eweinkam@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Eric G. Weinkam) (06/17/91)
From: eweinkam@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Eric G. Weinkam) Does anybody have any theories as to why the Soviet Union is currently producing three different classes front-line SSN (Akula, Sierra, Victor III)? -- Eric G. Weinkam eweinkam@rodan.acs.syr.edu
deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) (06/19/91)
From: deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) >From: eweinkam@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Eric G. Weinkam) > > Does anybody have any theories as to why the Soviet Union is currently >producing three different classes front-line SSN (Akula, Sierra, Victor III)? > Put quite simply, the SSN is the primary vessel of the Soviet Navy. You raise a vitally important point -- especially in the era of "glasnost," "perestroika," and "demokratizatsiya." While conventional force reductions are taking place in Europe (and the Soviets agreeing to a stricter implement- ation of the CFE Tre--y ( <--- BAD word! :-) ), the West seems to be getting an almost giddy attitude over the warming of relations with the Soviets. However, the Soviet SS and SSN fleet vastly outnumbers that of the U.S. The rationale, returning to the bounds of the sci.mil charter, is the protection of their SSBN bastions against U.S. interdiction. In the vernacular of the Soviet Navy, the surface units (as one observant poster mentioned earlier this week) serve primarily a support-and-protect role for the submarines. A key example is the KIEV-class "ASW Support Cruiser." So why do they continue to build front-line SSNs? To keep us honest? Who knows -- your guess is as good as mine.... -shane -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | deichman@cod.nosc.mil | "There's no heavier burden than a | | <affix favorite disclaimer here> | great potential!" -Linus Van Pelt | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
002@pnet16.cts.com (J.W.Cupp Lcdr/Usn) (06/21/91)
From: 002@pnet16.cts.com (J.W.Cupp Lcdr/Usn)
Anyone who wishes to continue this discussion and hasn't already read Adm
Gorshkov's _SEA_POWER_OF_THE_STATE_ ought to do themselves a favor and do so.
It's really quite revealing to look into the Soviet Navy mindset about
submarines.
J. W. Cupp
UUCP: humu!nctams1!pnet16!002 Naval Telecommunications Center
ARPA: humu!nctams!pnet16!002@nosc.mil P.O. Box 55
INET: 002@pnet16.cts.com Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 96860
The above is merely my opinion, and not to be construed as anything else.