Plot

An untested American submarine captain teams with U.S. Navy Seals to rescue the Russian president, who has been kidnapped by a rogue general.

A U.S. submarine, the USS Tampa Bay, vanishes while shadowing a Russian Akula-class submarine in the Arctic. Rear Admiral John Fisk sends a Virginia-class submarine, the USS Arkansas, under the command of newly-promoted and unorthodox Commander Joe Glass to investigate. At the same time, a Navy SEAL team under the command of Lieutenant Bill Beaman is sent in to discreetly observe a Russian naval base. When they arrive at the naval base, they witness defense minister Dmitri Durov conducting a coup d'etat and taking Russian President Zakarin prisoner, and swiftly realize that Durov intends to trigger a war..

When the USS Tampa Bay submarine that is navigating in Russian waters loses contact with the American base, Captain Joe Glass is assigned to command the USS Arkansas submarine to investigate. They discover the USS Tampa Bay and a Russian submarine sunk with survivors inside. However they are attacked by another Russian submarine hidden under an iceberg but they explode the enemy. Then they rescue the survivors, including the Russian Captain Andropov. Meanwhile a commando led by Lieutenant Bill Beaman is sent to observe a Russian base and they find that a coup d'état is in progress with the defense minister Dmitriy Durov overthrowing the Russian President Nikolai Zakarin. Now Beaman and Glass are assigned to try to rescue Zakarin to avoid a nuclear war, but the only chance to the USS Arkansas reach the Russian base waters is with the help of Captain Andropov. Will he collaborate with Glass?—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Pentagon and White House panic, first when their nuclear submarine the USS Tampa Bay vanishes while shadowing a Russian Akula-class one in the Arctic, which actually sinks. Newly-promoted maverick USNavy Commander Joe Glass is promoted captain of the Virginia-class submarine USS Arkansas, finds the truth and rescues the Russian captain, legendary admiral Andropov, with other survivors, who helps them overcome the hostile Russian vessels. Meanwhile Russian president Nikolai Zakarin, who was visiting the Moermansk base on Kola peninsula, has been taken hostage by his war-hungry minister of defense Dmitriy Durov. To avoid a nuclear war, Lieutenant Bill Beaman's SEAL commando, already parachuted -with a bad fall- to spy on the base, is ordered to rescue Zakarin, and Glass to pick them up, neither proving nearly easy, even if sensible Andropov cooperates sincerely.—KGF Vissers

A U.S. submarine, the USS Tampa Bay (an LA Class Hunter-Killer, nuclear powered fast attack submarines), vanishes while shadowing a Russian Akula-class (Fourth generation nuclear-powered attack submarines) submarine Konek in the Barents Sea, near Russia in the Arctic. Rear Admiral John Fisk (Common) sends a Virginia-class submarine ( newest class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast attack submarines). There was an explosion aboard the Konek, shortly thereafter the Tampa Bay was hit by a torpedo that came from a submarine above them.

The USS Arkansas, under the command of newly promoted and unorthodox Commander Joe Glass (Gerard Butler) to investigate. The Arkansas was at the Faslane naval base in Scotland and closest to the Arctic. XO Brian Edwards (Carter MacIntyre) reports to Glass. The crew includes COB Wallach (David Gyasi), DRSV pilot Jiminez (Gabriel Chavarria), Sonar Tech Belford (Taylor John Smith), and Navigator Park (Christopher Goh). The Pentagon is tracking the biggest Russian arms buildup at their naval base in Polyarny.

Jayne Norquist (Linda Cardellini), National Security Agency senior analyst, analyzes this incident with the upcoming meeting of Russin Defense minister Durov with Russian President Zakarin. She senses something is wrong with the timing of the attack on the US sub. Jayne says that Zakarin was already in route to Polyarny at the time of the attack and hence this was not a response to the attack, but Pre-planned. Jayne recommends to Fisk that US should put eyes and ears on the ground where the meeting is taking place.

A Navy SEAL team under the command of Lieutenant Bill Beaman (Toby Stephens) is sent in to discreetly observe a Russian naval base at Polyarny, but their mission is swiftly complicated when Martinelli (Zane Holtz), the team's new DM recruit, is rendered unconscious during the HALO drop.

Meanwhile, the Arkansas discovers the lost U.S. submarine (and determines that it was a torpedo attack), and also finds a sunken Russian submarine (from the clanging noise picked up by Arkansas sonar) damaged in a manner that suggests internal sabotage rather than external attack. Glass orders the Arkansas to go to battle stations.

Their situation takes a turn for the worse when they are unexpectedly attacked by another Russian submarine, Volkov, which had been concealed beneath an iceberg. It becomes evident that Volkov was responsible for the unprovoked torpedoing of Tampa Bay. However, Arkansas manages to retaliate by firing a torpedo and Glass finds the Russian sub hidden in a pocket of the ice cap above. He evades the torpedoes fired by the Russian sub by luring them towards the Tampa Bay and then ordering a hard right to get out of the way.

Arkansas then successfully rescues the Russian survivors from Konek, including their commanding officer, Captain 2nd rank Sergei Andropov (Michael Nyqvist). Glass argues that if the Russians were behaving logically, they would have attempted their own rescue. The crew of the Arkansas is against rescuing Russians who fired on Tampa Bay, but Glass prevails saying that the only people who have any answers are in the Konek.

At Polyarny, Zakarin receives news that Volkov has been sunk, and Durov recommends launching a retaliatory strike. But Zakarin orders to talk to the US President instead. A signal jamming device is activated which blocks all cellular communications and Zakarin is not able to make his phone call.

When the SEAL team arrive at the naval base, they witness defense minister Dmitri Durov (Mikhail Gorevoy) conducting a coup and taking Russian President Zakarin (Alexander Diachenko) prisoner, and swiftly realize that Durov intends to trigger a war.

Back at Pentagon, the U.S. government learns about the coup and the sinking of the Tampa Bay. Admiral Charles Donnegan (Gary Oldman) recommends preparing for war, while Fisk (under advisement from Jayne that US is dealing with only a rouge general and the entire Russian military and hence deploying the fleet might play into Durov's hand by forcing a war) suggests that the Arkansas be sent to rendezvous with Beaman's team after they have rescued Zakarin. The US cannot bomb Polyarny as that would kill Zakarin.

The SEALs narrowly avoid detection during a radio intercept check by the Russians, but Martinelli is shot in the leg by a Russian officer who blindly fires at their concealed position. Consequently, the team is forced to leave him behind.

Glass manages to convince the reluctant Andropov to help. Glass shows Andropov proof that the Konek was sabotaged and not attacked, and that the mission to Polyarny is to rescue Zakarin. To get to Polyarny, the Arkansas has to pass through the Murmansk fjord, which is packed with mines and acoustic sensors. With Andropov's knowledge of the minefield around the base (the base hosts more than half the Russian fleet), Glass navigates the Arkansas near the base undetected. Glass must also convince his crew to accept Andropov's presence and trust Andropov.

Beaman's team manages to save Oleg (Yuri Kolokolnikov), an agent of the Russian Presidential Security Service, who was previously shot while protecting Zakarin by Durov's men. They work together to infiltrate the base and successfully retrieve President Zakarin, but lose Oleg, Devin Hall (Michael Trucco), and Matt Johnstone (Ryan McPartlin) in the process.

Beaman delivers the injured president to the Arkansas's DSRV, then goes back alone for Martinelli, whom he was forced to leave behind due to prior injuries. Durov orders the fjord to be sealed and orders the fleet to sink the US submarine.

As U.S. and Russian fleets face off for battle, the Arkansas sustains further damage when they are attacked by Andropov's old ship - a heavily armed destroyer now commanded by Sutrev (Ilia Volok), a member of Durov's conspiracy - but Andropov is able to communicate a message affirming that President Zakarin is aboard the submarine. Glass shows restraint by not firing his torpedoes at the destroyer. When the Arkansas surfaces the captain of the destroyer orders to fire its missiles at it, but the crew of the destroyer, loyal to Andropov, refuses to fire. This is when Zakarin comes on radio and announces Durov as the real traitor.

When Durov orders his forces at the base to fire missiles at the surfaced Arkansas, Pentagon orders Glass to fire back and protect Zakarin and the Arkansas. Glass refuses to take action, recognizing that firing back at the Russians could start the war he is trying to stop. In the last seconds, Andropov's old crew-mates defy orders and destroy the incoming missiles with CIWS before they can strike the Arkansas, and subsequently destroy Durov's naval base headquarters with their missiles.

With the war averted, Glass docks the Arkansas to the Russian naval base to return Zakarin and Andropov's surviving crew to their country. Glass and Andropov bid farewell and confirm their respect for each other. Beaman returns with an injured Martinelli, and the Arkansas leaves Polyarny, escorted by the Russian Navy.