Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Project Azorian may have been one of the most devious and well-executed secret operations in human history. By publicising the virtues of a deep-sea mining vessel owned by billionaire Howard Hughes, the CIA managed to cover up the Hughes Glomar Explorer’s true purpose - to recover a Russian submarine and bring its secrets back to the United States. Through this cover and an extremely powerful tool, the Sound Surveillance System, the US Navy were able to monitor the seafloor and locate the submarine without the Russians being any the wiser.
Project Azorian may have been one of the most devious and well-executed secret operations in human history. By publicising the virtues of a deep-sea mining vessel owned by billionaire Howard Hughes, the CIA managed to cover up the Hughes Glomar Explorer’s true purpose - to recover a Russian submarine and bring its secrets back to the United States. Through this cover and an extremely powerful tool, the Sound Surveillance System, the US Navy were able to monitor the seafloor and locate the submarine without the Russians being any the wiser.
