NATO is currently facing "a level of Russian capability that we haven't seen before," he added.
According to the vice admiral, Russia has managed to achieve "technology leaps that [are] remarkable, and credit to them" through "an extraordinary investment path not mirrored by the West." The new Russian submarines have better systems and longer operational ranges, he added.
Furthermore, it has become apparent that Russia has also worked hard on improving the expertise of its naval submarine crews, Dave Majumdar, the Defense Editor of The National Interest, remarks citing a report by the US Office of Naval Intelligence. As a result, NATO personnel have "seen a rise in professionalism and ability to operate their boats that we haven't seen before", Johnstone adds.
The current level of Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic is "very different from the period of quiet submarine activity that perhaps we've seen in the past," Vice Admiral Johnstone concludes, claiming that "that is a concern."
