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Thursday, February 11, 2010

In 1986, a Russian submarine almost launched a nuclear attack on the U.S. when its radar erroneously identified an arctic seal as an incoming torpedo.


See also:
- Nuclear submarine accidents

keywords: science and technology, government, military, war, u.s.s.r., ussr, submarine, arctic, trivia, fun fact, fact of the day


7 Comments

  • That that would have ruined our whole day. ;~D

    By Anonymous ParaTed2k, at September 27, 2006 7:23 AM  

  • So...the first reaction of a Russian sub commander upon detecting an incoming torpedo is to fire his nuclear missiles? Sure, that sounds plausible...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at May 28, 2007 11:01 PM  

  • These kind of things actually have happen quite frequently within the Russian navy. Many brushes with near-war with U.S., often due to mistake such as this, or over-reaction to things similar to what is described here. My brother was crew on such a submarine and recounted many story that would give you the shivers. He is convinced - my brother - that nuclear war and end of earth will begin because of such incidence as these.

    By Anonymous D. Dragov, at September 08, 2007 9:51 PM  

  • Given the track record of the Russian space program, it's entirely possible.

    By Anonymous Ernst T Blofeld, at September 08, 2007 10:42 PM  

  • Why repeat facts?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at June 13, 2008 8:22 AM  

  • Anonymous, why assume these are facts?

    By Anonymous Ernst T Blofeld, at June 14, 2008 9:06 PM  

  • And nobody noticed that the submarine had radar.

    By Blogger Xetheare, at November 18, 2008 5:36 AM  

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