Onslow & Ovens

This is coolbert:

Here with some interesting Cold War submarine stuff as presented on various Internet web sites.

Australian submarines of the Oberon class [diesel/electric], specifically the Onslow and the Ovens, performing yeoman duty during the period of the Cold War, tracking the movements of Soviet subs, those "adversaries" en route to station in the Arabian Gulf, taking the long way, a "secret" sea route designed to prevent observation!

"Onslow and Ovens . . . were deployed to track Soviet submarines moving into the Arabian Gulf from Vladivostok via the Coral Sea, south of Tasmania, across the Great Australian Bight and past Cape Leeuwin in WA [Western Australia]. The Soviet subs took this route in an effort to avoid detection, but Onslow and Ovens kept an eye on them."

From Vladivostok through the Pacific Ocean - - through the Coral Sea,  south of the Australian land-mass, into the Indian Ocean. The LONG-WAY.

The more direct and obvious route through the South China or Java Sea - - passage into the Indian Ocean via the various straits of the Indonesian archipelago - - Malacca, Lombok, Sunda, Makassar, the waters all too shallow to allow for hidden and unobserved transit - - choke points - - the most expeditious way from Vladivostok to Indian Ocean station fraught with danger!

I would have to assume the Soviets were NOT aware they were being tracked, observed, followed, the "secret" route NOT so secret! Such a diversion for the purposes of secrecy meant that thousands of miles of sailing and weeks of travel were added to each voyage, all for naught it seems.

And Onslow and Ovens - - retired now, good hunting and good job!! High marks for everybody!

coolbert.