International Martime Choke Points

[dragoon500ly]

Primary source is The Guide to the Soviet Navy, Fourth Edition by Norman Polmar.

The Soviet Navy maintains the world's largest mine warfare forces, with a larger mine stockpile, a greater insulating capability and at least quantitatively a much more capable mine counter-measures capability than any other nation.

In addition to its three minelayers, several Soviet surface combatant classes are configured to lay mines as are their bomber aircraft and maritime patrol aircraft. All Soviet combat submarines can also lay mines.

The large force of surface mine counter-measures craft are supplemented by specialized minesweeping helicopters of the Mi-8 and Mi-14 types. In addition to their mine warfare capabilities, most Soviet minesweepers are equipped with defensive armament and a ASW capability, permitting them to be used as escorts, even with sweep gear installed. Most are also capable of carrying small amounts of mines, both for laying practice mines or defensive minelaying.

The Soviet Navy is estimated to maintain a stock of between 350,000-400,000 naval mines. While some of these mines date back to World War II, most are newer weapons. Among these are several deep-water types, capable of being planted in depths of at least 3,000ft. These mines are fitted with passive acoustic detection and, like the U.S. Mk-60 CAPTOR mine, release an ASW weapon that homes on submarine targets.

The Soviets have also developed influence mines of all types; homing mines, rising mines, and remotely controlled mines. Minelaying is exercised by naval aviation, surface ships and submarines.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

The Soviets have also developed influence mines of all types; homing mines, rising mines, and remotely controlled mines. Minelaying is exercised by naval aviation, surface ships and submarines.

The Soviets/Russians and the US, and I would guess China (though I have no hard evidence on the Chinese) have nuclear sea mines and nuclear torpedoes and nuclear antiship missiles and SSMs, which are to be used to destroy large ships like aircraft carriers and boomers, as well as seaports and facilities like the Panama and Suez canals, and the dikes in the Netherlands. I don't know what the stock of these weapons is like now, but I'll bet that both sides have a good supply.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

The Soviets/Russians and the US, and I would guess China (though I have no hard evidence on the Chinese) have nuclear sea mines and nuclear torpedoes and nuclear antiship missiles and SSMs, which are to be used to destroy large ships like aircraft carriers and boomers, as well as seaports and facilities like the Panama and Suez canals, and the dikes in the Netherlands. I don't know what the stock of these weapons is like now, but I'll bet that both sides have a good supply.

Not even counting the nukes, but at the height of the Cold War, the Soviets were conservatively estimated at maintaining about 6 to 7 times the stocks of the U.S. . Soviet writings indicated that these mines would be used offensively to blockade NATO ports, restrict shipping lanes and choke points, and to seal off the North and Baltic Seas. Defensively, mines would be used to restrict approaches to Warsaw Pact ports, provide bastions to allow Soviet conventional subs safe places to recharge and most importantly to seal off Arctic waters and allow Soviet boomers safe havens from NATO subs...not to mention freeing up their own subs for anti-convoy duties.

While NATO had a qualitative edge in ASW, the Soviets had a quantitative edge that would have made the naval battles of World War III sheer, bloody, hell.