"JANES" MAKES A SURVEY OF NAVY STRENGTH

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 December 1950, Page 5

"JANES" MAKES A SURVEY OF NAVY STRENGTH

Many Russian Submarines

LONDON, Dec. 21 (Recd. 11.20 pm> —The United States is building nine submarines of a new type, three of them 750-ton boats, known as submarine killers. The other six are fleet types of 1600 tons. Projected prototype submarines include a 2500-ton nucleus-powered unit, one of 2200 tons and a 1100- I n highspeed underwater target boat. These facts are stated in the latest ■«sue of "Janes Fighting Ships.” Discussing the American Navy’s sub. ’ marine strength, “Janes” says of the existing 187 units that 23 already have been streamlined and converted foi ’’!gh underwater speeds and 11 others ere scheduled for similar treatment. Britain at present is building no

more submarines, but is converting several to obtain more speed

The strength of the United States Navy is reported as 4660 vessels of all kinds, of which 2510 are in active service. The number of large ships in the Royal Navy is about 450, of which 126 are active.

After stressing that accurate information about the Russian Navy is very difficult to obtain, Janes says of Russia’s submarines: “Between 350 and 370 are believed to be in existence. including 135 in the Baltic, nearly half of these being former Üboats, 110 in the Far East. 40 in the Black Sea and 30 in the White Sea.

“Some 120 submarines are reported to be under construction i'n Russian dockyards. “There seems to be plenty of evidence of Russia’s maritime awakening. The capacity of Soviet shipbuilding is now largely under the supervision of German specialists and is bolstered by foreign labour. It is reported to be twice that of 10 years ago.”