Gorshkov begins his balancing argument with a catalogue of what the Soviet Navy lacked. It did not have enough ocean-going submarines, antisubmarine and mine-warfare ships, landing vessels, long-range naval aviation, or fighter coverage beyond a narrow coastal belt. Weak shipboard antiaircraft weapons and an auxiliary force dominated by poor base craft further restricted operations. These were not isolated procurement shortfalls; together they left the fleet a coastal and primarily defensive factor against a powerful maritime opponent. Postwar industrial recovery, nuclear weapons, atomic propulsion, missiles, and electronics created the opportunity to replace that limitation with an ocean-going force able to perform strategic tasks.
Notable Point · 1:09:05-1:10:52
The capability gaps that kept the Soviet Navy coastal
Missing oceanic submarines, escorts, landing ships, long-range aviation, air defence, and seaworthy auxiliaries defined the postwar fleet's coastal limits.