Soviet Naval Strategy and Contemporary Russian Naval Strategy: Implications for U.S. Naval Strategy

This thesis analyzes the naval policies of the Soviet and Russian Federation navies, examines their various shifts in naval strategy, and provides implications for future U.S. naval strategy. During most of Stalin’s rule, the Soviet navy implemented a green-water naval strategy, focusing on coastal defense. Prior to his death, Stalin began to shift his navy, at least partially, to a blue-water strategy, concentrating on building his Black and Baltic Sea fleets. After Stalin’s death, Admiral Gorshkov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Soviet navy and began implementing a blue-water strategy. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s navy has been in a state of disrepair. In 2017, President Putin signed the Russian Federation’s most sweeping naval policy reform since the Soviet era. Many challenges, however, will prevent the Russian Federation from fully implementing its naval policy and producing a blue-water fleet. Instead, the Russian Federation will be forced to produce what they can afford: a green-water navy, submarines, and missiles. This is important for the United States because of the advances in Russian missile technology, which threaten the United States’ blue-water navy. Ultimately, the high-end fight with Russia at sea will likely be in the littorals. Therefore, the United States should balance its naval forces and produce a green-water capability to challenge Russia in the littorals.