In Formation

USS Chicago (SSN 721), a nuclear-powered attack submarine of the US Navy, transits in formation on 05 September 2007 in the Bay of Bengal as part of Exercise Malabar 07-02. Commissioned into the US Navy on 27 October 1986, she is the third in the Flight II series of Los Angeles Class attack submarines. In the summer of 2005, USS Chicago tested the 'Virtual Periscope', a system that allows submerged submarines to observe the surface above them without having to come to a shallower depth, as is required by traditional periscopes.

Image Courtesy - Seaman Stephen W. Rowe, Mass Communication Specialist.

BR Note: USS Chicago was the only submarine participating in the exercise, as requests from the US Navy to deploy Indian Navy submarines was turned down by Naval HQ in New Delhi. Neither the Kilo Class or the HDW 209 Class of submarines participated in Exercise Malabar 07-02. One Indian Navy officer commented, during the exercise, that USS Chicago makes more noise than than conventional diesel-electric submarines (like the Kilo and HDW 209 Class), but they travel much faster and can do up to 30 knots compared to the 5 to 7 knots (quiet speed) that the Indian Navy boats are capable of.