6 Bases during the Cold War

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im around the huge Sino-Soviet Eurasian domain. Among the basing hostsdeveloped in addition to Egypt and Syria were Algeria, Guinea, Ghana, Congo-Brazzaville, Angola, Mozambique, Somalia, both Yemens, Iraq, Cuba andVietnam (Indonesia and India were both major Soviet arms clients by 1965, butprovided no significant access to bases).Gradually, the Soviet navy developed an external presence as the Cold Warprogressed, involving the build-up of a significant blue-water navy, the acquisitionof bases and available ports of call, and the compilation of “ship-days” inthe major oceans and seas matching that of the U.S. Navy. As recently as thelate 1950s, the Soviet navy had had little of “blue-water,” long-range power projectioncapability nor basing access. Indeed, the early postwar exceptions wereuse of a Chinese base at Port Arthur, one at Porkalla in Finland, and a three-yearinterregnum (1958–1961) when Soviet submarines were granted access toAlbanian bases in the Mediterranean.After that came the large-scale naval build-up through the late 1980s underthe aegis of Admiral Gorshkov, a build-up that produced a navy that, measuredby major surface combatants and submarines, was larger than that of the U.S.The Soviet Navy fielded some 269 principal surface combatants (includingfour Kiev carriers), two ASW helicopter carriers, some 36 cruisers of which two(Kirov-class) were nuclear, 61 destroyers (of which 33 were specialized forASW) and 167 escorts including 100 corvettes.61 In addition, there were some762 minor surface combatants: vast numbers of missile patrol boats, fast attackcraft, 372 principal auxiliary ships (replenishment, tankers, missile support,supply, cargo, submarine tenders, repair, hospital, submarine rescue, salvage/rescue, training ships, etc.). There were some 62 intelligence collection vessels(AGI), 456 naval research vessels, 74 tankers, 298 support ships, 1900 merchantships, and numerous civilian oceanographic, fishery, space-associated andhydrographic research vessels.62130 Bases during the Cold Warİ 2007 Robert E. HarkavyThe Soviet submarine fleet was equally formidable, comprising some 360vessels. It fielded 63 SSBNs and 14 non nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines(SSNs), with a total of 983 submarine-launched ballistic missiles(SLBMs) – 39 SLBMs and 15 submarines were outside the SALT limits – some214 attack submarines of which 70 were nuclear-powered, and 63 cruise-missilesubmarines, 48 of which were nuclear (SSGNs).63That Cold War Soviet navy was, obviously huge. But its more limited (relativeto the U.S.) external basing network required an outsized force of auxiliaryships to compensate for the shortage of land bases. The same was true for AGIs,fishing and oceanographic vessels, and SIGINT, communications relay, spacetracking,ships etc.In the Mediterranean, the important Soviet presence in Syria included navalaccess to the port of Tartus, which was the primary maintenance facility forSoviet submarines operating in the area. A Soviet submarine tender, a yard oilerand a water tender were stationed there.Over the years, there had also been varied degrees of naval access to Algeria,Libya and Yugoslavia. Soviet submarines were reported serviced at Annaba inAlgeria, and its ships were refueled and maintained at a couple of Yugoslavports on the Adriatic, at Tivat and Sibenik.64In Guinea, despite some curtailment of long-maintained access for SovietBear reconnaissance aircraft, the USSR routinely used Conakry harbor as afacility for its West African patrol.65 But Luanda in Angola became the mostimportant port for Moscow’s West African naval units – since 1982 that hadinvolved an 8500-ton floating drydock capable of handling most major Sovietnaval combatants.66 In Ethiopia, the installation at Dahlak Archipelago was themaintenance facility and supply depot for Soviet naval combatants operating inthe Indian Ocean and Red Sea, normally ranging from 20–25 units, includingsurface ships, attack and cruise-missile submarines and auxiliaries. This facilityincluded an 8500-ton floating drydock, floating piers, helipads, fuel and waterstorage, a submarine tender and other repair ships. Guided-missile cruisers andnuclear-powered submarines regularly called at Dahlak for repair and supplies.67In Cuba, in addition to enjoying access for port visits, maintenance, and soon, Moscow permanently based a submarine tender at Cienfuegos, used primarily,if not solely, for servicing attack submarines – access for SSBNs might havebeen construed as a violation of the agreements emerging out of the CubanPage 38
Missile Crisis.68At another level, Soviet access to Peruvian ports provided logistics supportand maintenance for some 200 fishing vessels that operated off the coast ofSouth America. This involved, among other things, extensive rotation of merchantseamen and fishermen.69Table 10 details the Soviet overseas naval basing structure which, it is importantto note, had experienced some major changes in the late Cold War period asreflective of the vicissitudes of external political alignments. Several external mainoperating bases were crucial to Soviet naval deployments: Cam Ranh Bay(Vietnam) in the Far East/Pacific area; Aden and Socotra (South Yemen) and theBases during the Cold War 131İ 2007 Robert E. Harkavy132 Bases during the Cold WarTable 10 Main and secondary surface-ship operating bases of the Soviet NavyHost nation baseDescriptionVietnamCam Ranh BayMain external Soviet naval base in Far East – guidedmissilecruisers, frigates and minesweepers basedhere; also, attack submarines; on average, deploymentwas four submarines, two to four combat vessels, tenauxiliaries.CambodiaKampong Som (Sihanoukville)Reported access for Soviet warships, i.e., replenishment,refueling, etc.North KoreaNajinSome port access, earlier reports of submarine base.IndiaVishakhapatnamIndian naval base built with Soviet assistance, someSoviet port calls, refueling, etc.CochinPort calls, refueling, etc. reported.IraqUmm QuasrSoviet assistance in improving facilities here, earlierreported accessible to Soviet warships; access, limitedduring Iraq–Iran War.Az ZubayrEarlier reported used by Soviet submarines andSIGINT vessels.Al FaoIraqi port, reported availed to Soviet Union after 1974agreement.South YemenAdenSoviet main base for Indian Ocean operations; fueltanks, replenishment, reports of submarine pensalongside berthing for major surface ships.Socotra IslandAnchorage used by Soviet ships, possible shorefacilities.EthiopiaDahlak ArchipelagoLarge anchorage for Soviet Indian Ocean navalsquadron.AssabImportant Soviet naval facility; floating dry dockformerly moored at Berbera.MassawaPort access, routine.Perim IslandFormer British facility, reportedly improved by SovietUnion.MauritiusReported port calls (note concurrently reported U.S.access).MozambiqueNacalaPeriodic port calls.MaputoPeriodic port calls.TanzaniaPage 39
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6 Bases during the Cold War

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