Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 1984 The Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet. Veitch, Kim W. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/19614 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS THE WARSAW PACT BALTIC FLEET by Kim W. Veitch September 1984 Thesis Advisor: Stephan Garrett Approved for public release; distribution unlimited T221525 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE (Whan Data Entered) READ INSTRUCTIONS REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE BEFORE COMPLETING FORM 1. REPORT NUMBER GOVT ACCESSION NO. 3 RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NUMBER J2. 4. TITLE (and Subtitle) 5. TYPE OF REPORT 4 PERIOD COVERED Master's Thesis September 1984 The Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHORS 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERS v Kim W. Veitch 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME ANO ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT. PROJECT, TASK AREA 4 WORK UNIT NUMBERS Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, California 93943 11. COKT^dutWiS" OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12. REPORT OATE Naval Postgraduate School Septebmer 1984 13. NUMBER OF PAGES Monterey, California 93943 132 14. MONITORING AGENCY NAME 4 AODR ESS(I1 different (torn Controlling Office) 15. SECURITY CLASS, (ol this report) i I \ 15a. DECLASSIFICATION. DOWNGRADING 1 SCHEDULE J 4 16. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of this Report) Approved for public release; distribution unlimited 17. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (ol the abstract entered Ip Block 20, It dlllerent Irom Report) 18. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse aide If neceaaary and Identify by block number) Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet, Soviet Baltic Fleet, Polish Navy, East German Navy 20. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse aide It neceaaary and Identify by block number) This thesis provides an examination of the threat posed to NATO by the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet and its capability to accomplish its maritime missions. The history of the Soviet Baltic Fleet is discussed in order to demonstrate previous Russian actions and interests in the Baltic region. The missions of the Warsaw Pact are delineated and supported by EDITION OF 1 65 IS DD | JAN 73 1473 NOV OBSOLETE S N 0102- LF- 014- 6601 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE flfhon Data Bntarad) SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE fWhtn Dmtm EntmrmO) evidence from Warsaw Pact exercises. The constraints caused by political and natural geography, oceanographic factors, and climate are reviewed. The character and types of operations necessitated by these constraints are proposed. The force structures of the Warsaw Pact nations (East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union) which make up the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet are examined. Trends in modernization and capabilities are discussed in particular depth. The navies of the NATO opposition (Denmark and West Germany) are presented in the same manner. The ability of the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet to accomplish its missions in the face of the constraints and opposition is analyzed. S- N 0102- LF- 014- 6601 SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGEfWhen Dmtm Entmrmd) Approved for public release; distribution unlimited THE WARSAW PACT BALTIC FLEET by Kim W. Veitch Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy B.S., University of Arizona, 1972 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS from the NAV'AL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 1984 ^ s ABSTRACT This thesis provides an examination of the threat posed to NATO by the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet and its capability to accomplish its maritime missions. The history of the Soviet Baltic Fleet is discussed in order to demonstrate previous Russian actions and interests in the Baltic region. The missions of the Warsaw Pact are delineated and supported by evidence from Warsaw Pact exercises. The constraints caused by political and natural geography, oceanographic factors, and climate are reviewed. The character and types of operations necessitated by these constraints are proposed. The force structures of the Warsaw Pact nations (East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union) which make up the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet are examined. Trends in modernization and capabilities are discussed in particular depth. The navies of the NATO opposition (Denmark and West Germany) are presented in the same manner. The ability of the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet to accomplish its missions in the face of the constraints and opposition is analyzed. .. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 8 FOOTNOTES 15 II . THE HISTORY OF THE BALTIC FLEET 16 A THE RUSSIAN NAVY 16 B THE SOVIET NAVY 22 FOOTNOTES 26 III. THE MISSIONS OF THE SOVIET BALTIC FLEET 27 A. THE CONTROL OF THE BALTIC SEA 28 B. THE CONTROL OF THE DANISH STRAITS 33 C. THE SUPPORT OF THE GROUND FORCE OPERATIONS.. 37 D. THE SUPPORT OF NORTHERN FLEET OPERATIONS.... 38 E. WARSAW PACT NAVAL COOPERATION 40 FOOTNOTES 46 IV. CONSTRAINTS ON BALTIC MARITIME OPERATIONS 48 A. THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY 48 B. THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL GEOGRAPHY 50 C. THE INFLUENCE OF OCEANOGRAPHIC FACTORS 53 D. THE INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE 63 E. THE CHARACTER AND TYPE OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.. 67 FOOTNOTES 70 V. THE WARSAW PACT COMBINED BALTIC FLEET 72 A. THE EAST GERMAN CONTRIBUTION 73 B THE POLISH CONTRIBUTION 77 5 . C. THE SOVIET CONTRIBUTION 80 D WARSAW PACT NAVAL TRENDS 83 FOOTNOTES 88 VI . THE NATO OPPOSITION 87 A THE WEST GERMAN CONTRIBUTION 90 B. THE DANISH CONTRIBUTION 94 FOOTNOTES 99 VII . CONCLUSIONS 101 FOOTNOTES 112 APPENDIX A SOVIET HIGHER NAVAL SCHOOLS 113 APPENDIX B PORT CITIES 114 APPENDIX C MAJOR SOVIET SHIPYARDS 116 APPENDIX D EAST GERMAN NAVAL FORCE LEVELS: 1964-1983. 118 APPENDIX E POLISH NAVAL FORCE LEVELS: 1964-1984 119 APPENDIX F WARSAW PACT NAVAL FORCE LEVELS 120 APPENDIX G SOVIET BALTIC FLEET FORCE LEVELS: 1978-1983 121 APPENDIX H COMPARISON OF SOVIET FLEET FORCE LEVELS 1983 122 APPENDIX I WEST GERMAN NAVAL FORCE LEVELS: 1964-1983. 123 APPENDIX J DANISH NAVAL FORCE LEVELS: 1964-1983 124 APPENDIX K LIST OF SHIP TYPE ABBREVIATIONS 125 BIBLIOGRAPHY 126 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 132 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 . MAP OF THE BALTIC REGION 14 Figure 2. SOVIET AIR CAPABILITY IN THE NORTHERN TVD . 32 Figure 3. SOVIET UNION MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE BALTIC SEA 34 Figure 4. MAP OF THE DANISH STRAITS 54 Figure 5. BATHYMETRIC MAP OF THE NORTHERN BALTIC SEA . 56 Figure 6. BATHYMETRIC MAP OF THE SOUTHERN BALTIC SEA . 57 Figure 7. BALANCE OF WATER AND SALINITY SEPARATION IN THE BALTIC 60 Figure 8. CHART OF THE SALINITY LEVELS, DENSITY PROFILES, AND TEMPERATURES IN THE BALTIC .. 61 Figure 9. SURFACE SALINITY AND TEMPERATURES 62 Figure 10. CHART OF ICING ON BALTIC PORTS in 1980 66 Figure 11. CHART OF TOMAHAWK (TLAM-C) RANGE AND TARGETS IN THE BALTIC REGION 110 I. INTRODUCTION The U.S. Department of Defense publication, Soviet , Military Power . 3rd ed . 1 makes the point quite clearly that the Warsaw Pact conventional forces have out numbered the NATO conventional forces since the inception of NATO. In order to create a credible deterrence to the superior forces of the Warsaw Pact, NATO's doctrine calls for a rapid escalation to nuclear warfare, including a first use policy in the event of a large scale Soviet attack. 2 it may now be necessary to modify or abandon this policy for two reasons. First, there is increasing evidence that the Soviet Union wishes to avoid using nuclear weapons as long as NATO does not use such weapons. 3 Second, since the Soviet Union has reached or surpassed parity in tactical nuclear weapons, it is unlikely that NATO would gain directly from any such escalation. 4 it may now be necessary for NATO to strengthen its conventional forces, in order to maintain a credible deterrent, reserving nuclear forces to the role of deterring a strategic nuclear attack. In order to prepare for such a radical change in NATO's doctrine, a clear understanding of the Warsaw Pact conventional threat, its missions, and capabilities is required. While much has been written about the Mediterranean and the soft under-belly of Europe, little attention has been 8 paid to the threat on the other flank of NATO, the Baltic Sea. The importance of the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet in the event of war in NATO's central and northern theaters cannot be overstated. Whether the Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet is allowed to join with the Soviet Northern Fleet or is "bottled up" in the Baltic, NATO operations will be directly affected. NATO and Western Europe must beware of and understand this threat to their security and be prepared to counter it or one day the choice may be risking nuclear war or surrendering a portion of Western Europe to Soviet domination. Until 1970 the Soviet Navy's Baltic Red Banner Fleet constituted the main part of the Soviet Navy. The shift in emphasis to worldwide operational areas and a more offensive global strategy has been reflected in the change in the missions, makeup, and size of the Baltic Red Banner Fleet which today ranks third after -the Northern Fleet and Pacific Fleet. The Baltic Fleet has undergone a reduction in available ships and has received only a small share of new surface ship construction. At present the Soviet Baltic Fleet is made up of 107,000 men, naval air with 275 aircraft including ASW, and utility aircraft as well as ships. Available large ships include two large ASW ships, one gun equipped cruiser, seven guided-mi3sile destroyers, five older destroyers, twenty-seven frigates, and thirty-two submarines including six Golf SSB's.5 ^ This does not mean that the Soviet Union is ignoring the Baltic Sea or its ambitions there. Early in 1983, the Pacific Defense Reporter reported that the Soviet Union was expanding its naval base at Liepaja, Latvia. The reports further stated that the largest fishing collective in the Baltic was relocated to Ventspils, in order to make room for the naval base and that military convoys delivered large amounts of electronics and naval building equipment for the construction of what will become the largest, most modern Soviet base in the Baltic.