Sea power begins with economic power

Gorshkov defines sea power more broadly than fleet strength: it includes a state's ability to exploit ocean resources and place them at the service of national economic development. Naval strength protects that access because economic power and defence capability reinforce one another. In this reading, his repeated use of the word imperialism covers foreign actors whose maritime actions conflict with Soviet interests, not only formal colonial empires. China during periods of Sino-Soviet border tension is offered as an example of a fellow communist state receiving that label. The argument turns ocean access and maritime security into state interests that require a capable navy. Ballistic-missile submarines add a strategic dimension because mobility, depth, and concealment make sea-based deterrence harder to locate than fixed land systems. Satellite observation cannot make the oceans transparent without enough data and computing power to model normal conditions precisely, while submarines designed around quietness can privilege concealment over speed and maneuverability.