§ 21. Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet submarine nuclear fleet modernisation.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Soviet Union continues to modernise its nuclear submarine fleet. Five Typhoon and five Delta IV nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) have been completed and further units are508W expected. Typhoon, the world's largest SSBN, is armed with 20 8,000 km range, SS-N-20 submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBNs). The Delta IV is equipped with 16 SS-N-23 SLBNs. Five units of the Oscar class of cruise missile firing submarine (SSGN) have been completed so far, each equipped with 24 SS-N-19 anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of 550 km. More advanced and quieter nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) are being produced, such as the Akula and Sierra classes. The Akula will probably carry the SS-N-21, 2,500 km range, sea-launched cruise missile.
§ 33. Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet short-range nuclear forces modernisation.
§ 61. Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet short-range nuclear forces modernisation.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Soviet Union has modernised some 95 per cent. of its SNF systems in the course of the last five years and it has begun the process of transferring these new systems to its Warsaw Pact allies. The extent of this modernisation and the large number of weapons which the Soviet Union has available in this category enable it to fill any gaps in its capabilities which will be created by the elimination of missile systems under the INF Treaty. In Europe at present the Warsaw Pact has some 1,450 SNF missile launchers and some 7,000 artillery systems which are capable of firing nuclear as well as conventional and chemical munitions, compared with 88 NATO SNF launchers and some 2,500 NATO artillery systems which are assigned to the nuclear role.