K-129 - Azorian: The Raising Of The

The U.S. sought to recover the submarine to gain insights into Soviet nuclear technology, sonar capabilities, and cryptographic materials.

The Hughes Glomar Explorer was a custom-built, 619-foot-long salvage ship designed to secretly lift the 1,750-ton submarine section from a depth of over 16,000 feet. Azorian: The Raising of the K-129

To maintain secrecy, the ship used a massive "moon pool" in its belly and a giant claw-like capture vehicle nicknamed " Clementine " to grab the sub. To maintain secrecy, the ship used a massive

Launched in 1974 under President Nixon, the operation was disguised as a deep-sea mining venture led by reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes . Technological and Operational Highlights Core Premise and Historical Context

The documentary (2010) chronicles one of the most ambitious and expensive covert operations of the Cold War: the CIA's secret attempt to recover a sunken Soviet ballistic missile submarine from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Core Premise and Historical Context