ABSTRACT
Geography has always been a severe hindrance for the Soviet Navy, Its forces are widely separated over four oceans, and long transits are required for their material support. This fragmentation of Soviet naval power requires long lines of communication and inhibits coordination. The Northern Fleet is based above the Arctic Circle in the Murmansk-Severomorsk-Polyarnyy area, but the harsh weather and continuous ice flow have not deterred the Soviets from concentrating substantial naval power in the Northern Fleet. The only year-round ice-free ports the USSR has are on the Black Sea, where the climate is mild and conditions are pleasant. Japan and the Republic of Korea, both hostile to the Soviet Union, control all exits of the Soviet Pacific Fleet. The necessity for out-of-area fleet operations has created its own set of problems, primarily the need to use foreign ports for maintenance and the need to resupply the fleet over vulnerable sea lines of communication that are subject to hostile interdiction.
