Longer Soviet missile range changed the undersea contest. Ballistic-missile submarines no longer had to cross the GIUK Gap to reach North American targets and could instead seek sanctuary near the Kola Peninsula and beneath Arctic ice. Soviet attack submarines, surface ships, and aircraft could then form a defensive system around those strategic boats. NATO's answer was an aggressive forward maritime strategy intended to threaten the bastions and force the Soviet Navy to spend resources defending them.
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Longer-range missiles turn Soviet home waters into bastions
Longer-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles let Soviet strategic boats remain under Arctic cover while other forces defended them from NATO attack submarines.