Recently the USS Texas, a Virginia class submarine, surfaced at
the North Pole. She is one of several to
do so over this past year in an uptick of U. S. activity in the Arctic Ocean. It comes none too soon. The U. S. Navy is accomplishing several
things with this increase in Arctic operations.
It is exercising the (hopefully) each new Virginia class boat – and crew
– in an environment not routinely used by U. S. submarines. These operations also make it known that no
nation has the exclusive right to the whole of the Arctic and like the Gulf of
Sidra maneuvers in the early 1980s, not the province of any one nation.
In 2007, Vladimir Putin claimed all the
resources of the Arctic for Russia. This
caused more than a bit of international outrage. Current international law
allows the countries ringing the Arctic to claim only a 200-mile Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ). All of those countries, Russia, Canada, the U.S., Norway, and Denmark (which
owns Greenland) are currently in compliance.
Russian has only made the claim – planting a flag at 14,000 feet – and not
taken any additional action to reinforce that claim. The efforts on the part of
the submarine force are timed to provide a counterpoint to planted flags.
According to the Navy’s Maritime Policy (see …Strategy
Part 1 for reference):
“Climate
change is gradually opening up the waters of the Arctic, not only to new
resource development, but also to new shipping routes that may reshape the
global transport system. While these developments offer opportunities for
growth, they are potential sources of competition and conflict for access and
natural resources.”
All true and somewhat prescient, however, this is
the only mention of the Arctic in that document. The United States Fleet Forces Command’s
(USFFC) 2009 Annual Plan does not even mention the Arctic. The Arctic Ocean is relatively unmonitored
by the routine presence of either U. S. submarines or permanent hardware. Therefore,
this ocean provides an excellent area to hide and launch missiles through
decreasing polar ice.
The United States is taking a measured approach to this
ocean area. The Navy and the Coast Guard
are collaborating on a policy and approach to
Arctic Operations (CNOs Guidance for 2010, p.14). Canada is cooperative with respect to water space
management (very important in this area) as a NATO partner and ally, but they
are restive and desire the ability to assert some measure of control over their
own EEZ and interests in the region. The
Canadian Victoria class submarine is
not under ice capable and this provides a certain level of frustration.
U. S. Maritime Strategy must include Arctic operations, and a cogent, long-term
plan in cooperation with allies and NATO partners to prevent the economic exploitation
of the region by any one nation.
Putin Claims Arctic
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-464921/Putins-Arctic-invasion-Russia-lays-claim-North-Pole--gas-oil-diamonds.html
Canadian Concerns with Arctic Activity
http://www.canada.com/submarine+trip+Arctic+should+sound+alarms+Canada+expert/2228051/story.html
http://www.canada.com/submarine+trip+Arctic+should+sound+alarms+Canada+expert/2228051/story.html
USS Texas Pays Icy Visit to Arctic
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009911080383