Russian warships in Havana spark US surveillance efforts

In the port of Havana, four Russian warships are stationed off the coast of Cuba, including the nuclear-powered submarine "Kazań." The Pentagon is closely monitoring their movements, which has not gone unnoticed by internet users tracking air traffic. According to them, the U.S. Navy uses the "submarine hunter," the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, to observe the vessels. Accompanying it is the Canadian P-3 Orion aircraft.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the ships will stay in Havana between June 12 and 17. At the same time, it noted that none of the vessels carry nuclear weapons on board, and their presence does not threaten the region. Despite these assurances, the United States prefers to keep everything under control and know exactly where "Kazań" is located, especially since Florida and the coast of Cuba are only about 155 miles apart.

Applications that allow real-time flight tracking show that the American P-8 Poseidon and the Canadian P-3 Orion — are circling over a designated area shaped like a square, reports Bulgarian Military. The service also noted that some internet users, observing the flights of Western patrol planes and sharing screenshots from the applications, even ventured to say, "The hunt has begun!", probably referring to the observations these machines could be conducting. However, it is worth noting that there is no official information yet about the results of this Canadian-American naval operation.

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is a maritime patrol aircraft designed for the detection and destruction of submarines and surface ships, as well as for rescue purposes. Similarly, the accompanying Lockheed P-3 Orion serves the same functions. The P-8 Poseidon is a modified version of the Boeing 737-800ERX with wings from the 737-900 version, developed by Boeing Defence, Space & Security for the U.S. Navy. On the other hand, the P-3 Orion is based on the Lockheed L-188 Electra passenger plane and was created by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy.

The P-8 Poseidon is an aircraft with a length of 129 feet, a height of 42 feet, and a wingspan of 123 feet. It is powered by two CFM International CFM56-7B turbofan engines, enabling it to reach a maximum speed of 560 mph. Its service ceiling is estimated at 41,000 feet, and its range is over 4,300 miles. The heart of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft can be considered the AN/APY-10 radar, which allows, among other things, detecting and classifying targets and mapping terrain.

The P-3 Orion has a length of over 115 feet, a height of 34 feet, and a wingspan of about 98 feet. The aircraft is powered by four Allison T56-A-14 turboprop engines. The machine can fly at a maximum speed of over 470 mph, and it usually has a crew of 11 people onboard. The service ceiling for the P-3 Orion is 28,300 feet and its range is 2,360 miles. Both the P-3 Orion and P-8 Poseidon are armed with various systems, including depth charges and missile systems.