SOVIET NAVAL STRATEGY: CONCEPTS AND FORCES FOR THEATER WAR AGAINST NATO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000700080004-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 8, 2005
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: August 1, 1975
• Content Type: IR

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Intelligence Report
Soviet Naval Strategy: Concepts and Forces
for Theater Mar Against NATO
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Soviet Naval Strategy: Concepts and Forces
for Theater War Against NATO
Principal Conclusions
During the past decade, Soviet naval strategy has given indications of becomin
more flexible renardin the
ibl
poss
e course of a theater war with NATO 25X1
aval operations in such a war nrohahIv wniilrl ci m .., .
five stages:
a period of rising tensions during which surveillance operations
would begin
a possible period of conventional (nonnuclear) hostilities
possibly a period of limited nuclear operations in Europe, which
probably would be accompanied by widespread nuclear operations at
sea (Nuclear war at sea during a conventional conflict in Europe prob-
ably is not currently an element of Soviet strategy.)
theater-wide nuclear war
a concluding phase during which the winning side would consolidate
its gains.
Soviet and other Warsaw Pact naval forces are organized into several theater
commands for war with NATO. Each theater naval command has several wartime
missions to which forces must be allocated. Soviet planners probably believe that the
forces currently earmarked for each theater are adequate to defend Pact territory
against seaborne attack and to limit dama e from carrier based aircraft strikes
Likely future developments in Soviet naval strategy for theater war against
NATO include:
- greater emphasis on open-ocean antisubmarine warfare
- greater use of submarine-launched ballistic missiles in theater war
- development of increased capabilities for conventional war at sea.
The Soviets might also adopt a doctrine permitting nuclear operations at sea
during conventional hostilities on land in Europe. This could be done in reaction to
Western discussions of such a strategy or in realization of the advantages that
selected nuclear strikes at sea would have over limited nuclear attacks on land-for
example, the absence of a collateral damage problem.
These considerations probably will stimulate Soviet production of attack sub-
marines, high-endurance surface ships, and strike and antisubmarine aircraft, as well
as provision; for logistic support.
SECRET SR IR 75-3-R
Aug 75
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