Seapower; 102; Ruling The Waves

It's a long and arduous journey to this remote part of the Kolar Peninsula in the former Soviet Union. Before 1990 but you know Westerner was allowed here. It is still one of the most secret places on earth. For it is here that the Northern Fleet hides some of the most powerful and feared elements in the Russian naval armory. Its nuclear attack submarines. What is going to give us for the looking there were they were going to go for one of us through it. That's what was going to give you. Yes but I thought you know here these men are the elite of the Russian navy. They're submarine one of the most deadly known to the west. They are about to begin a 60 day patrol along Russia's northern defensive use. Yes we've got this is like a submarine commander all my gory life

and his crew of 70 begin their perilous descend into the ocean's depths. Yet these men were in the front line of the sea defense of the former Soviet Union. Now they defend Russia with limited access to the world's oceans because of her geography and with many ports ice bound in winter. Russia chose to base or naval strength on submarines rather than surface ships. I'm single and I'm hindered. These vessels can roam the world with their Deadly Arsenals. They do it yet but that's what you know I think if you're going to get out. Yeah yeah yeah yeah but but what you're looking at would be a thought of you know I don't think you know it but I think I'll play a role given to submarine was in the Russian navy. He said Yeah. Submarines have secrecy they can carry out strikes against the coast against surface vessels brought against submarines. We don't need to carry out any deadly games.

Yeah we fulfilled the task of patrolling as far as meetings with the medic and then in the English submarines we tracked the naval strength of the United States has a far higher profile. With his visible Mike the aircraft carrier has evolved as a capital ship of the fleet. The heart of a naval battle group and the backbone of American scene are. The independence one of 14 such carriers as a fully equipped airbase capable of rapidly imposing its presence on any part of the planet. 100 miles out from Tokyo. I've been barking on a six month deployment the independence is joined by its principal arm and. The mere. Existence of a battle group in the United States Navy. Was a potential aggressor a potential enemy to think twice before he starts showing the. Adventurous. The ability of the carrier to respond with great

power if that is required. I think provides an element of stability that builds on achievable in any other way. The carrier battle group allows us to build at the integration of all of the assets. In the carrier battle with the submarines. Surface for battle. DNA or warfare ship the carrier itself and of course the aircraft. Carrier. United States are the only remaining superpower. Maritime nation. That is. Totally dependent. On free commerce around the world both by ourselves and our friends and allies. One such ally with a naval history spanning 500 years has been the role model for most modern navies. Heading the third largest fleet in the world is Great Britain's First Sea Lord. Sir Julian Oswald's.

Maritime missions need navies to extend defense to sea wood to enable them to join up with allies for defensive purposes to protect access to resources. And also possibly to project power to more distant parts of the globe. I think Holiday Inn in common with many of the other big name. Draws very strongly on its tradition. In developing the qualities which it seeks. In its sailors. And officers. It was the quality of Britain's sailors and ships that enabled her to build an empire that stretched across the world. It all began with the first modern war ship the revolutionary flag ship of and remediate the Mary Rose. She was recently recovered from the sea bed where she had lain since fifteen forty five. In the century before had it been usual to take over to commandeer a

merchant vessel in times of war and to put lots of guns on the upper decks well above the waterline and then go to sea to fight the enemy. But the marrows was different. She was the forerunner. Of. Modern warships. She is the first. Ship we know. To have been built in England. With a continuous battery. Of gun for. A full forward firing gun. So that you could bring the guns are very much lowered on just about the waterline and you could far. Through the side of the ship. At the enemy. At a distance. And it was this evolution this great change of having guns on the main gun that that that case the whole pattern of naval warfare. The first. English. True ship of war the forerunner of a great law of weapons of war which culminated in ship it's a mistake. Still a commissioned ship HMS Victory is the epitome of Britain's golden age

of fighting sail. She was billed in the historic dockyard of Chatham Thames birthplace of over 400 warships. She was launched from this dry dock and in this lost her sails were sewn. Today young people learn about the skills and craftsmen that made the British fleet the mightiest in the world. The flag factory still supplies a Royal Navy and dozens of other navies around the world. In one of the longest buildings ever constructed ropes are still made using methods and machinery dating back to 1811. Chatham dockyard was the biggest industrial enterprise of its day. They make it so. Strong traditions bind a navy but for the men a victory discipline was harsh. As Chief Petty Officer Peter Green explains how they know what all the punishment flocking here say 12 to 14 inches was awarded to a man we know one side receiving

500 he died. The conditions on the site is livid. First these very very dark very very smelly and very very wet as well. Let us know what 550 sightless to that their studies they are the next three to four years I'm sure with a great editions were going to lay ships despite his severe life it was the 18th century British sailor who made possible Britain's far flung empire winning a number of decisive battles controlling trade routes capturing colonies and increasing Britain's wealth but to achieve all this he needed the right instruments. Most of the evil was not. To punch a neat hole in the ship because he could then a major they get out of the shop blog rummage in the hold and you were as good as new. The object of the gun as it is with the tongue is to knock a scab off the inside with the pumping tank it's a scab of metal with a look at the Ship It was an awful lot of mental Sunday in fact

it was. Shot. With a six pound I wouldn't use it against the upper works. But against the upper rocks with a shot of Ventas going. Around the place as well. It would be absolutely deadly. Yeah I'm black. Vicious ugly customer as ever I saw wrote Charles Dickens of HMS warrior. The moment she left the slipway in 1860 she rendered all of the warships obsolete. Was. The first iron hold oceangoing battleship in the world. She was the largest fastest most powerful ship afloat. And unchallengeable. Success in sea power has always demanded the latest technology. With her crew of seven hundred warrior ruled the waves. To both friend and foe she was living proof of Britain's industrial territorial and military

superiority. Now below toiling in temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit stokers had the toughest job on board. But most of her crew lived on the gun deck for the ship's awesome fire power was the real reason for her existence. The mere presence of this ship was enough to keep Britain's enemies in port and the Warriors guns were never fired in anger. She was the ultimate deterrent of her day. Navies are about to Terence Terence of hostilities and war is a damn sight more expensive than peace. And one has to bear that very carefully in mind when judging the cost of navies when Argentina invaded the British Falkland Islands in 1982. There was only one way of getting them back in the Falklands war without CPP there wouldn't have been any recapture of the folk so it was virtually entirely a

maritime campaign. The Navy had to go 8000 miles from home and from its own bases destroyed Afghanistan the invading army and recapture the crippled islands. Although I hope this will not be used in hostilities in the future. There are of course always lessons to be learnt when we do get engaged in actual conflict. Coping with the destructive force of sophisticated new weaponry is a high priority for navies everywhere. Experience gained in the Falklands War has put the British Navy in the forefront of ships crew training. These men are on their way to recreate war conditions on board her majesty's frigate the Cumberland. They are known as the Wrecking Crew for the first hitch will be fighter ground attack common in Iraq itself. Major fire in the hangar. Again the US president serves this initial loss of steering controls.

The 2016 maintainer will be unconscious and the casualties from this hit will be at 3 5 3 in the. The. The. FC. The first. In Russia good Sub-Mariner to undergo the most intensive training. This former Russian Orthodox Church is the unlikely setting for the Cure of submarine training school in St. Petersburg. In these daunting surroundings young recruits undergo their first practical experience of what it means to be a member of the silent

service or who earn. Them. For every cadet. The ultimate tank test. We need the critical gaze of senior officers. They must practice basic submarine escape procedures rising over 85 feet to the top of this tower. It's a dangerous exercise. So doctors are present. After as little as six months these raw recruits enter the new world. As they stalk their own scene adversaries in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

This becomes their confined home for weeks on end. It takes a special breed of man. What is it that they see is another world. It draws people to its death for submariners live in two environments under water and on land. The work requires courage and the boldness you and the people who were king I really of man. I think that that person can make mistakes but that person shouldn't make mistakes into things. The choice of a profession and the choice of a wife. But if I did not make mistakes in what he did. A constant flow of recruits is required for Russia's formidable fleet of over 200 submarines still twice the size of America's fleet the Navy is the brains of the armed forces which because of it somebody else has the capability of acting secretly. Secrecy which will keep the forces from being destroyed. All nations follow

this course of action the United States England and France did this in creating strategic nuclear naval forces that are unfortunate shall we say which were capable of carrying on board nuclear ballistic missiles and were capable of acting in secret. The Russians argued that their huge fleet is defensive and was built largely in response to increasing naval expansion by the Western allies the way that a first nuclear submarine appeared in the United States. The very first submarine carrying at least eight missiles swords or sword in the United States. And so did the first. It could have dual adequately but as you said increasing threat to the interests and security of our economy. Yes I did for my leadership good number of states that will strengthen the Navy including the Northern fleecy. Sever a mosque stronghold of that northern fleet is a center of Russian sea

power with a population of 70000. Several more cities a city that grew with the Cold War. It is home to the thousands of offices and manned the crew the submarines and surface ships once poised to counter the threat of an attack from the west. Commander on a totally gone in and his cruiser the admiral or Chicago one of the most powerful ships in the Russian fleet. We're in the front line of that defense. No detail escapes the commander's professional attention. Probably the first you know you're still going to. Want the money because. This is a conscript Navy. Young men were traditionally drafted for three years

now being reduced to two. Motivating these conscripts is the greatest problem facing commander going in. Most of those are going to be getting it because yeah sure he'll join again you boyo. So then you just got to go you know which is what you say here. So there's been those of you over the years some of the most good news all of them. Russia has plans to become a professional western style Navy with an all volunteer force. These volunteers enter the second week of their forward deployment. Months spent on board a modern carrier can be rigorous for everyone.

Living on ship. Five thousand guys. Is like extremely hectic. It speaks for itself. They said 5000. It's always crowded. Always a line there where you go your car. Some time to smell the air base thanks. You know we have a higher 37 guys living in one room. There's out. There are. Three racks high and just cranberry crammed every which way to lose everything we have all set up. By 6:00. Everything your clothes. Every person especially you have a light sleep. That's so small as I pour for showers. For 37 guys we have a fourth. Child. I live on a floating city with them with airpower on top and so it is extremely hectic loud and extremely loud. But but the Navy they did just all that makes us. Calculus possible. Boy. These boys build bombs. They are surrounded by 2000 tons of explosives worth 250 million dollars.

We build it as if it is a live weapon. Everything we do is as it were with the war. I look at ordinates as a peacekeeping tool rather than looking as instruments of death. OK we don't go out picking on anybody. We ride the seaways we stand on waterways and buy protection for the everybody in our. Battle Group and also for our merchant ships and anybody in need of. These are just mere instruments of. Making anybody hesitate or think twice before they want to salt anyone because we do have superior technology. And as our president has done we will utilize it as a last resort. Now they're going to well go and I feel comfortable when we put it on the aircraft that all means have been done diplomatically and it's time to react to physical violence. What the aircraft carrier is not guilty of our aircraft power. The real strength of the aircraft are all the airplanes that you see on board. Now what makes it so versatile is that you can change those airplanes.

For example this carrier. This. Time none of these airplanes were even prepped up in 1950 but here they are operating from this carrier today and the fact that it can move in. With what six aircraft carriers in Desert Storm we brought them home. We can move them back over there at will. That's what really the strength of an aircraft. That's important on the flight deck. That everyone does their job together and works together. And you'll notice that as people are working out here everyone's watching one another keep an eye on each other. If you notice. People work with their head on a swivel you're always looking behind your back you're always watching the band next year down back from you. And you're always watching planes as are moving about you. The biggest danger to people out there on the flight is when they form their chart. Outside. The way that they're trained. They break the habit or they.

Go against. Long stuns me. Things are happening on the flight. Yet. Everything on here is done anymore. The average age of. The most. Blunders 19 years old. That gives a lot of young men though the chance to learn a lot of responsibility and they definitely. Role. And. Tell to the faults unserious values are like. Oh. We're just the end product. We get shot of the Kerry people look at us and they go wow that's really neat. But it's the whole team all the guys she walk around here everybody work and there's not one person on this here is more important than the other. We are basically the. The the people that implement policies of the president. And. It's it's obviously a very important role because if we were if we were out here and something happened our country would not be able to to

have a voice and I world politics. Other than that maybe correct nomic sanctions or something like that. And unfortunately sometimes we do have to resort to force. The whole teams ready to go at any time and that's best thing about the Navy is we can be there right now. And really pose a threat that. We have to go. I'm all for it. People are nuts. That's what we're here for that. But the threat posed by America's arch opponent him is all shrouded in mystery in the. Whole. War it is the morning site of some of the mightiest ships in Russia's Pacific Fleet. Once ready to defend her far eastern coast. Many of them now live permanently and anchor their commander is Rear Admiral Igor cigars. I think in the sense that we have known of the gold wars since the Second World War.

So yes it really is over now. However it is for a body wrong to overlook the danger that when you put that forward. But we must all do everything we can liam you know colluding we sailors with the butt of endless time city turning. As for the people who are interested in its return I think they do exist among the politicians who profit from it. Gone for a nation and all sorts of conflicts or local wars. They even profit from conflicts which occur within individual countries like here in the former USSR. When fighting breaks out between nations just to have friendly and peaceful relations these conflicts demonstrate that the danger is still hanging over us. We need to understand that and we need to do everything we can in order to avert this. Observing these major transformations in the balance of world power is the

distinguished naval historian Norman Friedman. We're in a position now good. Things look very good. We grew up in a very threatening time and the biggest threat has been taken away. That's good. It's happy. But. It's good to have insurance to. Throw away the assurances by dangers. The real problem now is what to keep and what to throw away. We have the ability to make very exotic things and without the Russians as an opponent a lot of the exoticism is not instantly important but it's kind of more. When the people would think because. Those will be up against. Will certainly have enough money to buy their own equivalents. And if it turns out that we are more old fashioned than those who are up against their will find that even the most minor conflicts will be quite expensive. Like it is cutting edge technology that ensure the successful use of sea power in the Gulf War. But that is only one route.

Commander Steven Woodall is the commanding officer of the Aegis cruiser Mobile Bay. His ship provides a protective shield for the U.S. battle group. This is probably the most complex warship the U.S. Navy has ever put to sea and in fact. Has ever. Been put to sea in the history of the earth. You see me here sitting at my seat and they just fly system. Where I spent. The great majority of my time during the 50 days we were in the North Arabian Gulf during the Gulf War. Initially Mobile Bay was one of the three cruisers. Representing the first line of defense across the North Arabian Gulf literally within 100 miles of Kuwait City. On the first album and were fired. At that time the Mobile Bay was acting as the alternate entire workfare commander for the entire Gulf Battleforce. An aircraft under mobile based direct control in other words our young sailors or air controllers. Controlled the destruction of 38 Iraqi surface ships. In other words Mobile Bay wiped the Iraqi navy off the face of the earth.

Right. 23 right coming of course why three. If you look around the world and see who is there. 24 hours a day. 365 days a year in any given theater where there are U.S. national interests the US Navy. In other words the US Navy has is omnipresent in the areas. Which are where there is political volatility and where the US has a continuing overarching issue and. Just the fact that they know that we can respond quickly is a deterrent to perhaps unfortunate actions. The Russians had made their first moves toward establishing that same kind of global presence in the 1960s.

However it was a building of this extraordinary ship that terrified many naval strategists in the West. The Russian aircraft carrier the Quiznos saw. The first of three giant aircraft carriers. The crew's nav sub was seen by many as greatly extending Soviet naval capability. Changing it from one of defense to a rapid response forward deployed presence around the world. With all the dangers that represented for the West. During the 15 years in which it takes to plan and build a ship such as this. The purposes for which it was originally intended may have changed.

Nonetheless once a ship like this exists it provides its navy with a greater range of options a use has yet to be found for the cause yet saw three years after commissioning. But its young firefighting team prepares for the day when planes will soar from its deck. There are some problems which must be resolved in order for this ship to be fully but bad for any assignment. But these are organizational problems and are solvable. By my estimate in about a year the ship will be totally ready to meet any assigned objectives. After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union into the independent republics the economic disagreements between those states had an adverse effect on the continuation of the whole project and on construction.

But at the moment Russia handles all questions regarding the ship and its testing. Two sister ships had been planned but one is incomplete and the other has been scrapped. The sad fact is the cretin that suffers a goes ship maintained by a skeleton crew. She is a symbol of a naval arms race that partially bankrupted one superpower and heavily taxed the resources of the other. She is a poignant epitaph to her master's aspirations which died when the ruble ran out. Familiar with the fragile state of the Russian navy a former submarine weapons officer turned journalist Alexander Rogers give it up for the public having created a huge fleet because we face a situation where

nobody needs this lead anymore he would. Russia is not threatened right by anybody today. Thank you. It's former enemies are turning into friends and all the huge material resources which went into building up the fleet because I'm not tied up at the shore with a few of your many staff positions remain vacant for his ships are rotting but they have no repair facilities as a matter of fact it is turning into floating scrap metal. That the swine the situation is both tragic and comic. But the face of a navy that overreached itself is far more than hundreds of rusting hawks. Were the most tragic is the fate of the officers. And the professionals who are

preparing themselves for a military career after the staff reduction. These people are finding themselves out on the street. They were very young when they began their service and enable schools. Today they are adults with family responsibilities and as a matter of fact they have no place to go. One of many such a victims has loyally served his Navy for 24 years ill and now relieved of his duty as Vladimir sure but God shares one small room with his wife and child he lived with us while the war. Cost and what it means up with MVS a steeper path. Well you know those 50 things what used to be so that I don't know because I could hear that somebody could speak. I just think that's a new thought in me.

Seven of them my friends my comrades were graduated from college with me but waited for an apartment for 10 to 15 years feeling all that his wife faces of course. It is difficult for an officer to fulfill his duties. But the better it is him exist in every Russian. Do you think that going into the Navy meant wearing insignia becoming a man of the state defending their homeland. But the most important thing in our lives the lives of officers is not just the service. You must also be able to raise your children so that in the future they will be full fledged see descendants of our country who can properly carry out their duties as. AMERICANS TO must come to terms with the repercussions of Navy cutbacks. Submarines have been made in this one product town wrote Connecticut for almost 100

years. The ending of the Cold War has plunged into crisis. Most of these people have worked here for the majority of their working lives. And they built a product that in fact was the best built submarine in the world. And as a result of that the feeling that I get is they they in fact helped end the Cold War. And the result of doing that is they now face the potential of not having a job. In 1989 the Navy's projection for the number of submarines I will be built in the 1990s was the number of 40. Today the number of submarines that will be procured by the Navy in the 1990s is projected to be for three of those of which we already have in our backlog. It's up to the community into. A mode of fear. With the Navy cutbacks with the ECB cutbacks. People are afraid to buy houses. So therefore they don't need carpenters like myself. Because

there is no building going on. So I guess you could say the whole community is afraid. As the workforce goes in search of greener pastures of many of those specialized skills unique to someone in construction. Could be permanently lost. And there are other features. These ships take five to six years to build. From the first concept design into the delivery of the first unit is typically 13 year period. So if the idea of reconstitution to meet. The changing world situation is a very long process and you would be much better off maintaining some minimum level of production capability with some minimum production activities so you had the capability. So when it was time to gear up it really be a matter of getting the additional people in training I'm not recreating the skill base that's necessary to design and build the show. Assessing the impact of these dramatic changes on the navies of the world from his rule

retreat in England is a former Sub-Mariner and now editor of the world renowned Janes fighting ships captain Richard Sharp the American Navy has become the world's maritime police. And what happens when policeman begins to leave the beat and if the Americans do start withdrawing. Then of course you let loose all the little mice who will come out to play once the cat is left saying. We seen in recent times quite frequent necessity of a global maritime presence in the Persian Gulf concentrated in the Persian Gulf. There are others. In the Straits of Malacca. It's something like 200 acts of piracy happened off single Torah left in 1991. And that is an escalation of. Singapore's dragon boat race. This island nation celebrates its intimate relationship with the sea.

It. Was. Situated at the crossroads of international trade routes between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Singapore has a population of less than 3 million yet boasts the busiest port in the world. Seven hundred ships are in harbor at any one time. There is much to protect. And with piracy on the increase and smuggling rampant that defense strikes close to her shores. Surrounded by powerful and with tension the oppressive neighborhoods of. This tiny nation polices her coastal waters with vigilance and no suspicious cracked however small. Escapes her scrutiny.

Longstanding animosity between nations in the Far East have been kept in check by a strong American naval presence. But there are no guarantees for the future security of these countries. And we've got. One right here. I may. Not go with it when I have a home. Singaporeans are well aware of the forces that could be unleashed if that superpower presence is withdrawn. One momentous event in Singapore's history has taught her to rely on her own defense. This British warship HMS Sheffield commemorates that event as it sends out across the South China Seas on sad pilgrimage under

cemeteries 1941 Britain's newest and biggest battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the cruiser repulse charged with the defense of Singapore were caught in a surprise attack in these waters by 52 Japanese torpedo planes. The Prince of Wales and repulse. Had no air cover. Three hours later both ships lay on the ocean bed with 840 seamen still inside. If Naval Sea Power is above the glories of victory it is also about the pain of defeat and death. Fifty years later the survivors of that tragedy come to pay their final respects to their valiant ship.

It's the right. Day. We went out. Without any. Effort whatsoever. I would like to use the word sacrificial lambs but certainly it was sent up at a very high school. I think that the cup of The Soup. Was proved to be ended on and on that they were ever to go from sea power. I think they were the part of the aircraft over the ship is ample proof. I'm very aware of the political and the strategic mistakes perhaps that were made. But it was the battle which changed the face of naval. The Battleship was no longer supreme. It was changed to naval

warfare in the air and I think that's made history and that's why I don't feel any bitterness Although my life would probably be very different if I had my. Father. With me. During my growing years. I feel that we owe it to our shipments. To come out here. To the fortunate ones. I'm 50 years old. I think. That we owed it to them. To come out here and pay all of the servants to them. Because I think that all of us railway allies if they're going to get out of it OK. Now this is no doubt stuff that would have to self-insure it's. Not a certainty just that it does. And. The air. And.

Singapore failed or the Japanese invaders shortly afterwards and the myth of British invincibility at sea was shattered. Under Japanese occupation Singaporeans suffered unprecedented hardships for three and a half years. On gaining independence in 1965 those harrowing experiences were not forgotten. And the republic of Singapore Navy was created with STATE OF THE ART missile Corvettes and gun boats. This Navy may be small. But it's lethal. I would duty. Is to deny any possible threat. To what's Singapore the fall of Singapore. Was something really a very dramatic. Event in the history of Singapore. It makes us really realize. That the defense of Singapore

rests with us Singaporean alone. You may have a patron. But the patron will always have a different interest without regard. So when come to the crunch if you yourself. Having to defend your own country. But for small nations like Singapore that would be a difficult task without superpower support. As reunited States if the United States Navy begins to withdraw its presence. Then obviously the effect is to create something of a power vacuum and into that vacuum a step. Some of these very small but nonetheless quite capable navies. I want things here of India and Pakistan. Indonesia or in Malaysia Taiwan and China for instance. But the fact of the matter is the sophistication of Western technology is now being transferred in an increasing amount to these

nations that do have considerable antagonism towards each other in the local area in which they exist and that has got to be of concern to all of us because again of peaks of maritime instability which is by the very nature of international trade could ultimately affect all of us just as it has in the past. You don't have to increase their chances in any future conflict it is essential for vulnerable nations like Singapore to forge alliances with friendly maybe this means joint exercise. Of this particular exercise that we did with the Australia it's one of the regulars that we have to improve the acting world lead to offer to maybe. Get the lead on the job that people believe as does the limitations that have. Shed it. Yeah. That's right. The various operating the CBA.

It's particularly valuable for us to come here and knock these exercises as the maritime try free maritime fight in the waters around here. Partly important to the economies of both Now countries in Singapore and Australia and we have a common interest in the 23 years that I've been coming to Singapore as part of the Australian I mean I mean I'm I used to the development of the. Republic of Singapore and I mean how far you have come in a very short period of time. And I'm not convinced there's anything you can learn from us that might be a lot of things we can learn from you. Get.

Back or you're. Fired like the ones around you you know what. History don't want to write books or exercises on board the independents continue around the clock as if on a war footing. One. World is doing right now. What. We're. Looking. For. You're. Since the end of the Cold War the emphasis in these activities has shifted significantly. Then start bringing back. The first aircraft 3 0 4 0 tons over the past 40 years carrier battle groups have responded to some 200 crises around the world in almost every case those crises did not involve superpower conflicts and were in fact not materially influenced by the Soviet

Union or the Warsaw Pact. We find ourselves responding to the strife for many reasons. So despite the fact that we have been focused in the capabilities sense and in a training sense. On the Soviet threat for many years. Our day to day and year to year response has typically been to the kind of brushfire rapidly developing difficult to predict crises that are so suited to the rapid response forward deployed flexible capability of a carrier battle group. So I would maintain that if we are. Perhaps more relevant in today's world. Than we were in the past. But historically. The Soviet Union's capability was vast. It certainly taxed us in many ways and provided the principal threat to the United States Navy a. Lot of our stock was a closed city for 70 years its lifeblood was the Soviet Pacific Fleet. But with the massive reduction in the number of ships

and with one third of its personnel out of work it is a city in disarray. This is the bitter harvest of the Cold War. When the Soviet Union was only a superpower comparable to the United States in a minute or so. It's in every other sense. It couldn't begin to match up to what the United States in conjunction with its Western allies was able to achieve in for instance and economic terms. So there was always the danger that in trying to keep. The Soviet Union would bankrupt itself. And indeed there are those who argue closely the Cold War was because the West was able to spend the Soviet Union. And it could well be that in the end the Soviet Union dissolved because it can no longer pay for it. The Russian navy has sunk a long way. But it could still surface from the depths.

And when you said will the Germans start to just 29 diesel submarines or is the Russians still have too. Many of nuclear power and many of them frankly able to create absolute havoc and destruction amongst the world's shipping. And then that is the sort of perspective you need to keep. So we have to I think Will the very thin dividing line between full costing implosion collapse and the complete military destruction of what has been coming very greatly. And the other alternative which is of course a resumption it's a Russian national then forget it was Russian nationalism which created he said not even in the first place. And if that happens of course. Then rather the whole business goes back into the city. And they're right back where we were three or four years ago.

Now anybody who can say with confidence they know what's going to happen next is in my view a full frankly. But I show pretty little ego the adulation day at the quiz not something Naval War College in St. Petersburg the Russian Navy's brightest and best gathered to hear the somber words of their former commander in chief Admiral Vladimir Janabi in you they were so packed the day has been abolished the Soviet Union and its military power have disintegrated. The United States considers this its greatest achievement. This is an old aspiration for which they have always strived no one wants a strong Russia. No one wants a powerful Commonwealth in place of the former Soviet Union. If Russia is to exist. Then it's navy must also exist. In a renewed and well-prepared Navy. Equipped with everything it needs. This is the way it should be. This is a guarantee that we will survive. That we

will endure. And that we will save our Navy. You know saying there. Is. A country at war that has a navy can take as much or as little of the war as a great. This is probably better for insurance the friends of basic chance. Than most others because I think with the post-Cold War world it is still a world in which there's a lot of violence elsewhere. The violence if anything is less predictable because there isn't a single major polarizing force opposing us. That means that we can predict where we'll get every time that we have what forces are sure that raises the poorest and most valuable thing the world has on lives since that's the Navy's role in sort of the confused post-Cold War world.

It's a very confused world. You get working your way out of. Her. Or. Her. Roommate less 31. Year old. Her. Everlasting life. They got love for your father and the son her and the Holy Spirit. On her yet.