CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3

Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
Ilucicar-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarines
USSR
YANKEE-Class
POSEIDON SSBN
YANKEE | 130m 16 Tubes SS-N-6
YANKEE Il 130m 12 Tubes SS-N-17
POSEIDON 129.5m 16 Tubes
DELTA-Class
.. . .....
--- DELTA I-140m 12 Tubes SS-N-8
DELTA II 155m 16 Tubes SS-N-8
-DELTA III 155m 16 Tubes SS-N-18-
TRIDENT (OHIO-Class) SSBN
DELTA IV 160m 16 Tubes SS-N-23
TYPHOON-Class
- 49-
0000000000
TRIDENT 170.7m 24 Tubes
-TYPHOON 170m 20 Tubes SS-N-20
Comparative
Cross-Sections
of SSBNs
TYPHOON-
Class
OHIO-
Class .
-25m --
113ml
haprer il Forces for Nuetral ACH
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
US
OTT

Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
Modernization of Soviet ICBMs Warhead Mix
SS-17,
SS-19
SS-25
(mobile)
SS-24
New
Heavy ICBM
i mobile)
Mid-1990s*
SS-19
modern DELTA I, II, and III submarines armed with
intercontinental-range missiles that can reach North
America from Soviet ports and coastal waters.
Within the last seven years, the Soviets have in-
troduced the TYPHOON and the DELTA IV, both
equipped with more accurate, longer range MIRVed
intercontinental missiles. The introduction of these
systems has enabled the Soviets to increase their SLBM
weapons delivery capabilities by nearly 30 percent with-
out increasing the overall size of their SSBN force.
At the same time, submarine survivability was being
significantly enhanced.
Based in the Pacific Ocean and Northern Fleet areas,
the Soviet ballistic missile submarine force is equipped
with over 3,000 warheads on submarine-launched bal-
listic missiles (SLBMs). In wartime, a portion of these
forces is expected to serve as a survivable nuclear
reserve. In the last decade, the deployment of multiple-
warhead SLBMs with ranges sufficient to reach the
United States from waters near the USSR has allowed
the Soviets to plan to operate the majority of their
SSBNs in protected "bastions," or havens, near the
Soviet Union. Mixed groups of naval air, surface, and
submarine assets, along with fixed sensors and mine-
fields, will operate in wartime to protect these SSBN
bastion areas against US/NATO antisubmarine forces.
Additionally, within the last several years the Soviet
Navy has increased greatly its interest in the Arctic as an
area of military operations, particularly for its SSBNs.
The Soviets think that SSBN operations in the Arctic ice
zone could increase submarine survivability, based on
Modern SSBN Force Levels
ARCTIC OCEAN
USSR
24 DELTA
9 YANKEE
TYPHOON
AUSSR;
146. DELTA
LAFAYETTEF
8 YANKEE
BEN. FRANKLINKI
JAMES MADISONY
IND
ŠŠOLEAN'
ATLANTIC
OL
OCEAN
their belief that operations under and near the Arctic ice
pack might provide their deployed SSBNs with greater
security and protection than in more exposed waters.
To ensure that they can communicate with their
SSBN/SLBM assets, the Soviets have recently improved
their submarine command, control, and communica-
tions (C3) systems by deploying an extremely low fre-
quency (ELF) communications system. Newly deployed
BEAR J aircraft offer an additional means of effective
SSBN communication redundancy by providing very
low frequency (VLF) communication transmissions to
SSBNs on patrol.
The Soviets may begin at-sea flight testing of a
modified version of the SS-N-20 missile sometime this
year. A modified version of the SS-N-23 missile will
probably complete testing in 1988. Improved accu-
racy of the Soviets' latest SLBM systems, as well as
possible efforts to increase SLBM reentry vehicle size
and warhead yield, would confirm Moscow's plans to
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
48
Submarine-Launched Ballistic
Missile Force Developments
The Soviet Navy operates the world's largest strategic
missile submarine force. Although it includes some
older submarines, the majority of the nuclear-powered
ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) force consists of more
Part 1, Chapter IV
47

Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
Modernization of Soviet ICBMs Warhead Mix
SS-17,
SS-19
SS-25
(mobile)
SS-18
SS-24
New
Heavy ICBM
(silo & mobile)
1987
SS-25
Mid-1990s*
SS-19
"Estimates based on current trends
modern DELTA I, II, and III submarines armed with
intercontinental-range missiles that can reach North
America from Soviet ports and coastal waters.
Within the last seven years, the Soviets have in-
troduced the TYPHOON and the DELTA IV, both
equipped with more accurate, longer range MIRVed
intercontinental missiles. The introduction of these
systems has enabled the Soviets to increase their SLBM
weapons delivery capabilities by nearly 30 percent with-
out increasing the overall size of their SSBN force.
At the same time, submarine survivability was being
significantly enhanced.
Based in the Pacific Ocean and Northern Fleet areas,
the Soviet ballistic missile submarine force is equipped
with over 3,000 warheads on submarine-launched bal-
listic missiles (SLBMs). In wartime, a portion of these
forces is expected to serve as a survivable nuclear
reserve. In the last decade, the deployment of multiple-
warhead SLBMs with ranges sufficient to reach the
United States from waters near the USSR has allowed
the Soviets to plan to operate the majority of their
SSBNs in protected "bastions," or havens, near the
Soviet Union. Mixed groups of naval air, surface, and
submarine assets, along with fixed sensors and mine-
fields, will operate in wartime to protect these SSBN
bastion areas against US/NATO antisubmarine forces.
Additionally, within the last several years the Soviet
Navy has increased greatly its interest in the Arctic as an
area of military operations, particularly for its SSBNs.
The Soviets think that SSBN operations in the Arctic ice
zone could increase submarine survivability, based on
Modern SSBN Force Levels
ARC
USSR
24 DELTA
YANKEE
S TYPHOON
USSR
IU DELTA
LAFAYETTE F
8. YANKEE
BEN FRANKLINR
JAMES MADISON
ATLANTICE
OCEAN
their belief that operations under and near the Arctic ice
pack might provide their deployed SSBNs with greater
security and protection than in more exposed waters.
To ensure that they can communicate with their
SSBN/SLBM assets, the Soviets have recently improved
their submarine command, control, and communica-
tions (C3) systems by deploying an extremely low fre-
quency (ELF) communications system. Newly deployed
BEAR J aircraft offer an additional means of effective
SSBN communication redundancy by providing very
low frequency (VLF) communication transmissions to
SSBNs on patrol.
The Soviets may begin at-sea flight testing of a
modified version of the SS-N-20 missile sometime this
year. A modified version of the SS-N-23 missile will
probably complete testing in 1988. Improved accu-
racy of the Soviets' latest SLBM systems, as well as
possible efforts to increase SLBM reentry vehicle size
and warhead yield, would confirm Moscow's plans to
48 Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3

Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
Modernization of Soviet SLBMs Warhead Mix
TYPHOON
DELTA-III,
DELTA-IV
5,1-1
DELTA-III,
DELTA-IV
TYPHOON
1987
DELTA-
DELTA-II
YANKEE
YANKEE
Mid-1990s
DELTA-L
Estimates based on current trends
" DELTA-IL
As illustrated in the 1987 edition of Soviet Military Power, (middle right), the ALEXANDER BRYKIN is specially designed to reload Soviet
SSBNs away from their homeports, thereby increasing SSBN survivability and enhancing Soviet wartime capabilities. The lead unit of
this new class of missile support ship was photographed last year, providing a detailed view of SLBM storage and handling areas.
Part 1, Chapter IV
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
49

Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3
As newer classes of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are deployed, existing platforms may be converted to cruise missile
carriers, such as the YANKEE shown here, which has been modified to carry the SS-N-21 sea-launched cruise missile.
US and Soviet SLBM Launcher and Reentry
Vehicle (RV) Deployment 1981-1988
7,000
6,000
US RVs
5,000
4,000
Soviet RVs
3,000
2,000
Soviet SLBMs
1,000 -
US SLBMS
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
develop a hard-target-kill capability for its SLBM force.
The new missile support ship class, the ALEXANDER
BRYKIN, is designed to reload SSBNs with these
modern missiles. This capability will allow Soviet
SSBNs to hold additional targets at risk.
Soviet Strategic Aviation Developments
The Soviet intercontinental bomber force has his-
torically lagged behind the SRF and navy in systems
development. Recent Soviet efforts in strategic aviation,
however, particularly with the BEAR H and BLACK-
JACK long-range bombers, signal heightened interest in
a manned-bomber attack force to diversify the character
of their strategic forces.
.The BLACKJACK is the world's largest and heaviest
bomber. Designed to carry bombs and air-launched
cruise missiles (ALCMs), the BLACKJACK can cruise
subsonically over long ranges, perform high-altitude
supersonic dash, and attack utilizing low-altitude, high-
subsonic penetration maneuvers. As with the B-1, the
BLACKJACK has a blended wing-body design with
a variable-sweep wing and a single vertical stabilizer.
It has an unrefueled combat radius of about 7,300
kilometers and a maximum speed of Mach 2.0. Eleven
BLACKJACK bombers have been produced, and the
first BLACKJACK regiment should begin forming this
year. The backbone of the modern Soviet interconti-
nental bomber force of the 1980s, however, will remain
the BEAR H, armed with the AS-15/KENT ALCM.
The Soviets also have in their inventory about 100 other
BEAR bombers and air-to-surface missile carriers. The
BEAR was first produced in the late 1950s, but some
of these aircraft have been updated in subsequent years
with new technology.
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R003500170003-3