571 
security, but this dependence is not yet widely recognized in this 
country. As a result, the United States continues to lag behind the 
Soviet Union in the development and implementation of a coherent 
national oceans policy. 
TABLE No. 1!.—Comparative Numerical Strengths of United States and Soviet Ocean Activities 
United States U.S.S.R. 
Size merchant fleet in 1946 (in deadweight tons) __-________..._._. 50,820,000 2,500,000. ! 
SIZEMMENCHANMRCe IN e974: = oe oe ee a on oe one ee ee 215,280,000 15,100,000. 
Number of merchant vessels in 1946 ____________________________- 4,888 600.4 
Number of merchant vessels in 1975 (Dec. 31, 1975) ______________ 580 2,352. 
Merchant marine manpower, 1975 _______________-_________-____- 55,000 About 90,000. 
Men in merchant marine officers training program ________________ 52,499 5,000 full- 
time. > 4,000 
; part-time. 
@ccangeraphicesearchships. 1975 2 ee ge 120 200. 
Scientists and technicians in oceanography, 1975 _________________. 2,000-3,000 7,000-8,000. 
Fishing vessels over 100 gross tons, 1974 _______________________- 1,019 About 4,450. 
Number, of fishermen, 1975 —full-time -.. _-__- 322-2 222222 22222_.- 86,800 About 
250,000. 
Total marine catch, 1975 (metric tons) __________________________- 2,600,000 9,600,000. 
Fishing vessels, 1974 (tonnage) in gross tons _____________________- 586,253 5,383,000. 
Active naval vessels in 1946 (numbers) _________________________- 2,630 852. 
Active naval vessels: 
Major surface combatants (1976) _______- Re Moet. a ee 17234229. 
Submaninesy(1'97 6)paheu 2 ass see ee ly eed et eee 116 330. 
INFAVAIESIRGE ALLO ee ee ee ee 3,542 768. 
Manned Research submersibles ___=____~--. 2 4__-_2_2 2-2-2 2 S58: 
AQUACIITNTOma See Ree crys gf Gel rere}. tenes 3. sae TT Limited + Among the 
program largest and 
most com- 
prehensive 
in the 
world. 
Decepseaymining = ee ee A EAS 80) Ae Commerical No commer- 
seabed cial seabed 
mining mining 
capability. capability. 
Offshore oil production, 1975 (in barrels) _______________________- 495,280,000 84,000,000. é 
Offshore natural gas production 1972 (in billions of cubic feet) ______ 4,257 N.A. 
1 Includes about 500,000 deadweight tons provided by United States under lend-lease. 
2 Active fleet only; reserve fleet excluded (mostly old-fashioned or uneconomical). 
3Includes about 500,000 deadweight tons provided by United States under Jend-lease (still 
registered). 
4Includes 43 vessels provided by the United States under lend-lease. 
5 U.S. figure per June 1, 1974; U.S.S.R. figure for 1973 
® United States has superior technology for offshore drilling and production. 
Source: Various Government and non-Government sources. 
UNITED STATES-SOVIET CONVENTIONAL MILITARY CAPABILITIES AT SEA 
QUANTITATIVE CONSIDERATIONS 3 
Over a period of about two decades, the Soviet Union has grown 
from being a minor naval power with primarily coastal capabilities 
to become a major seapower, capable of challenging the supremacy 
of the U.S. Navy throughout the world. At the end of the Second 
World War, the Soviet Navy consisted of little more than a few 
pitiful coastal boats under the control of the Soviet Army. Its mission 
was primarily one of coastal and regional defense; it had very little 
3 Comparative Strategic nuclear submarine capabilities are not treated in this chapter, because they 
are generally treated in the context of the total nuclear deterrent of the superpowers. 
