Actual Sub News! Memphis to decom, DESI Sub in Norfolk, Ice Pack Study

So, I don't often post too much sub news these days, being pretty much all politics, but, I decided to break the pattern this week.  To wit,

• The Bulgarian navy is shuttering its submarine force.  This picture tells you why.

• The Navy released its list of inactivations for the next year.  On it is the USS Memphis (SSN-691).  Another sub bites the dust in March. A handful of FF's get inactivated and the fate of the USS Nassau is also to be determined. In good news, the USS Missouri (SSN 780) arrived this week in New London for her commissioning next week.She'll be Virginia class number 7.
• The Peruvian sub BAP Angamos (SS31) arrived at Norfolk this week.  She's part of the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) which provides diesel submarines in support of fleet exercises.  In this case, she'll be playing bad guy in the Kearsarge's COMPTUEX.  Some lucky U.S. submarine officer will get to ride her and see how they do it.  Video below:

• In an "ugh" moment for me, the submarine force continues playing its part in the Navy's sell-out to environmentalists by resuming the SCICEX program which was put on ice in 2005.
• In case you missed it, the Russians latest SSBN, the Yuri Dolgoruky, returned home from sea trials.  According to the Russians, in addition to missiles that don't work (the Bulava, remember that one?), "There are issues that need to be worked out" before she goes on her next set of trials.