The Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy, also known as the Red Fleet, was the naval arm for the USSR for over forty years. Spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic, the Soviet flotillas were backed by naval aviation squadrons, naval infantrymen, equivalent to a marine corps, and coastal artillery. Following the Bolshevik Revolution, the Imperial Navy suffered significantly losing officers to mass murder and leaving ships to rot and decay. While Communist Russia quickly bolstered its weakened sea forces, the Cold War provided the opportunity for the Kremlin to revive its navy.[1]
It became quickly apparent that the Soviets would be unable to match the size and scope of the American Navy. Nevertheless, the Soviets focused on developing a navy that would optimize their strengths and achieve their most valuable objectives.[2] Ultimately, the Soviets determined that a navy that could disrupt supply lines and at least show some muscle on international waters was required. Structuring their sea force around submarines, the USSR, led by Nikita Khrushchev, began to improve their subaquatic vessels exponentially over the decades when at one point they lacked the same advances as their rivals in NATO.[3] By the 1980s, the Soviets were able to launch five of their best submarines vessels. Powered by nuclear energy, these vessels could operate roughly 6,500 feet below the surface and had the capability to launch numerous ballistic missiles.[4] The capital craft of the Red Fleet, the submarine was the pride of the Soviet navy.[5]
As the Soviets attempted to close the gap in subaquatic warfare, they also emphasized the formation of missile-bearing frigates. Rather than consistently manufacture massive carriers or destroyers, the Soviets focused on building smooth-sailing missile boats considered tactically and economically feasible. However, the Soviet cruisers were well-armed and quite seaworthy with missiles as evident in their Kirov and Slava classes. These ships, capable of deploying missiles and torpedoes, became even more valued when the Kremlin considered their greatest threat to be nuclear attacks.[6] The submarines, partnered with cruisers, helped elevate the prestige of the navy and maximize its effectiveness.
The success, and tactical focus, of the Red Fleet revolved around their submarines. Thus, the USSR deemed it imperative to obtain the whereabouts of enemy submarines while trying to make theirs as undetectable as possible. During the 1980s, the Soviets began coordinating their navy with satellites. Using the satellites to help ascertain the location of U.S. watercraft, the Soviets also utilized information obtained through satellites to assist them in their maneuvers in dangerous waters where severe winds and thick ice were present.[7]
Even during years of détente and economic stagnation, the Soviet Navy remained strong and a vital component of the USSR’s military. Spearheaded by submarines, the Soviet Navy relied on strategy and technology to achieve its objectives and maintain a presence across the globe. The Red Fleet’s ingenuity and improvements helped the force remain relevant even during climatic times. Eventually, the USSR’s navy dissipated but it had a notable and recognizable role during its forty year existence.
[1] Lawrence Sondhaus, Navies in the Modern World, (London: Reaktion Books, 2004), 236.
[2] Lawrence Sondhaus, Navies in the Modern World, 264.
[3] Congressional Research Service, Soviet Oceans Development, (Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976), 47-57.
[4] Norman Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 5th ed, (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991), 2.
[5] Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 2.
[6] Congressional Research Service, Soviet Oceans Development, 81.
[7] Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 27.
Article Bibliography:
Congressional Research Service. Soviet Oceans Development. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,
1976.
Polmar, Norman. The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 5th ed. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
Sondhaus, Lawrence. Navies in the Modern World. London: Reaktion Books, 2004.
It became quickly apparent that the Soviets would be unable to match the size and scope of the American Navy. Nevertheless, the Soviets focused on developing a navy that would optimize their strengths and achieve their most valuable objectives.[2] Ultimately, the Soviets determined that a navy that could disrupt supply lines and at least show some muscle on international waters was required. Structuring their sea force around submarines, the USSR, led by Nikita Khrushchev, began to improve their subaquatic vessels exponentially over the decades when at one point they lacked the same advances as their rivals in NATO.[3] By the 1980s, the Soviets were able to launch five of their best submarines vessels. Powered by nuclear energy, these vessels could operate roughly 6,500 feet below the surface and had the capability to launch numerous ballistic missiles.[4] The capital craft of the Red Fleet, the submarine was the pride of the Soviet navy.[5]
As the Soviets attempted to close the gap in subaquatic warfare, they also emphasized the formation of missile-bearing frigates. Rather than consistently manufacture massive carriers or destroyers, the Soviets focused on building smooth-sailing missile boats considered tactically and economically feasible. However, the Soviet cruisers were well-armed and quite seaworthy with missiles as evident in their Kirov and Slava classes. These ships, capable of deploying missiles and torpedoes, became even more valued when the Kremlin considered their greatest threat to be nuclear attacks.[6] The submarines, partnered with cruisers, helped elevate the prestige of the navy and maximize its effectiveness.
The success, and tactical focus, of the Red Fleet revolved around their submarines. Thus, the USSR deemed it imperative to obtain the whereabouts of enemy submarines while trying to make theirs as undetectable as possible. During the 1980s, the Soviets began coordinating their navy with satellites. Using the satellites to help ascertain the location of U.S. watercraft, the Soviets also utilized information obtained through satellites to assist them in their maneuvers in dangerous waters where severe winds and thick ice were present.[7]
Even during years of détente and economic stagnation, the Soviet Navy remained strong and a vital component of the USSR’s military. Spearheaded by submarines, the Soviet Navy relied on strategy and technology to achieve its objectives and maintain a presence across the globe. The Red Fleet’s ingenuity and improvements helped the force remain relevant even during climatic times. Eventually, the USSR’s navy dissipated but it had a notable and recognizable role during its forty year existence.
[1] Lawrence Sondhaus, Navies in the Modern World, (London: Reaktion Books, 2004), 236.
[2] Lawrence Sondhaus, Navies in the Modern World, 264.
[3] Congressional Research Service, Soviet Oceans Development, (Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976), 47-57.
[4] Norman Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 5th ed, (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991), 2.
[5] Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 2.
[6] Congressional Research Service, Soviet Oceans Development, 81.
[7] Polmar, The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 27.
Article Bibliography:
Congressional Research Service. Soviet Oceans Development. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office,
1976.
Polmar, Norman. The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy, 5th ed. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
Sondhaus, Lawrence. Navies in the Modern World. London: Reaktion Books, 2004.