In Geopolitics Today - Thursday, October 7th
US Nuclear-Powered Submarine Suffers Damage and Italy Abandons its Drone Program
US Nuclear-Powered Submarine Suffers Damage
A nuclear-powered attack submarine operated by the United States Navy is said to have been involved in an underwater collision with an unspecified object in the South China Sea earlier this month. The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut is reported to have been damaged, while almost a dozen sailors have been injured in the incident.
The US Pacific Fleet said that the USS Connecticut “struck an object while submerged” on the 2nd of October. The Navy has stated that the submarine is now in a stable condition, and that the nuclear propulsion system of the submarine has not been affected. According to the Navy Times, the injuries suffered by the sailors aboard the submarine were not life threatening, and mainly consisted of “bumps, bruises, and lacerations.” Whatever damage the advanced Seawolf-class submarine has suffered remains unclear, with the Pacific Fleet stating that the extent of damage is under assessment.
A damaged submarine will typically surface in order to prevent further damage, as the pressurised underwater environment can have catastrophic consequences for on a submarine operating with a damaged hull. It remains unclear if the USS Connecticut is fit to submerge as the vessel makes its way back to port in Guam. The USS Connecticut is one of three advanced Seawolf-class submarines which is widely considered to be one of the most silent and deadly submarines operated by a military force. The Seawolf-class submarines were built as the Cold War was nearing its end, and were intended to seek out and destroy Soviet submarines in deep waters.
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Italy Abandons its Drone Program
Italy has announced that the government will be dropping its long-held plans to purchase a fleet of Hammerhead UAV drones for its armed forces. Instead, Italy will purchase six new Piaggio Aerospace aircraft in an effort to breathe life into a domestic defence manufacturer. The Italian Defence Ministry has stated that the country will spend roughly €170 million to buy six P.180 Avanti Evo turboprop aircraft, a flight simulator for training pilots, and maintenance work.
The purchase comes at a time when Piaggio Aerospace has been financially struggling. The contract over six P.180 Avanti Evo now mean that Rome has fulfilled its commitments to broker about €700 million in arms deals for the firm to get back on its feet. Piaggio Aerospace’s commissioner, Vincenzo Nicastro, stated that the order by the Italian government “further enhances the value of the company.”
Piaggio Aerospace had been courting buyers for its Hammerhead UAV program, with the United Arab Emirates expressing the most interest in buying the drone. But because Italy has been slow to commit to a purchase of its own, which has led to the UAE walking away from the deal, cancelling its orders and placing the firm in a difficult financial position as the drones were nearing completion. Rome’s decision to cancel its order of the Hammerhead UAV drones ― and effectively letting the program die in the process ― means that Piaggio Aerospace will not be left in financial ruin as the contract over six P.180 Avanti Evo aircraft will keep the company afloat as it prepares for a takeover.
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