Projected later Soviet carriers began to suggest a wider offensive role, but cruisers and submarines had previously carried the burden of distant disruption. A Soviet surface raider in the Indian Ocean or South Atlantic could compel NATO to send a much larger carrier group to find and destroy it. Losing one cruiser could still be an acceptable exchange if it removed that carrier group from the North Atlantic or Pacific concentration. The strategy sought to alter the force ratio in the decisive theatre by creating dangerous problems elsewhere.
Notable Point · 38:45-40:12
Soviet distant raiders were meant to dilute NATO strength
Cruisers and submarines operating far afield could force NATO to detach a carrier group, improving Soviet odds in major battles in the North Atlantic or Pacific.