OSR Contribution to NIE 11-14-68, Soviet and East European General Purpose Forces, CIA/DI/OSR, October 1968.

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The B class appears to be a tollow-
on program to the F-class long-range diesel-powered
attack submarine.' This submarine will replace the
obsolete W and Z classes of attack submarine and
will augment the more recently constructed F-class
force. Production of the B class, which is expected
to .commence soon in the western USSR, may reach a
final production total of 45 to 50 units in the
late 1970's, matching the strength of the current
F-class force. Even with an output of about 50
B-class units, the diesel-powered attack submarine
force is expected to decline from the current figure
of about 250 to about 100 in the mid-1970's.
Probably the greatest uncertainty
about the new programs concerns the suitability
of the submarine designs for their several tasks.
These designs are. second generation, but it remains
to be demonstrated that sufficient advances have
been made over the first generation to warrant
sizable programs.. Assuming that deficiencies can
be overcome through developmental changes during
construction and that- completely new designs will
not emerge, the required fleet strength may be
reached by 1980.
On the other hand, should any of
-the new designs fail to fulfill requirements, a
third generation probably would appear in the mid-
1970's. Soviet submarine strategists have indicated
the need for a support-type submarine, and one or
two models of this type may appear within the next
few years.
b. Surface Ships
Since 1962, a. significant change in
the major surface force has been taking place--an
increased emphasis on missile air defense and de-
emphasis on long-range, surface-to-surface missile
capability.
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