5693 [USN] U .S. cruiser spots 2 Iranian subs in Gulf

[NOTICIARIONAVAL]

U .S. cruiser spots 2 Iranian subs in Gulf



By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Dec 2, 2007 12:10:27 EST

ABOARD THE CRUISER VICKSBURG IN THE PERSIAN GULF -- Officials aboard
the cruiser Vicksburg spotted and photographed two surfaced Iranian
Kilo-class submarines in the Persian Gulf a few weeks ago, the ship's
skipper told Navy Secretary Donald Winter during a visit to the ship
on Saturday.

The Russian-designed diesel-electric attack subs were tracked and
photographed by sailors onboard the Mayport, Fla.-based ship, said
Capt. Chip Swicker. Crew members showed Winter the photographs of the
surfaced subs. The Vicksburg did not communicate with either of the
subs, Swicker said.

"They watched us and we watched them," he said.
Crew members aboard the cruiser didn't consider the encounters
hostile, although it wasn't clear if the Iranian boats surfaced
within view of the cruiser or if the U.S. warship happened to see the
Iranian subs while they were already running on the surface. Iran has
a fleet of three Kilo-class SSKs, according to Jane's Fighting Ships.

Swicker indicated the Vicksburg was close enough to Iranian waters at
the times of the encounters that crew members didn't consider it out
of the ordinary to see Iranian navy vessels. Winter, accompanied by a
Navy Times reporter, was aboard the ship as part of a nine-day trip
through Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

The Vicksburg crew told Winter about their encounters less than a
week before Iran's top navy commander claimed it was expanding its
undersea fleet. On Wednesday, Iran said it was launching its own,
new, home-built submarine, reportedly called the Ghadir. Iranian
officials boasted that the small diesel-electric sub would "give a
crushing answer to enemies when needed thanks to domestically-made
equipment" and could fire missiles that could hit Israel.

The incidents recalled an encounter in October 2006 when a Chinese
Song-class attack submarine surfaced near the carrier Kitty Hawk in
the Western Pacific. Some analysts at the time called the act
provocative, and pointed out the vulnerability of surface ships while
they are shadowed by foreign submarines. It wasn't clear whether
Iranian sailors were attempting to send such a message to the
Vicksburg.