NATO carrier groups were once routinely followed by Soviet trawlers wherever they operated. Some made a greater effort to resemble ordinary fishing vessels, while others were obvious intelligence ships. Personnel and equipment for analyzing signals could occupy space that a fishing vessel would otherwise use for its catch. The illustrated trawler alongside USS Texas provides a concrete example of that close observation. These vessels could gather intelligence in peacetime without abandoning their nominal civilian appearance.
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Soviet intelligence trawlers shadow NATO forces
Soviet trawlers followed British and American carrier groups, ranging from plausible fishing vessels to conspicuous intelligence ships.