Soviet A-Sub Under Arctic Ice

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30041, 28 January 1963, Page 9

Soviet A-Sub Under Arctic Ice

(N.Z.P.A.-lteut*r—Copyright) MOSCOW, Jan. 26. The Russian nuclear submarine, Leninsky Komsomol, had completed an exercise in which she took up a position under the North Pole ice to prevent a missile attack by “enemy” submarines, Tass said today.

Tas* said that under the Ice the submarine had become “undetectable” to spotter aircraft.

In the Norway Sea, the submarine—coming up to periscope depth—had twice detected a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation patrol plane flying about 880 feet On both occasions the submarine had managed to div* successfully.

The Teas report said that after crossing the 83rd Parallel. the submarine established radio contact with Russian navaf headquarters to report the success of the first stage of the mission.

The crew had had to carry out many complicated manoeuvre* before they found a suitable opening on the ice. Some Bailor* had landed on an ice-flow and returned to the submarine after carrying out various observations.

“Izvestia” today published several pictures of the mission, including one of the Soviet flag flying over the polar icefield*. The newspaper printed a picture which, it said, showed the submarine commander. Captain L. Zhilstov, and hi* “deputy for political affairs,” on the ice at the North Pole with the Soviet flag. A junior «*apt*tn named Zhilstov was named “Hero of the Soviet Union” last July for “fulfilment of the Government’s special assignment” as commander of a nuclear submarine.

The July announcement ■me a tew hours after word Mt Mr Khrushchev had ratched firings of rockets

from submerged submarines—the first Soviet claim to have developed a Polaris-type missile operationally. The Tam report mid that during its exercise the "Leninsky Komsomol” had quickly detected transport ships, <x-

tag their course, distance and speed, and had intercepted radio signals and messages. Today’s "Izvestia” article quoted the submarine captain as telling the crew: "We must detect and destroy atomic submarines of the ’enemy* seeking to reach our coasts. We face a voyage of many days under the ice, and cruise in the region of the North Pole.”

The article said the subn trine had “awesome weapons” on board. It did not say when the voyage took place. “Izvestia” also said the Americans were lying when they claimed to be the first nation whose submarines travelled under the Arctic lee. “The (Soviet) submariners of the northern seas were already in tiie beginning of the 1930’s bravely sailtag under the ice, and our atomic submarines, much earlier than the American ones, visited the high latitudes ot the Arctic Ocean.” American naval sources in Moscow could not recall when United States submarines travelled under the Arctic ice, but said it was at least several years ago.