US: Atlantic Russian Sub Activity Highest 'We've Seen in Years'

Russian submarine activity has increased in the Atlantic — potentially reaching Cold War levels — and has U.S. military officials concerned Wednesday.

"The Russians have been more active than we've seen them in years," Army Gen. Chris Cavoli, U.S. European commander, told the House Armed Services Committee, testifying on the U.S. military posture and national security challenges in Europe.

"And their patrols into the Atlantic and throughout the Atlantic are at a high level most of the time, at a higher level than we've seen in years — and this is despite all the efforts they're undertaking inside Ukraine."

Cavoli noted the addition of Finland into NATO "brings a very competent navy" and "a large and growing air force."

"The accession of Finland is very strong," Cavoli said. "The future, we hope, accession of Sweden brings much of the same.

"The Swedish navy is very active, very confident, and very powerful in the Baltic Sea area. And this will give us a huge additional capability to control all three domains, classical domains, in the high north."

The topic was raised by Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., the chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces.

"It's a team sport in terms of all of our allies working together to sort of, hopefully, manage that, and keep it under control," Courtney said in response to Cavoli's warnings. "These are two countries with very advanced capabilities, so I think it is going to a force multiplier."

There has been a narrative the Russian military is depleted with the war in Ukraine grinding down its forces, but Cavoli warned against that talk, noting Russia remains the primary threat to the U.S. in the Atlantic.

"Russia still retains strategic capabilities: an air force, cyber, and underwater," Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conntold Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., during Wednesday's hearing.

"We should not make the mistake of underestimating Russia's military capabilities, because the stakes of getting it wrong are too high."

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