Soviet Nuclear Sub. Claim

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 17

Soviet Nuclear Sub. Claim

(By HOLGZR JBNSZN, of the Associated Press, through n.z.p.a.) s MOSCOW, July 27. 1 The commander of the ‘ Soviet Navy claimed yes- ] terday that his missile-, carrying nuclear submarines have “bound the hands of the imperialists’’ and are ready to give a “crushing rebuff to any aggressor.” In America, the father of the United States Navy’s nuclear force, Vice-Admiral Hyman Rickover, has said that the Russians are gaining on America’s superiority on the high seas and that most of the bragging is justified. “The pride of our Navy is atomic submarines, fitted with . missiles of various purposes . which can be launched from i under water,” Admiral Sergei ■ Gorshkov proclaimed in a - Soviet Navy Day article in I “Pravda,” the official Communist Party newspaper.

“Together with naval mis-sile-carrying high-speed, long- ■ range planes, the submarines are the basis of the striking might of the Navy,” Admiral Gorshkov wrote. “Up-to-date surface ships with perfect weapons are assigned a major role. “Ships of the Soviet Navy are systematically present in all oceans, including the areas of the presence of navies of N.A.T.O. Such a situation is • undoubtedly not to the liking . of imperialist hawks.” - Admiral Gorshkov added t that the. Soviet Union relies i “not only on the quantity of ! ships but mainly the quality i of their missile-nuclear weapons and technical facilities.” > Such talk was unheard of i in 1956, when the 60-year-old 1 Admiral took command of the i Soviet Navy. In the interven- > ing 14 years he has built a 1 relatively insignificant coastal 1 defence force that seldom yen- - tured far from land into four fleets.

The Pacific, Baltic, Arctic and Black Sea fleets now boast about 25 cruisers, 100 destroyers, 1500 smaller craft of all types and 355 submarines, about 75 of them nuclearlowered. The Navy also has two new helicopter carriers, each carrying 30 helicopters and equipped to hunt and destroy enemy submarines. The United States retains superiority in aircraft-car-riers and destroyers, while being outnumbered by Soviet cruisers and conventional submarines. But what really worries American experts is the build-up of Soviet nuclear submarines. The Russians have added 20 to their fleets since 1968, and are now believed to be only 12 short of matching the United -States total. Admiral Rickover, who nursed the United . States nuclear force into its position of authority, says that ■ he feels the Soviet Union can - do it before the end of this year.

Last Saturday Admiral Rickover told the United States House-Senate committee on atomic energy: "The Soviets are capable of starting tomorrow one of the biggest wars there has ever been, and I am frankly not confident the outcome would be in our favour.” Admiral Rickover, a longtime champion of an expanded United States Navy, has assailed Congressional advocates of reduced defence spending for preaching what he considers “unilateral disarmament" Soviet submarines now prowl both American shores. Surface vessels pay regular ceremonial calls to Havana and far-flung African ports. And while still outgunned by the North Atlantic alliance’s Mediterranean units, as many as 75 warships of the Black Sea - fleet passed through the Dardenelles at one time last year to outnumber the United States Sixth Fleet there.