Naval Arms Control: A Poor Choice of Words and an Idea Whose Time has Yet to Come

Abstract

Author makes case that due to recent events, initiatives in areas of naval arms control are extremely poorly timed. These events include political changes in USSR, the changing international security environment, the new Soviet military doctrine and strategy, ongoing arms control negotiations, unarticulated U.S. and NATO goals, and changes in Soviet and U.S. planning assumptions and scenarios. Author then analyses three major areas for naval arms control proposals: (1) restrictions on strategic antisubmarine warfare, (2) naval operations, and (3) strategic antisubmarine warfare technology and fanks them on technical grounds. Author reviews the goals of arms control and finds none of these three areas in need of formal regulation. Author concludes with a number of innovative areas for naval arms control in areas of doctrine, strategy, operations, and exercises with concrete recommendations and acceptable (to USN) fallback positions.