U.S. commander says tracking Russian subs is a key challenge

Richard Lardner, Associated Press
2 March 2016
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top NATO commander in Europe says he lacks all the military assets he needs to properly track the activity of Russian submarines.
In testimony Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove says the Russians understand the value of undersea warfare and have invested heavily in their submarine fleet.
Using a map to show senators the location, Breedlove pointed to an area in the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom where Russian submarine traffic is heavy.
He says the U.S. is challenged to be able to watch all of that activity.
Breedlove says U.S. submarines are in short supply and senior American commanders typically have appetites for them that exceed the numbers.