A Soviet attack submarine crashed into a US aircraft carrier 40 years ago during the Cold War. It was a bad day for the sub.

Thu, 03/21/2024 - 07:20

Soviet Submarine And US Aircraft Carrier Collide — In this aerial image, a Soviet Union submarine is seen after colliding with U.S. Kitty Hawk on March 22, 1984 in at sea.
The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images

Forty years ago today, a Soviet submarine collided with the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.
The collision occurred as the sub was spying on US warships amid Cold War tensions.
It was the third instance of a Soviet vessel colliding with an American one in just five months.

Late at night on March 21, 1984, sailors aboard the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk felt a sudden jolt while sailing in the Sea of Japan.

Those aboard the carrier didn't know it yet, but their 80,000-ton ship had just collided with a 5,200-ton Soviet attack submarine. The surprise collision came amid heightened Cold War tensions between the US and Soviet Union.