Sources for good missions

SeaQueen · 11-05-06, 09:17 AM

Submarine Warfare in the Arctic: Option or Illusion? by Mark Sakitt

This book was written in the 1980s, as Congress was considering funding for the 600-ship navy. A thing of the past, the book offers some good historical documentation of thinking about the Soviet threat. One of the drivers for the huge submarine force of the 600 ship navy, was the hunt for Soviet SSBNs in the arctic.

The first thing in this short book that struck me of profound usefulness to scenario makers, was the first chart. On it is the Soviet's estimates of the NATO forces disposition in the European theatre. It includes the positions of CVBGs, SSN operating areas, surface ASW, CAPTOR minefields, and MPA patrol areas, as well as their estimated locations of SOSUS barriers. From the perspective of scenario development, these things open up the possiblity for a myriad of extremely realistic scenarios fighting WWIII from the GIUK Gap all the way up through the Norwegian Sea. Finding these sorts of charts in unclassified literature is rare, so unless you're the sort of person who likes to put in a lot of Freedom of Information Act requests in order to support their hobby, this item alone makes the book valuable from the perspective of scenario development.

Additionally, there's descriptions of the various tactics SSBNs might use in their defence, including the use of decoys embedded in minefields and the use of escorts.

Generally painting a bleak picture for US under-ice capabilities, the book highlights exactly how challenging the environment can be. Showing the effects of ice keels on sonar, their frequency, and other technical pieces of information, which might be of more use to game developers than scenario developers, but are none the less interesting and add to a more informed discussion of ASW tactics.

11-05-06, 09:17 AM	#24
SeaQueen Naval Royalty Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 1,185 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Submarine Warfare in the Arctic: Option or Illusion? by Mark Sakitt This book was written in the 1980s, as Congress was considering funding for the 600-ship navy. A thing of the past, the book offers some good historical documentation of thinking about the Soviet threat. One of the drivers for the huge submarine force of the 600 ship navy, was the hunt for Soviet SSBNs in the arctic. The first thing in this short book that struck me of profound usefulness to scenario makers, was the first chart. On it is the Soviet's estimates of the NATO forces disposition in the European theatre. It includes the positions of CVBGs, SSN operating areas, surface ASW, CAPTOR minefields, and MPA patrol areas, as well as their estimated locations of SOSUS barriers. From the perspective of scenario development, these things open up the possiblity for a myriad of extremely realistic scenarios fighting WWIII from the GIUK Gap all the way up through the Norwegian Sea. Finding these sorts of charts in unclassified literature is rare, so unless you're the sort of person who likes to put in a lot of Freedom of Information Act requests in order to support their hobby, this item alone makes the book valuable from the perspective of scenario development. Additionally, there's descriptions of the various tactics SSBNs might use in their defence, including the use of decoys embedded in minefields and the use of escorts. Generally painting a bleak picture for US under-ice capabilities, the book highlights exactly how challenging the environment can be. Showing the effects of ice keels on sonar, their frequency, and other technical pieces of information, which might be of more use to game developers than scenario developers, but are none the less interesting and add to a more informed discussion of ASW tactics.