Job Azorian was the most enthusiastic CIA objective of the Cold War, a secret effort to recuperate the sunken Soviet submarine K-129 from 16,500 feet. Discover the truth behind the Glomar Explorer and the $800 million mechanical failure that nearly activated WWIII.
TL; DR: The Billion-Dollar Break-in
In 1974, the CIA utilized a huge phony mining ship, the Hughes Glomar Explorer, to covertly steal a lost Soviet nuclear submarine (K-129) from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Regardless of a disastrous mechanical failure of the healing "claw" (Clementine) at 9,000 feet, the mission yielded critical nuclear secrets and birthed the well-known "Glomar Response" (" neither validate nor reject"). This is the story of the $800 million lie that changed espionage permanently.
♂ THE DEEP DIVE: JOB AZORIAN EXPOSED
Invite to The WAR Room. Today, we are uncovering the most pricey and audacious intelligence operation in history: Project Azorian.
When the Soviet Golf II-class ballistic missile submarine K-129 vanished in March 1968, the USSR could not find it. But the United States Navy did-- using a top-secret undersea acoustic network. It was resting 16,500 feet listed below the surface, 1,500 miles northwest of Hawaii, carrying 3 nuclear rockets and two nuclear-tipped torpedoes.
The CIA's plan? Develop a ship the size of a skyscraper, develop a phony deep-sea mining market led by reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, and lower a giant mechanical claw to grab the 2,000-ton submarine section.
What failed? At approximately 9,000 feet throughout the ascent, an area of the "Clementine" claw suffered a huge mechanical failure. Two-thirds of the submarine-- consisting of the main missile section and codebooks-- toppled back into the abyss. What remained was a fractured hull, the bodies of six Soviet sailors, and a trick so harmful it practically began a superpower collision.
In this documentary, we examine the engineering marvels, the mental warfare, and the enduring legacy of the Glomar action that still protects government secrets today.
⏳ TIMESTAMPS: BROWSE THE MISSION
00:00 - The $800 Million Gamble: Task Azorian Hook 03:00 - The Vanishing of K-129: A Soviet Nuclear Secret 10:00 - Building the Lie: Howard Hughes and The Manganese Nodule Cover 18:00 - Engineering the Difficult: The Clementine Claw 26:00 - The Glomar Explorer: A Black-Budget Work of art 34:00 - Descent Into Black Water: 16,500 Feet Down 42:00 - The 12-Hour Ascent and The Catastrophic Snap 50:00 - Inside the Steel Burial place: What the CIA Really Recuperated 58:00 - The Glomar Reaction: Rewiring Federal Government Secrecy 01:06 - After-effects in Moscow and Langley: The Quiet War 01:14 - The Broken Claw Theory: What Truly Stopped working? 01:22 - How Azorian Rewired Deep-Ocean Power 01:30 - The Real Cost of a Secret: Ethics and Strategy
VIEW MORE FROM THE WAR SPACE
If you enjoyed this deep dive into Cold War espionage, check out these other high-stakes documentaries:
The WAR Room is your entrance to the legendary stories of history's greatest conflicts. We dive deep into comprehensive documentaries, gripping fight analyses, and declassified tricks from ancient times to modern-day warfare. Our objective is to discover the surprise truths of military history through accurate, well-researched, and cinematic storytelling.
SIGN UP WITH THE DISCUSSION
Was Project Azorian a success or a $800 million failure? Could the CIA have recuperated the entire sub if the claw had not snapped? Let us understand your thoughts in the comments below!
