At the beginning of a new decade, and with a new Soviet leadership intent on restructuring the military, the future of the Soviet Navy none the less promises to be much like its past. Soviet naval power has historically been viewed as a by-product – rather than as a central fixture – of Soviet superpower status. Although the 1990s will see highly capable and technologically sophisticated fleet forces, these will affect Soviet warfighting objectives only peripherally, with, of course, one exception – the strategic sea-based ballistic missile force. The challenge for the Navy (Voyenno – Morskoy Flot) in this decade will be to establish its contribution to the program of “reliable defense sufficiency.” It must not only defend Soviet territory but must participate in operations which deny the enemy control of critical regions.

As the Soviet military confronts immense ferment in force development and strategic thought (perhaps only comparable to the original “revolution in military affairs”) the Navy remains stuck in its traditional role as the “last among equals” in the five–service Armed Forces. The Soviet Navy is simply not viewed as a pivotal player in accomplishing decisive wartime tasks.

Soviet naval strategists seek to make the Navy a central participant in the ongoing internal security debate. This effort has been strengthened by the 1988 publication of The Navy: Its Role, Its Prospects for Development, and Its Employment (hereafter, The Navy) …