Executive Summary:
- In early August 2025, two US nuclear-powered submarines were relocated to strategically significant regions near Russia.
- Russia swiftly downplayed the deployment while signaling retaliatory intent.
- Publicly announcing submarine movement is a deliberate shift toward strategic signaling—broadcasting deterrence intent without kinetic confrontation. The message: US undersea deterrent remains capable and responsive, even as arms-control agreements erode.
- As the US and Russia navigate a post-INF landscape and prepare for next-gen submarine operations, the maritime balance below the waves is increasingly decisive.
- Consider contacting RMS International’s Intelligence Services to develop a customized white paper forecasting how US-Russian tensions could impact your organization’s people, assets, operations, and reputation.
Situation Report (SITREP)
In early August 2025, President Trump publicly announced the repositioning of two US nuclear-powered submarines to strategically significant regions near Russia. This break from decades of strategic silence served as a deliberate signal in response to provocative statements from Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s Deputy Chair of the Security Council, who had referenced Soviet-era nuclear posture and deterrence systems. Experts described the move as a clever strategic message rather than a conventional military escalation. While officials declined to confirm the exact subs or locations, former US Navy leadership emphasized that submarine movements are routinely misunderstood and difficult to verify by adversaries.
Russia swiftly downplayed the deployment while signaling retaliatory intent. Soon after, Russian officials formally announced they were withdrawing from their self-imposed system of restrictions under the INF Treaty, warning of further deployments of short- and mid-range nuclear weapons—including the hypersonic Oreshnik missile—potentially destabilizing arms control frameworks.
Submarine Capabilities & Force Posture
- US Platforms: The U.S. Navy primarily leverages the Virginia-class Block V fast attack submarines, equipped with Virginia Payload Modules for expanded cruise-missile capacity and advanced sonar systems for undersea dominance. The future SSN(X) class is under development, expected to offer stealth, wider payload flexibility, and multi-mission capabilities by the 2040s.
- Russian Platforms: Russia’s modern undersea fleet features the Yasen-M class of nuclear attack submarines, tailored for cruise missile delivery and protracted ocean presence. Its Arcturus class, designed for Arctic operations and next-gen stealth, is slated to succeed older Borei-class SSBNs by 2037–2040.
Impact Analysis and Recommended Course of Action:
Publicly announcing submarine movement is a deliberate shift toward strategic signaling—broadcasting deterrence intent without kinetic confrontation. The message: US undersea deterrent remains capable and responsive, even as arms-control agreements erode.
Russia’s retraction from nuclear missile restraints and threats to expand its missile arsenal—including hypersonic and short-range missile systems—raises the specter of a renewed arms race. The collapse of the INF framework adds urgency to the need for new bilateral agreements to prevent miscalculations.
As submarine fleets become key pillars of great power competition, the undersea domain is grassroots to stealth, long-endurance platforms, layered ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), and stand-off strike capabilities. Both nations are advancing toward quieter propulsion systems, unmanned vehicles (UUVs), and later-generation payloads to preserve undersea dominance.
This unfolding episode shows how submarine warfare is returning to the spotlight of strategic deterrence and geopolitical warfare. The symbolic power of nuclear-capable submarines—paired with emerging undersea platforms—reflects broader shifts in global security. As the US and Russia navigate a post-INF landscape and prepare for next-gen submarine operations, the maritime balance below the waves is increasingly decisive. Consider contacting RMS International’s Intelligence Services to develop a customized white paper forecasting how US-Russian tensions could impact your organization’s people, assets, operations, and reputation.
About RMS International:
Founded in 2012, RMS International provides ad hoc and contracted close protection, estate security, international travel management, corporate executive protection, personnel and asset security, and discreet investigative services. Operating a state-of-the-art Risk Operations Center in West Palm Beach, they provide 24/7 overwatch of global operations in Asia, Europe, Africa and throughout the Americas. RMS International delivers peace of mind in a chaotic world. Connect with us at RMSIUSA.com.