hi i have been following all the georgia stuff, and i read a report that the USS Dallas nuclear sub was headed to the Black sea.
now it seems its in san fran, but anyway, i thought that US subs were banned from the black sea under the montreax treaty, is this correct, or can turkey let them in if it wants?
thanks
On terminology: 'headed to' is not precise enough. A sub leaving port in Virginia might be 'headed to' Georgia. That doesn't mean it (has) passes into the Black Sea.
Further:
"The International Straits Commission was abolished, authorising the full resumption of Turkish military control over the Straits and the refortification of the Dardanelles.
Turkey was authorised to close the Straits to all foreign warships in wartime or when it was threatened by aggression; additionally, it was authorised to refuse transit from merchant ships belonging to countries at war with Turkey. A number of highly
specific restrictions were imposed on what type of warships are allowed passage. Non-Turkish warships in the Straits must be under 15,000 tons. No more than nine non-Turkish warships, with a total aggregate tonnage of no more than 30,000 tons, may pass at any one time, and they are permitted to stay in the Straits for no longer than three weeks. The number of foreign warships permitted in the Straits at any one time is restricted to one. Black Sea states are given more leeway, being authorised to send capital ships of any tonnage through the Straits (but only one at a time and specifically excluding aircraft carriers). They are also allowed to send submarines through the Straits, with prior notice, as long as the vessels have been constructed, purchased or sent for repair outside the Black Sea. The less restrictive rules applicable to Black Sea states were agreed as, effectively, a concession to the Soviet Union, the only Black Sea state other than Turkey with any significant number of capital ships or submarines. The passage of civil aircraft between the Mediterranean and Black Seas is permitted, but only along routes authorised by the Turkish government."
"In April 1982, the Convention was amended to allow Turkey to close the Straits at its discretion in peacetime as well as during wartime"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreux_Convention_Regarding_the_Regime_of_the_Turkish_Straits
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/naval-arms-control-1936.htm
Nothing here about submarines not being allowed. Nor that Turkey MUST close the straight. Nuclear submarines were not heard of in 1936 and thus are unaccounted for in the Straits regime, or only to the extent that it specifically adresses submarines (which, depending on interpretation, may or may not be considered surface ships as addressed by the treay). Also, 'during war' means 'when Turkey itself is a belligerent'. Besides, the United States was not a signatory to the Convention.
"The convention applies specific individual and aggregate tonnage and numbers limits. These limitations effectively preclude the transit of capital ships and submarines of non-Black Sea powers through the straits,
unless exempted under Article 17. Article 17 of the convention permits a naval force of any tonnage or composition to pay a courtesy visit of limited duration to a port in the straits at the invitation of the Turkish government. In such instances, the tonnage and numbers limitations of the convention do not apply. Warships of non-Black Sea powers may not remain in the Black Sea for longer than 21 days. "
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=150811&bolum=102
Finally, if an SSN sailed in quietely (which they typically do), underneath a tanker or something, how would anybody know?
