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4. France
5. Great Britain
6. Greece
7. Italy
12. Sweden
13. Turkey
14. West Germany
The 14 navies of Western Europe and NATO (excluding the U. S. Navy) include some of the largest and best- equipped fleets in the world, excluding those of the two superpowers. Most of them have significant ongoing procurement programs, some of them in the context of long-term naval program-laws. Their naval armaments industries are now equipping not only their own fleets but also those of most of the world’s smaller navies. While none of them is large enough to rival the navy of either superpower, the non-U. S. NATO navies together constitute a major Western resource that could tip the balance in a naval con
1. Belgium
2. Canada (not included in map)
3. Denmark flict with the Warsaw Pact.
Navies are extremely complicated organizations, but their most characteristic feature, and the one used most often to judge their strength, is their combatant ships. When looking at new developments in the forces of these navies, notably new ship procurement programs, the initial impression is one of radical change. Indeed, major advances in capabilities are being made, because of advances in technology and the tendency of successive ship designs to increase in size. However, in most of these navies, one thing tends to remain relatively constant: overall force structure. Because
8. Netherlands
9. Norway
10. Portugal
11. Spain most ships serve more than 20 years, changes in force structure will be a gradual process. This tendency is rein" forced by factors such as limited financial resources, conservatism in nava leaderships, and, in the case of NATO navies, a relative continuity in missions during the period NATO has been in existence. In this initial survey 0 the 14 Western European and NATO navies, we focus on identifying changes and continuities in their combatant ship force structures during the last 30 years. This enables us both to determine the role that ships now under construction will assume m their fleets and also to suggest with some confidence what new procurement efforts are likely to be undertaken in the future.
For purposes of comparison, ships have been grouped in the following categories: carriers, cruisers, de stroyers, large frigates (which °vef time have increased in size within the general range of 1,600 to 4,200 tons full load), light frigates (1,000 to 1,600 tons), patrol escorts (800 to 1,000 tons), large patrol craft (400 to 800 tons), fast attack craft (arms with antiship missiles or torpedoes)- submarines, minesweepers (here l|rn ited to wooden-hulled ships over 2/ tons full load), minelayers, and maj°r amphibious ships (LSDs and LSTs). classifications of ships among cornbat ant categories (notably from destroyerS to frigates) have for the most part been ignored. Ships are counted as m
naval inventory from commissioning
until they are deleted from the list of unambiguously relegated to auxili&'! or subsidiary service. The survey conducted in geographical order fr0ltl the north westward around Europe the Mediterranean. Canada is also *n eluded since it is a NATO country- ^
The Swedish Navy is the one navy 0 the 14 that is not associated direct) or indirectly with NATO. Its primarf mission is deterrence or disruption an invasion of Swedish territory, c main threat being from the east.
(iC"
den, which now has only two
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foyers in commission, has gone arther than the other Nordic coun- ^les 'n renouncing large ships in favor 0 fet attack craft and submarines.
e number of these latter two types
cancellation of the “M-70” mine- ePer program, Sweden’s mine-
Th
^as not increased since I960, how> and the submarine force has de- ltled since 1974 from its previous average 0f 22 units to 14, despite the production of three N'acken-class submarines in 1979-80. The near- errn future of this submarine force Ppears assured by plans to modernize 0fne of the oldest boats and by the er just given for the first unit of e new “A-17” class. The fast attack raft force, which averaged about 40 P'ts from 1956 to 1975, will probay stabilize at 35 units after comple- th n Ja8aren c^ass- fn light of
stvei
upping force
is likely to decline. e naval minelayer force, which will 1 °n c°nsist of three modern ships, is I c*ed up by some small coast artil- ery minelayers.
po ^he Norwegian Navy is responsible r the defense of the long Norwegian seaSt aga'nst attack by nearby Soviet tty an<^ a‘r f°rces an<3 f°r operations on tVltaI sea routes—the approaches ai[tbe Baltic and Barents seas. Norway j °Wed its destroyer force to disappear the 1960s but renewed its frigate sh'Ce ^7 building five Dealey-class *Ps. These ships have just gone through a major mid-life modernization, which will put off a decision on their replacement. Norway has augmented both its submarine and fast attack forces since the 1950s. Eight new small submarines have recently been ordered in Germany to replace some of the existing 15 boats. The fast attack force contained around 46 units from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, but will decline to 40 as the 14 Hauk- class guided missile patrol boats replace the remaining Tjeld torpedo boats. The minelaying force consists of two modern 1,722-ton ships and a small inshore mineplanter. Norway has retained its minesweeping force (now ten MSCs) intact, but has not updated it, and its future is not clear. The navy’s ASW and surveillance capabilities are augmented by some P-3B maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Norwegian Air Force. (Two P-3Cs are on order.)
The Danish Navy is concerned primarily with defense of its territory and operations in the Baltic approaches. Over the years, its inventory of large frigates has dropped from five to two (which recently completed a mid-life overhaul), backed up by three to four patrol escorts and light frigates. (The new Nils Juel class is now replacing the Triton class.) The submarine force has doubled from three to six units, although one was severely damaged in an accident in September
The non-U. S. NATO navies may tip the balance in favor of the West in an ■ East-West confrontation. Seen from left to right are the Bergen (Norway), Koln ( West Germany), Herluf Trolle (Denmark), Ariadne (Britain),
Evertsen (Netherlands), and Ottawa (Canada).
1979 and will require extensive repairs. Plans are being made to replace some older submarines with German “Type-210” units. The fast attack force has remained constant at some
16 units, 10 of which today are of the new Harpoon missile-equipped lVil- lemoes class. As in Norway and Sweden, the minelayer force of seven units is reasonably modern, but the small force of eight coastal minesweepers has been unchanged since the 1950s.
The navy of the Federal Republic of Germany has the missions of coastal defense and Baltic operations, but also has assumed another mission: cooperation in sea-control operations by larger ships in the North Sea. (This mission gained importance in 1980 when West Germany lifted a self-imposed restriction on naval operations north of 61° N. Lat.) West Germany has had
17 destroyers and large frigates since the early 1960s, but four destroyers and four frigates are being replaced by six Bremen-class frigates now being built in West Germany. Two more of
29
feedings / March 1981
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Like most of the other NATO navies, the Belgian Navy has a new class of frigates, the Wielingenr. The Wandelaar is pictured in the English Channel in 198(1.
navy^
important non-superpower
dedicated to maritime opera around the British Isles. The effect the second decision has been that' even though Britain occasionally sen task groups to operate overseas, ne*
all its forces are committed to NA
(the
to operate in European waters v eastern Atlantic and the Channel) 1 case of war.
When looking at the force structut
;, one
nearly
of
was
to
these ships may be constructed. The German fast attack force has been at or above its current level of 40 boats since the early 1960s, and 10 “Type- 143A” vessels are under constructon to replace the 10 oldest units. (The U. S. PHM class was originally to provide the replacements for this purpose, but this approach was dropped because of the PHMs’ high cost.) The submarine force of 25 boats is to be maintained by construction of the "Type- 210” submarine. The 18 coastal minesweepers still in service were built in 1958-60 but have all been updated, 12 by conversion to minehunters and 6 by conversion to control ships for “Troika” drone minesweepers. The West German Navy has two squadrons of F-104 fighter-bombers, which are to be replaced by Tornados, and one squadron of Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft, whose weapons and sensors are to be updated under a major new program.
The force structure of the Royal Netherlands Navy has changed very little over the past 30 years, except for the elimination of a light carrier, but the missions of the ships have changed. Plans now are for the Netherlands to provide in the Atlantic and the Channel three escort groups (each with a leader, six frigates, and an underway replenishment ship) and to operate in the North Sea a group of four smaller escorts and an offensive submarine force. It is also to operate mine countermeasure forces off its coast and in the Channel. Thanks to the Kortenaer frigate program and the modernization of the Van Speijk class, its force of destroyers and large frigates, which consisted of 18 ships in 1951, will soon consist of 18 modern frigates. The submarine force, which has consistently contained some six units, is being updated by construction of two IFG/r/cr-class units. The Alkmaar minehunter program should help stop the decline of the Dutch minesweeping force, which fell from 52 to 21 MSOs and MSCs in the 1970s. The ships that are needed for the fleet’s missions but have not yet been ordered are one escort group leader to supplement the two Tromp-class missile destroyers and replacements for the existing six smaller escorts, which date from 1954. Plans are being made to build four 2,500-ton “M”-class frigates for North Sea duty. The remaining two destroyers of late-1950s’ vintage will soon be stricken. (The destroy-
SKYFOTOS, HYTHE, KENT, ENGLAND
er Drenthe was badly damaged by fire 1(1 late 1980 and will not be repaired ) The Dutch recently decided to buy 13 P-3C and two Fokker F-27 maritime patrol aircraft to replace 13 NeP' tunes. They also have seven Atlantics-
The Belgian Navy owned two (tig' ates in the early 1950s and operate some large steel minesweepers as es corts until 1969, but the commissioning of four W/elingen-class frigates >n 1976-78 marks its most effective Par ticipation to date in the mission 0 helping to protect shipping in t*ie Channel. The rest of the Belgian Navy has been a minesweeping force, declined along with those of other NATO navies but which is to be re newed by construction of ten triparrlte minehunters in the 1980s.
The British Royal Navy, once rhe world’s largest fleet, is still the most
However, two decisions made during the 1960s have profoundly altered j*s missions and operational behavior: t
decision not to build a new-generation
aircraft carrier and the decision withdraw from east of Suez. The ■ effect of the first decision was fir**1 ) felt in 1979 when Britain’s last attar carrier, Ark Royal, was retired withou relief. In partial compensation, ho" ever, Royal Air Force (RAF) squadr0IlS of Buccaneers and Phantoms (eventu
ally to be replaced by Tornados) "ere
cion5
of the Royal Navy since 1951 finds a pronounced decline in i all categories of ships. This, hovve'e^ is because in part, the Royal Navy practically the only European fleet
0rne early warning aircraft, and the 1 are being updated.
[ fhc other end of the Atlantic seas> the Canadian Navy has concen- since the late 1950s almost ex- aruSlVely on maintaining an effective f 'Sut>marine destroyer and frigate ]a^e *or service off both its long At- ‘c and Pacific coasts. Nearly all
°ther
emerge from World War II with the takings of a large reserve fleet. The decline in the larger classes is indisputable: even the large destroyers of the postwar Devonshire class are disaPpearing, and only three new ships *arger than destroyers, the V/STOL and helicopter carriers of the Invincible class> have been funded. (It should be n°ted, however, that Britain is also Maintaining four SSBNs and has just ecided to update this force.) The Main sign of continuity can be seen in me large frigate category. If one includes in this category the destroyers converted to frigates in the early l')50s and the new Sheffield-class, the 0rce of large frigates built or con- Vefted since World War II has re- Mai ned between 50 and 60 units since 1. The Leander modernization pro- tMnas and continuing production of e Sheffield and Broadsword classes w,ll probably keep it there. The 12 sccond-line frigates of the Blackwood ass have been disposed of, and, un- fess some of the new “Type-24” export ‘gates are acquired, they are not e|y to be replaced. The shift from esel to nuclear submarines led to a dine in the attack submarine force Mm 46 in 1967 to 27 today of which are nuclear powered. Construction ^ a new diesel submarine class, like . f Type-2400,” is now under cong eration to prevent further decline.
r‘tain s minesweeper force has de- aj'ned in size since the mid-1960s °ng with most other NATO Meforces, but it is now being up- ^taded qualitatively by the production a- ^le Brecon-class minehunters. Brit- no longer maintains a force of fast . ac* craft, and its eight large ams10us ships are used for logistics •j^Pport °r for seamanship training. j^.e rAF maintains four squadrons of 'Mrod maritime patrol craft. Some k C^ese are being converted to air-
Major ship types, including
minesweepers, have been disposed of or relegated to subsidiary functions. Between 1955 and 1964, Canada built 20 frigates, which gradually took over from its 32 war-built destroyers and frigates. Of its current inventory of 20 destroyers and frigates, only the four ships of the Iroquois-class are fully up to date, and a new class of patrol frigates, which has now advanced to the contract design stage, is urgently needed to prevent a decline in the capability of the force. In the interim, a major destroyer life extension program is being carried out on the 16 older frigates. Beginning in 1949, Britain loaned Canada three submarines to provide training services for its frigates, and this is now the function of Canada’s three Oberon-class submarines. Canada has begun taking delivery of 18 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft (a variant of the U. S. P-3) to replace its Argus fleet.
The French Navy differs from the other NATO navies in two respects. First, France is the only country which is a full member of NATO’s civil organization but whose forces are not integrated into NATO’s military organization. Second, the French Navy is the only one of these navies that still has an important mission outside Europe. Its four missions (which have changed little since the advent of de Gaulle) are: to participate in nuclear deterrence by maintaining an SSBN force; to maintain surveillance over and, if necessary, to defend the maritime approaches to France in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; to retain at sea and overseas the ability to act as necessary to fulfill France’s diplomatic obligations and defend its interests; and to carry out public service or coast guard tasks.
The French Navy’s force structure is distinctive in that it is the only European navy to retain an attack carrier force. France has had three to four carriers (including helicopter carriers)
HMS INVINCIBLE
The Royal Navy’s conventional takeoff and landing aircraft carriers have given way to ski-jump ASW cruisers of the Invincible class. Seen above is the first Sea Harrier ski-jump launch at sea.
since 1953 and will retain the current two attack carriers and one helicopter carrier into the 1990s. Its two attack carriers have just been updated by major overhauls and by procurement of the Super Etendard attack aircraft with a tactical nuclear capability. In the 1990s, the carriers will be replaced by two 32,000-ton nuclear- powered carriers. France also has five SSBNs in service and is building a sixth. It has continuously had a handful of cruisers or large missile destroyers to escort the carriers. Its force of destroyers and large frigates remained continuously around 45 units from 1957 to 1974, thanks to a major construction effort in the 1950s. Since then, however, 19 ships have been stricken from the list and only four new ones have been delivered. The
Table 1 Actual and Expected French Naval Forces
31 Dec 76 31 Dec 79 31 Dec 82 1990 2000
SSBN | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|
Carriers1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
AAW Ships2 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
ASW Ships3 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 18 |
Corvettes and Escorts4 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 18 |
SSN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
SS | 21 | 22 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
Patrol Craft | 30 | 26 | 23 | 9+ | 10 |
Mine Craft | 29 | 29 | 25 | 20+ | 40 |
AO, AR | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
Amphibious | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 |
‘Includes one helicopter carrier | to the mid-1990s. |
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2All cruisers, destroyers, and frigates with area-defense SAM 3Destroyers and large frigates beginning with Aconit (1970) 4Modern light frigates and large frigates built before Aconit |
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in the
only
arly
and
new light frigates of the D’Estienne d’Orves class have taken over the missions of a once numerous class of 450- ton U. S.-type large patrol craft, of which only one survives. France's attack submarine force has grown steadily from 13 in 1951 to 21 today. A decision has been made that all future French submarines will be nuclear, and, while this will give the French new capabilities, it will also result in reduced submarine force levels. As in other NATO navies, France’s minesweeper force increased greatly in the 1950s and has since declined. It is being upgraded qualitatively by the conversion of 5 MSOs to minehunters and the construction of 15 new
Eridan-class minehunters. Despite the leadership of French industry in the fast attack craft market, the French Navy has acquired few such ships, and those only for patrol duties. France’s nine large amphibious ships are used mainly for logistics duties, although two additional units are under construction. The French Navy has just begun a program that will replace its Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft with 46 “new-generation Atlantics.” Force levels of the French Navy through the year 2000 are provided in Table 1.
The Portuguese Navy is primarily concerned with the security of three strategically important areas: the Azores, Madeira, and Portugal itself. Its colonial mission ended in 1974-75 with the loss of the remaining colonies. Well before that time, however, Portuguese forces began to decline in strength. Until 1969, the combined frigate-destroyer force remained constant at about 13 units,
but then it declined rapidly and now consists of 7 frigates. Portugal’s force of large patrol craft (PCs) and its minesweeping force (supplied by U. S. and NATO aid) disappeared between 1967 and 1976, except for four minesweepers, and these are used f°r patrol duty only. In this period of Je cline, the only new ships constructe were ten light frigates of the Coutinho class and ten small Patr0 craft of the Cacine class. New frigate construction is planned to enable P°r tugal to retain a viable antisubmarine capability. Its submarine force has re mained constant at some three units.
Spain is not a member of NATO, but coordinates its defenses with some NATO countries by means of bilatera^ agreements. The primary mission the Spanish Navy is to help maintain sea control in three key areas: the Mediterranean west of the Balearic an Alboran islands, the Straits of Gibra tar, and the Atlantic between Spa‘n and the Canary Islands. The 1*9?^ number of old ships that were
Spanish Navy in the 1950s have partially been replaced. In the © 1950s, Spain had 6 cruisefS 2 1 destroyers, 18 gunboats minelayers which served as large fo'S ates, and 9 1,400-ton torpedo boats m service or under construction. It n°^ has 1 light carrier, 12 destroyets, large frigates, and 6 light frigates, which all but 5 large missile frl£atft of the Baleares class and 4 new l'fi^ frigates of the Descubierta class have to be retired in the near fotUf because of their advanced years. $PalJ is currently completing four addition light frigates of the Descubierta c and plans to build a light carne^’ three Oliver Hazard Perry-class lar^ missile frigates, ancf four impr°ve^ Descubiertas, but these will not c0lTI pensate numerically for the fosseSj Spain’s submarine force has remain^ relatively constant at eight ships, i,n^ it currently is building four FreI\ Agosta-class ships which will Pr°ba replace four World War II, ^ built boats. Its force of 9 fast atta craft declined to 2 by 1974, but sin^ then, Spain has built 12 new ones the Lazaga and Barcelo classes wfoc ^ however, are used on patrol duties * do not carry missiles or torpeu
Spain has retained all but 1 of the 12 MSCs it received from the United States in the 1950s, and in 1971-72, added four ex-U. S. MSOs with mine- locating capability. Since 1976, Spain’s carrier has operated seven Harrier V/STOL aircraft (called Matadors) ln addition to helicopters. The Spanish Air Force operates six P-3A maritime patrol aircraft; its coast guard has three Fokker F-27 search- and-rescue aircraft.
The Italian Navy is responsible for
four ships. The 1980 budget request included funds to begin two missile destroyers of an improved Audace class and two additional Maestrales. The destroyers, at least, will definitely be built.
The number of smaller surface combatants in the Italian Navy declined sharply in the period. The number of patrol escorts and light frigates has decreased from 34 to 8. A new 1,000-ton class is said to be in the planning stage. The number of consistently had an average of 16 destroyers and large frigates; its current inventory consists entirely of World War II units which, despite being modernized, need replacement. Greece has just purchased one Kortenaer-dass frigate under construction in Holland (the sixth in the Dutch series) with options on a second and on a license to build more with Dutch help in Greece. In addition, Greece is scheduled to acquire two Gearing-dass destroyers from the United States and
lending Italian trade routes and ter- rit0ry, controlling choke points, and Escorting NATO naval forces, all in the v,tal central Mediterranean. The number of large ships that it has J^aintained to carry out these missions as remained almost constant for the Past 30
years. Today, Italy has three ^mall cruisers (which also' have Uicopter facilities), six destroyers, an<J six large frigates of the Alpino and an°po classes. In addition, since the eady 1960s, Italy has built eight firig- a|es of the Carlo Bergamini and Lupo Masses which are smaller than most of f^e'r foreign contemporaries but have of the same capabilities. In .5, a navy law was passed to pro- for the updating of this force: the 5,25()-ton helicopter carrier Guiseppe artbaldi was to replace two of the Cruisers; two missile destroyers were to |eplace four ships of the Impavido and niPet»oso classes; and eight Maestrale- ass frigates were to replace the eight UPS of the Carlo Bergamini and ^noP° classes. The carrier and six of e frigates have been ordered; funds Were not available to begin the other
fast attack craft has also declined sharply, from a peak of 3 1 to the present 5, 4 of which are old. With the first two ships in service, five additional Sparviero-dass hydrofoils are now under construction. Italy’s mine force has declined from a peak of 60 in the early 1960s to 32 old ones today. Eight of these are being converted to minehunters, and four new minehunt- ers of the Lerici class are under construction. Six more Lericis were requested in the 1980 budget. In contrast, the submarine force has increased gradually over the years to the present nine boats. Two additional Nazario Sauro-c\ass submarines are being built under the navy law to replace some ex-U. S. units. The Italian Air Force has not yet made a decision concerning replacement or updating of its 18 Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft.
The Greek Navy has the missions of preserving the territorial integrity of Greece, including all its Aegean Islands, and supporting NATO operations in the critical Southern Flank area. Since the early 1950s, Greece has four ex-U. S. Fletcher-class destroyers from West Germany. Presumably, these acquisitions will be offset, at least in part, by disposals of other ships. Greece formerly had as many as 15 large patrol craft of various types, but these have nearly disappeared, and since 1967, it has concentrated on building a large force of fast attack craft for operations against surface ships. It now has 20 such craft with four more very near completion. Its submarine force declined to two boats in the 1950s, but beginning in 1971, it built up to its current level of ten by building eight “Type-209”-class submarines in Germany. Its mine warfare force has remained constant at 13 to 15 minesweepers and 2 minelayers. Finally, Greece has constantly maintained a force of eight to ten large landing ships (LST and LSD), which is now one of the largest NATO amphibious forces in Europe.
The Turkish Navy has essentially the same missions as the Greek Navy and a similar force structure, although in the case of Turkey there has been a ‘ noticeable rise in numbers of ships since the late 1960s. The destroyer and frigate force has grown from 10 in 1951 to 15, although 13 of these are of World War II vintage and will need replacement. The submarine force was built up from its previous level of 10 units to 14 between 1969 and 1973, and has been kept at or above that level by acquisition of “Type-209” submarines, two of which have been built in Turkey. The mod- erh fast attack force was established in 1964 and now includes 23 units, with 4 more reported to be on order. The force of wooden minesweepers increased from 11 to 22 units since 1951, offsetting the disposal of a large number of steel minesweepers. The minelaying force increased from five to nine ships since 1951, although only
East European Navies_____
By Milan N. Vego
Of the seven East European countries having navies which will be addressed in this survey, all, with the exception of Finland, are Communist. Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland, and Romania are members of the Warsaw Pact. Yugoslavia is a Communist- ruled country but professes a nonalignment policy. Its neighbor Albania, although formerly a member of the Warsaw Pact, is a de facto neutral Communist state. Finland, although a non-Communist state, has signed a treaty of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance with the U. S. S. R. Thus, its independent status is considerably constricted.
All these countries border narrow seas: East Germany, Finland, and Poland, the Baltic; Bulgaria and Romania, the Black Sea; and Albania and Yugoslavia, the Adriatic Sea. The compositions of East European navies are very much alike. They all are typi- one of the nine now in service is modern. Finally, Turkey acquired two LSTs in 1973-74 to add to its collection of landing craft, and is now building LSTs and large numbers of smaller amphibious craft in Turkey.
There is not space to analyze the capabilities of the ships of these 14 navies, but we must take note of the recent proliferation of two types of systems: antiship cruise missiles and shipboard ASW helicopters. The former enables many NATO ships to meet their Soviet counterparts on equal terms or better, while the latter gives many of them, including some large coast guard ships, a substantial standoff ASW capability. The spread of area antiair warfare missile systems has been less spectacular; they are limited to newer cruisers and destroyers, five Spanish frigates, and some Spanish and French frigates just beginning construction.
This survey indicates that, with some exceptions, the 14 navies of Western Europe and NATO—less the cal coastal defense forces. Their wartime tasks may differ significantly, however, because of different political alignments and force structures.
Baltic Sea Navies: The East German and Polish navies are in terms of size and number of ships among the three largest Warsaw Pact navies. The Baltic represents practically a mare clausum of the Warsaw Pact. Yet, the enormous naval strength of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and the East German and Polish navies would be trapped there in a general European war unless the Danish Straits were quickly secured by the East. Obviously, any seizure of the Danish archipelago or the Jutland peninsula by Warsaw Pact forces would be carried out from East German territory. Such an operation can be executed either by a ground attack combined with small- or medium-size landing operations along the
U. S. Navy— have succeeded m maintaining the numbers of ships m certain key categories at relatively constant levels during the past .30 years and have laid the groundwork for continuing to do so in the 1980s. Particularly impressive is the fact that the 12 NATO navies and Spain currently have almost 240 destroyers and large frig' ates. They thus have more major surface combatants (excluding light frigates) than does the Soviet Navy, though their total tonnage is not as high. The combined force level of destroyers and large frigates has remained surprisingly constant in many of these navies over the last 30 years- The some 150 submarines and 120 fast attack craft in these navies tend to be concentrated on the northern and southern flanks. In general, rn>ne forces have been allowed to decline through the 1970s, but major ne" minehunter programs are now ,n progress in five countries. These navies have the capability to make a major contribution in the event of a NATO war, as well as supporting rheIf own national objectives.
Schleswig-Holstein coast, followed by an advance through the Jutland pemn sula, or by a combined air/sea assault on the island of Sjoelland which c°n trols the Oresund Strait. Reportedly, the Warsaw Pact plans to possess suj^ ficient amphibious capability to b 1 three divisions in the first wave.
The proximity of East German ter ritory to Schleswig-Holstein, the Danish Straits, and the island 0 Bornholm accounts for the increasing role the East German Navy has begllfl to play in Soviet strategy in the Balt‘c since 1970. Thus, the focus of th|S Baltic overview is on the East German Navy.
East Germany: The peacetime tasks of the East German Navy are coast* surveillance, joint exercises with t e Soviet Baltic Fleet and the Polb1 naval forces, and intelligence gather ing in the western Baltic. In wartime* the East German Navy is expected r°