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| Finnish patrol boats |
Finland detected an unidentified submarine along its coast April 26, firing depth charges at the vessel, while NATO-member Latvia, a former Soviet state, in April said it detected a Russian submarine near its waters.
"Russia has a right to be at sea, just as we do," Rear Admiral Brad Williamson, the commander of the exercise said. "But the incidents we have seen are not in line with international regulations... and that's been the cause of concern."
NATO launched one of its biggest-ever anti-submarine exercises in the North Sea on May 4, inviting non-member Sweden for the first time, amid increasing tensions between Russia and its northern neighbors. More than a dozen vessels from 11 countries are participating in the "Dynamic Mongoose" exercise.
[November 24 2014 ]
The Swedish military has called off its week-long search...
The vessel, whatever it was, is now believed to have left Sweden's territorial waters.
[October 23 NS Concord destined for original loading port, Primorsk
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| repairs to NS Concord? |
'Still, no proven facts yet.
Except the behaviour of NS Concord... What did she do in S-Petersburg during her “repairs”? Was it some kind of a special project? It’s an aframax tanker, not a fishing vessel. Even a year ago I’d reject the story as absolutely absurd and impossible. Now, after Crimea annexation and war in Donbass, I can’t be so sure.' Posted on October 20, 2014, 1:02 am Voytenko Mikhail
SCF October 20:'Tanker NS Concord owned by SCF Novoship...is presently chartered for transporting a cargo of oil from the port of Primorsk in Russia' Primorsk is a coastal town near S-Petersburg and the largest Russian port on the Baltic. 2014-10-22 23:32 - Destination stated to be Primorsk. Tanker is in Gulf of Finland.
22 OCTOBER 2014 KL: 10.34 'The Swedish Armed Forces has established a likelihood that foreign underwater activities are being conducted in the Stockholm archipelago. The Swedish Armed Forces' assessment is also based on a number of observations over the years in a specific area by the Kanholmsfjärden bay.
"I'm unable to comment on these observations in detail, but based on this pattern we can establish that this area is of interest to foreign powers",Rear admiral Anders Grenstad during a press briefing on October 21.
The Swedish Armed Forces has moved the operation area somewhat south but the scope of the operation remains the same.
#Sweden: Armed Forces confirm it sent #Gripen fighters to identify #Russian SIGINT plane on Tuesday. #NATO as well. http://t.co/pW1rFc2bd3
— Gripen News (@GripenNews) October 22, 2014
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| Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) |
Another funny thing #British special salvage vessel #DeepVision joined the hunt @ 16:00. https://t.co/R8dOCx6tsJ pic.twitter.com/DV6TXUPZcz
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 21, 2014
Per feedback fr @JonasMejhert & @Imint_sweden #British vessel #DeepVision is just maintaining pipeline in the area. pic.twitter.com/aafSo35S5d
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 22, 2014
One funny thing though - #Russian SAR vessle R/V Professor Logachev switched off its AIS on Sunday. Haven't been back online since.
— lennutrajektoor (@lennutrajektoor) October 21, 2014
Concord was spotted moving in a zigzag pattern in Swedish waters, as if in a search or rendezvous pattern,
“When the situation became more publicly known, NS Concord turned about and headed northeastwards towards Russian waters.
Concord was off the coast of Estonia and steaming in the direction of St. Petersburg, Russia as of October 21 pm,
Russia has renewed its interest in midget submarines, including the Project 865 Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) vessel, two of which have been based in the Baltic in the past. They are exceptionally quiet, stealthy, and with a low detection signature. The submersible could be a Project 908 Triton II swimmer delivery vehicle (LSDV), a 6-ton craft capable of delivering six combat divers with a range of 60 nautical miles.
But as the search continues, the prospect of a Triton as the suspected craft is less likely given the sub’s 12-hour endurance.
[October 21.Russian sub: welcome back Domino]
Russia has renewed its interest in midget submarines, including the Project 865 Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) vessel, two of which have been based in the Baltic in the past. They are exceptionally quiet, stealthy, and with a low detection signature. The submersible could be a Project 908 Triton II swimmer delivery vehicle (LSDV), a 6-ton craft capable of delivering six combat divers with a range of 60 nautical miles.
But as the search continues, the prospect of a Triton as the suspected craft is less likely given the sub’s 12-hour endurance.
[October 21
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| From Piranha-class (NATO reporting name Losos) SDV / diver propulsion device |
The military has asked civilian vessels to evacuate the area between Nattaro island and Danziger Gatt.
Radio Sweden P6. 20 oktober kl 10:23 :A Russian-owned oil tanker, the NS Concord, was reported to be sailing in circles in international water outside the archipelago.
Radio Sweden P6. 20 oktober kl 10:23 :A Russian-owned oil tanker, the NS Concord, was reported to be sailing in circles in international water outside the archipelago.
Russian oil tanker, NS Concord going in circles, rumoured to be mothership to suspect mini sub which is being hunted pic.twitter.com/wboEeSZ5J3
— Daniel aka Pharao (@DanAkaPharao) October 20, 2014
[October 19]
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| from Thunderball |
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| from Russia |
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| Domino, we need you |
Are the Russians testing out a prototype mini-submarine known as the Triton NN?
A prototype underwent government testing in 2008. It is meant to combine the qualities of a speed boat and a submersile and might have been issued to navy special forces in Kaliningrad. Former Triton models were so-called wet submarines, s completely water-filled craft that was technically easier to produce and are not as sensitive to the depth charges as they can not be compressed. Speculation runs that NS Concord is outside the archipelago to relay radio traffic. Mini submarines underwater is quite poor communication capabilities.
[October 19 Russian research vessel seems headed for Russian sub]
It was likely that a foreign power was undertaking “underwater activities” around the islands off the coast of Sweden’s capital city. a Russian research vessel equipped for underwater search operations was heading for Swedish waters. The ship, the Professor Logachev, has a stated destination of Las Palmas, but is currently in the Baltic to the south-west of Hangö in Finland.
[earlier Liberian-flag NS Concord patrolling near damaged russian submarine ]
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| Sub? what sub? |
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| NS Concord |
Svenska Dagbladet claims
A distress signal in Russian preceded the submarine alert in the archipelago of Stockholm. When the military search operation started radio communication between a transmitter in the archipelago and a transmitter in Kaliningrad was detected. This indicates that there could be a damaged russian submarine in Swedish waters.
The Svenska Dagbladet daily reported that the Swedes had picked up an emergency message suggesting a Russian mini-submarine had run into trouble in Swedish waters and could be damaged.
But Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian submarines and ships have been “fulfilling their tasks in the world’s oceans,” according to plan, Russian news agencies reported.
“There have been no emergencies or accidents with Russian military vessels,” an unnamed spokesman at the ministry was quoted as saying.
Anders Nordin from the Swedish Maritime Administration said a Russian-owned oil tanker, NS Concord, which had reportedly been circling near Swedish waters for days, started sailing in a northeasterly direction toward Russia on Sunday morning. But it suddenly turned around and headed back in the direction of Sweden, accordin g to Marine Traffic, a website which monitors vessels in the Baltic Sea.
Media reports said the movements of the Liberian-flagged tanker might be connected to the submarine search.
NS CONCORD
Crude Oil Tanker
IMO: 9299692
MMSI: 636012382
Call Sign: A8FD7
Flag: Liberia (LR)
AIS Type: Tanker
Gross Tonnage: 57248
Deadweight: 105902 t
Length × Breadth: 244m × 42.03m
Year Built: 2005
Status: Active
Flag: Liberia Signal Letters: A8FD7
Port: MONROVIA
Owner: Wyatt Marine Co GT (ITC 69): 57,248
(140058) (LRF / Company identification no: 5210645) NT (ITC 69): 32,797
Manager: SCF Novoship Technical Management DWT: 109,919
(10133063) (LRF / Company identification no: 5736481)
DocHolder: SCF Novoship Technical Management
(10133063) (LRF / Company identification no: 5736481)
SCF Novoship Technical Management is the SCF Group`s new fleet technical manager. The company provides services to third-party ship-owners as well.
OAO Novoship owns one hundred percent of the new organisation’s authorised capital stock. OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management carries on the traditions of Novorossiysk Shipping Company in the field of high quality fleet management.
In December 2012, OAO Novoship`s board of directors took the decision to create a separate technical manager with the aim of unifying SCF Group activities and bringing Novoship’s company structure into line with SCF universal standards.
OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management employs 81 staff recruited from OAO Novoship`s former fleet management department. OAO Novoship remains in charge of crewing and all administrative functions, including both legal and accounting services.
On 1 July, 2013, OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management commenced operations in Novorossiysk, Russia.
- Today Novoship Group owns and operates 48 modern vessels aggregating more than 4.5 million deadweight tons.
- Novoship has one of the youngest fleets in the industry – the vessels are 8 years old on average.
- OOO SCF Novoship Technical Management operates the fleet of Novoship and a number of third-party vessels.
- The Company`s priorities include development of the Russian shipping industry, maintaining high safety standards, employing highly professional staff, and maximizing shareholders` value.
- Novoship is a major taxpayer both in Krasnodar region and the Russian Federation.
- Novoship Group employs nearly 4,000 seafarers and shore-based personnel.
- 14 Russian subsidiaries are involved in marine and onshore businesses throughout the south of Russia.
