Two American anti-submarine aircraft recently circled Florida in succession while a Russian naval flotilla sailed along the East Coast.
A time-lapse from Flightradar24 showed multiple U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidons, known as “submarine hunters,” gathering in Florida.
Some of these aircraft waited for hours near the Florida Straits to maintain constant surveillance, with Naval Air Station Jacksonville as their base.
The Russian Defense Ministry dispatched a nuclear submarine and three surface ships to Havana, approximately 100 miles from Key West, Florida, as a display of force amid tensions in Ukraine.
The Russian flotilla conducted live-fire exercises simulating missile attacks on ships 370 miles away and is expected to reach Cuba on Wednesday, departing on June 17.
A Russian government spokesperson mentioned temporary deployment of combat naval vessels in the Caribbean, making stops in Cuba or Venezuela, emphasizing that Russia‘s naval activities are routine and not a direct threat to the U.S.
During this visit to Havana, the Russian vessels include the Yasen M-class submarine Kazan, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the replenishment tanker The Academic Pashin, and the tugboat Nikolay Chiker.
The Admiral Gorshkov is armed with the hypersonic Zircon cruise missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads. However, Cuban authorities stated that no nuclear weapons would be present during the visit.
Portrayed as a symbol of historic friendly relations, the port visit reaffirms the bond between Russia and Cuba.
The U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft, manned by nine crew members, are equipped to launch Harpoon antiship cruise missiles and torpedoes, with the capability for air-to-air refueling and a range exceeding 4,500 miles.
Boeing Defense, Space, and Security have manufactured around 180 of these aircraft for the U.S., Indian Navies, and air forces in Britain and Australia.
Observations suggest that along with the Poseidons, other U.S. Navy assets, alongside the Air Force and Coast Guard, were possibly conducting their training exercises as the Russian vessels passed by.
Reports indicate the U.S. had been monitoring the Russian vessels for over a week before American and Canadian forces spotted them on the Florida coast on June 11, 2011.