Soviet Sea Power

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 16

Soviet Sea Power

Admiral Gorshkov’s boast about the strength ofRussia’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet, and the concern in the United States at the growing strength of the Russian Navy, have emphasised that, from being almost exclusively a land-based Power in two World Wars, the Soviet Union may become the leading naval Power. The Russian Navy has been strengthened as part of an attempt to reach parity with the United States’ strategic deterrent, and because of a growing awareness that a naval presence is a sophisticated and delicate weapon in cold war confrontations. The United States Navy, for many years after 1945 the undisputed leader, is suffering from delays in technological innovation and the building of new ships, in part because the Vietnam war, in which the navy has played a relatively small role, has drawn attention—and resources—away from sea power. In 10 years Russia has built almost 80 nuclearpowered submarines, more than half of them armed with nuclear missiles. Ten of these submarines were completed in the last 12 months and at the present rate of building the Russian nuclear submarine fleet could overtake that of the United States early next year. Nuclear parity at sea between the super-Powers is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if it leads to greater confidence in the Soviet Union and a concomitant readiness to make progress in the strategic arms limitation talks. Take the United States, the Soviet Union now has a nuclear deterrent based on three forces—bombers, land-based ballistic missiles, and nuclear submarines—and it can feel secure in knowing that these could not all be destroyed in a surprise attack. But attempts to control the arms race must fail if the United States, as in the past, attempts to stay one jump ahead, and the Russians attempt again to catch up. The importance Of Russia’s more conventional naval forces should not be overlooked. A great continental Power, which in the past was limited at sea by its land-locked and ice-bound coastline, has begun to assume the world-ranging role once filled by the Royal Navy and more recently by the United States. This year the Soviet Navy was able to mount sizeable manoeuvres in four widely separated areas at once. It is gradually acquiring rights to use naval bases that were once British in the Middle East, Africa, and southern Asia. The appearance of Soviet ships in such places as the Persian Gulf, where they have never been seen before, has. had a great psychological impact So far the Russian presence in the Indian Ocean is no more than a novelty; but permanent bases there may soon be established, and if the Suez Canal reopens under Egyptian control it would greatly improve the mobility of Russian ships which already have the capacity to remain at sea for exceptionally long periods. Little of Russia’s trade is carried by sea; it has little need of a defensive navy and can concentrate on an attacking force. How far the Russian naval build-up continues may well depend on the outcome of the arms limitation talks and on the 24th Party Congress, which has been delayed until March next year. This congress will set the targets for the country’s next five-year plan. Party leaders have promised a larger allocation of resources to agriculture and consumer goods; but pressure from military leaders for more' funds is said to be one of the reasons why the congress has been delayed until priorities are settled. For the West, the outlook is not bright. Malenkov and Khrushchev were both deposed from power, at least in part, because they tried to divert funds from the military. World - wide superiority at sea by the Soviet Union is still some way off; the threat it poses for Western nations which depend on trade by sea —not least New Zealand and Australia is incalculable. Personal Item Dollar Selling Well

The Ambassador-Designate of New Zealand to Thailand (Mr E. H. Halstead) has also been appointed Ambassador to Labs, the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) announced yesterday. Like his predecessor, Mr I. L. G. Stewart, Mr Halstead would be accredited to Vientiane from Bangkok and would pay periodic visits to Laos for consultations with Laotian officials and d'plomatic colleagues.

The commemorative dollar minted by the Treasury to mark the visit to New Zealand of the Royal Family is selling well according to the Acting Chief Postmaster (Mr W. J. Dorward). Of the 100.000 distributed to the Post Office by the Treasury, 71,800 had been sold by the end of June, he said yesterday. A Treasury spokesman said yesterday that a further 156,000 commemorative dollars went to trading banks.—(P.A.)