanwhile, has no titanium submarines. And even if it wanted to build them, it could not. There is just not a sufficient, affordable cache of available titanium.To match the speed and maneuverability of their titanium hull subs, the Russians equipped the Sierra-class with an impressive arsenal.There were four 25.6-in. (650-mm) torpedo tubes. The Sierra sported an additional 21-in. (533-mm) torpedo tubes. Sierras had a minelaying function as well as anti-submarine warfare. The Kremlin is also developing a new breed of high-speed, nuclear-tipped torpedo — the terrifying Poseidon super torpedo.US and Russian officials have both described Poseidon as a new category of retaliatory weapon, capable of triggering radioactive ocean swells to render coastal cities uninhabitable.The Poseidon has its roots in Soviet plans under Josef Stalin for a nuclear torpedo which would be able to devastate the shores of the United States.It is not yet known which class of sub will carry this weapon, although some experts say it could be the Oscar II class Belgorod.Despite its impressive attributes, titanium is not without its drawbacks.The steep cost and sophisticated production processes present substantial challenges.To successfully weld huge titanium panels on a large scale, Soviet engineers had to first create enormous warehouses that were hermetically sealed and then filled with argon, an inert gas that would not interfere with the welding process.Welders had to wear a large cosmonaut-like suit that would supply them with oxygen while inside these warehouses.Titanium is also rare and costly compared to iron, while it isn't exactly easy to shape either.Any misstep by the welders would create a sub that would be dangerous to take on deep dives. The higher pressure could compromise the weakened hull.As you can expect, there is today a race among the three great powers (the US, China and Russia) for dominance of rare earth metals.Titanium is among those rare earth metals.Since 2010, the Chinese government has made it their mission to capture as many rare earth deposits globally as they can — akin to staking out all the waterholes in a desert — and today possess an astonishing 85% of the world’s rare earth market.The race even exists in Canada, when lithium deposits were found near Winnipeg. Lithium is one of the major elements needed for the tech transition away from oil & gas.Which is why China is trying to buy it up.However, it can be revealed in The Western Standard, the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency is aware and trying to stop it from happening.The Sierra-class submarine should have been a wakeup call for America and Western powers.Sadly, Washington and NATO weren’t paying attention. Russia’s mysterious titanium Sierra-class subs still threaten US Navy warships today.Will Russia build more titanium subs?President Putin has said his country would be building more nuclear-powered submarines that "will ensure Russia's security for decades to come."A Kremlin document signed by Putin in 2017, which lays out the Russian navy's improved capabilities, its evolving strategic and operational role, and its future ambitions, states the nation "must possess powerful balanced fleets in all strategic areas" by 2030.
