The Hunt For Red October Fact or Fiction?

The is a fictitious Typhoon class submarine in thesubmarine equipped with a revolutionary stealth
Tom Clancy novel "The Hunt for Red October"propulsion system.
and the movie which followed. When I first sawJack Ryan,[Alex Baldwin] a naval historian turned
this film, written by Tom Clancy,I thought that anCIA analyst, deduces Ramius' plans. The U.S. high
awful lot of research had gone into the making ofcommand agrees warily, while also planning for
this movie, but I often wondered where someonecontingencies in case the Soviet Fleet has other
would come up with such a plot. Was this filmintentions than their stated cover. As tensions rise
based on fact, or fiction in the writers mind. Andbetween the U.S. and Soviet fleets,and the crew
if it was based on fact, where did Clancy get hisof a U.S.attack submarine stumble across the
information from.secret to detecting the Red October.
The main theme of the story partially centersThis film was one of the best movies of the 90's.
around the dual capabilities of this submarine. As aIt launched Clancy's successful career as a
submarine of the Typhoon class, it carries manynovelist and the highlighted the superb acting
ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads. Withabilities of a number of well known stares.
a stealthy propulsion unit, it can no longer beAnd yes this novel and movie were based on
detected by NATO naval vessels. As described intrue facts concerning the defection of two Soviet
both the book and the film, these capabilitiesnavel officers.[1]In 1961, Soviet Navy submarine
combine to create a horrific weapon, wherebycaptain Jonas Pleškys sailed his vessel from
the submarine could easily surface near a city, likeKlaipeda to Gotland in Sweden.The Soviet
New York,N.Y. fire its missiles, and destroy keyauthorities sentenced him in his absence to death
targets before any government or militaryby firing squad, but the CIA hid him, first in
leaders could order a counterattack. OneGuatemala and later in the United States.
interpretation, as offered in the film and book, is[2]On November 8, 1975, the Soviet Navy frigate
that this submarines existence is for one purpose:Storozhevoy mutinied. At the time, the Western
not as a deterrent to an American attack on thepowers believed it was an attempt to defect
Soviet Union, but solely as a weapon of firstfrom Latvia to the Swedish island of Gotland. The
strike. The U.S.Government knows that theymutiny was led by the ship's Political Officer,
have only two options for this type of submarine.Captain Valery Sablin. The mutiny was
Either they capture it or they destroy it.unsuccessful, and Sablin was captured,
Marko Ramius,[Sean Connery] a Lithuanian whocourt-martialed, and executed.
has risen to high levels of trust in the SovietSo there you have it. So the next time you go
Navy, intends to defect to the United States withview a "spy thriller"type of movie, you should
his officers and the experimental nuclearalways ask yourself! Fact Or Fiction?
submarine Red October, a Typhoon class