With inferior technology, but a superior numbers of submarines and long range bombers, would the Soviets have been able to stop the US reinforcing Europe with troops and equipment?

I think it would have been a close run thing, especially with new Akula class boats and Cruise Missile Subs adding to the Russians numerical advantage

My sources say no, but I don't know how far I can elaborate.

Would have depended on surprise. If they had flooded through their diesel and nuke boats through the Greeland/Iceland/UK gap then at their paek with over 400 subs they could have been decimated themselves, but taken out enough carriers, merchies and escorts to block off NATO from resupply.

A suicide mission, but probably a successful one

I don't think so, because all of western Europe would be there to back them. up.

I would probably say yes to begin with but over time the US and europe would be able to take out the submarine bases and airfiields with missiles, bombs etc, it would depend on how determined the soviets were!

Certainly qualifies as probably the most interesting massive naval conflict that never actually happened. Unlike Japan vs the USA, the two sides would both be very capable of building new ships for the conflict. Likely, the USA/NATO side of things would significantly outproduce the Soviet/Warsaw Pact side, but not by nearly the margin that the USA outproduced the Japanese in WW2. There's no obvious winner.

Possible but not probable; what would be teh point of completely shuting down the atlantic.? The Pacific would just be teh back door into Russia.

Originally Posted by Darkmb101

Possible but not probable; what would be teh point of completely shuting down the atlantic.? The Pacific would just be teh back door into Russia.

It would make sense if they blocked resupply/transfer of troops to Europe until they could consolidate their position.

I believe it can't be done without invading Greenland (southern areas) and Iceland, their naval ships need air support. It is a question on how much risk they are willing to take with their carriers, so the easy solution is to control Iceland and her airports and spending their carriers in the Nothern Sea, Norwegian Sea and surrounding areas.

But again, will they deploy carriers as far south as Bergen on the west coast of Norway in range of fighers based in the UK and the Submarine bases on the North coast of the UK?

Another question of interest is the possibility of lurking allied submarines to the Cola penninsula and taking out submarinebases with ie Tomahawk missiles, large damages can be done to storage and maintainance facilities and the Russian conventional submarines at sea turns out useless for a while. If the Russians plans to refuel and rearm at sea they are sitting ducks for Allied subs tracking them, as well as threats from Carriers and landbased fighers.

Of course a good intelligence is the key for such achievements.



Allied and Russian losses will nevertheless turn out big; but my opinion never the less is a toss-coin event.