On 6/2/2015 6:39 AM, Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 02 Jun 2015 06:26:42 -0400, Justan Olphart
wrote:

I wonder why the Ross was steaming toward territorial waters. To provoke
a reaction? There doesn't seem to be any other rational motive. But why?

===

The usual reason is to test radar systems and responses. Best case is
if you can get the Russians to turn on some of their latest hi tech
electronics and gather the data.



It's a game that both sides play and has been going on since the end of
WWII. Nothing unusual.

When the US Navy was testing and gathering signature data for the towed
array passive sonar system that is currently employed on almost all US
Navy vessels, the ships I was on were routinely shadowed by Soviet
destroyers, ELINT ships and aircraft. A few times one of their ships
would purposely cross close by our fantail, trying to damage the towed
array.

There was a "hut" installed on my ship(s) near the towed array winch
that contained all the electronics and comm gear used to display, record
and report contacts made with the array. The Russians were very
interested in it. On one patrol the shipfitters welded a bunch of metal
structures to one side of the hut in a haphazard manner, making what
appeared to be an unusual looking antenna system. The next day one of
the Soviet ELINT ships came up abeam of our ship taking pictures of it.
Many of the crew on our ship manned the rails and gave the Russians
the one finger salute.