RUSSIAN NAVAL STRENGTH

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25994, 23 December 1949, Page 7

RUSSIAN NAVAL STRENGTH

Comparison With U.S. ADMIRAL SHERMAN GIVES FIGURES

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8.40 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 21. The United States Chief of Naval Operations (Admiral Forrest Sherman), in a speech at Boston, said that there was ample evidence of a reawakening of Russia’s “maritime ambition.” He said that Russia had 14 cruisers in active service, compared with 13 in active service in the United States Navy, although the latter had 28 heavy and 32 light cruisers in a ‘‘mothball fleet.” The Soviet fleet’s known strength also included three old battleships, 110 destroyers, and about 270 submarines. Its force of torpedo-boats, submarine chasers and inshore patrol boats exceeded the numerical strength of similar types of all other navies combined. Admiral Sherman said that the Russians’ modern cruisers were heavy, fast ships, armed with a rapid-firing, highvelocity 7.lin triple turret battery. He added: “Our outstanding superiority over the Russian fleet is opr carrier force. The maintenance of the carrier force is essential to our uninterrupted use of vital sea communications and to naval support of the Army and Air Force. It is the core of our fleet’s offensive power. It is the most mobile tactical air force in existence.”