Alaska in a Conventional WWIII

Anaxagoras

Banned
What can we see happening in Alaska if a conventional World War III broke out in the early 1980s? The Alaska Pipeline certainly presents an inviting target for Soviet attack.
 
You can forget about a Soviet invasion of Alaska, despite what the RPG Twilight:2000 says. No long-range amphibious capability, and lack of serious airborne assets in the Soviet Far East, assets likely in need elsewhere, mean the only Soviets to set foot on Alaska would be Spetsnatz. Their likely missions would be recon, and certainly sabotage against the pipeline. Air attacks by SAF Backfires are also not out of the question. Closest Soviet air base to Alaska is the one at Anadyr, 570 miles from Nome on the Chuchki Peninsula. There would also be Sovet sub activity, especially going after tankers at the Valdez tanker terminal.
 
Conventional thought is that both sides would likely refrain as much as possible from direct attacks on the other side's homeland for fear of escalating the conflict.
 
You can forget about a Soviet invasion of Alaska, despite what the RPG Twilight:2000 says. No long-range amphibious capability, and lack of serious airborne assets in the Soviet Far East, assets likely in need elsewhere, mean the only Soviets to set foot on Alaska would be Spetsnatz. Their likely missions would be recon, and certainly sabotage against the pipeline. Air attacks by SAF Backfires are also not out of the question. Closest Soviet air base to Alaska is the one at Anadyr, 570 miles from Nome on the Chuchki Peninsula. There would also be Sovet sub activity, especially going after tankers at the Valdez tanker terminal.

The Soviet Union and the US are less than three miles apart in this theater.
Until at least the mid 80s the US took Soviet action in Alaska very serious as they had stationed a full Brigade Combat Team in the state as well as having a couple of National Guard Bns whose members routinely paid visits to "Mother Russia".
For 18 months in 77 and 78 I was a member of this BCT.
 
Conventional thought is that both sides would likely refrain as much as possible from direct attacks on the other side's homeland for fear of escalating the conflict.

Having served a tour in Alaska while in the US Army. I wonder whose conventional thought, as it was not the conventional thought of the US Government or Military.
 
Ghost,

No offence mate, but they are hardly likely to tell you that the truth, that you are on sh1t detail and are stuck in the arse end of the military.

Cheers

BHR
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Having served a tour in Alaska while in the US Army. I wonder whose conventional thought, as it was not the conventional thought of the US Government or Military.

And what was the conventional thought of the U.S. military regarding a potential threat to Alaksa? Was a major Soviet attack seen as likely, or were the forces arranegd so as to counter Spetnaz raids?
 

bard32

Banned
What can we see happening in Alaska if a conventional World War III broke out in the early 1980s? The Alaska Pipeline certainly presents an inviting target for Soviet attack.

I have a post about this. What would be the causis belli? Would the
Soviet Union want Alaskan oil? It reminds me of a two-part 1982 television movie called World War III.
 

bard32

Banned
You can forget about a Soviet invasion of Alaska, despite what the RPG Twilight:2000 says. No long-range amphibious capability, and lack of serious airborne assets in the Soviet Far East, assets likely in need elsewhere, mean the only Soviets to set foot on Alaska would be Spetsnatz. Their likely missions would be recon, and certainly sabotage against the pipeline. Air attacks by SAF Backfires are also not out of the question. Closest Soviet air base to Alaska is the one at Anadyr, 570 miles from Nome on the Chuchki Peninsula. There would also be Sovet sub activity, especially going after tankers at the Valdez tanker terminal.

What about an invasion of Alaska through the Aleutians? During World War II,
the Japanese attacked Dutch Harbor on Unalasaka, and invaded the islands of
Attu and Kiska.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
What can we see happening in Alaska if a conventional World War III broke out in the early 1980s? The Alaska Pipeline certainly presents an inviting target for Soviet attack.

There are two very different answers here.

One is raids, even large ones by ground forces, are possible. It is true that the launching of attacks on the other side's homeland can be a dicey proposition, it is also true that the raiding of that territory may be necessary. As an example, the primary task of the Atlantic Fleet during the Cold War was to keep the sea lanes to Europe open; the USN had long known the best way to do that was to strike at the USSR's bases on the Kola Peninsula. The same held true for the Soviet Naval bases near Vladivostok, the U.S. was definately planning to knock those bases out ASAP to remove the threat to the Pacific SLOCs. From the Soviet perspective it had to be much the same; Alaska has much of the American Early Warning System hardware and C&C. Forces based there are also well positioned to interfere with the Soviet Far East.

The other is an actual invasion meant to take & hold ground over the long term. This is much less likely, as it would put the chances of kicking things up to the next level.

A word on the basing of American forces - The U.S. military's deployment is based on the abilities of potential opponents, not the actual probability of a given event. The USSR clearly COULD have attacked Alaska, there were targets of value there, so any prudent defense planner would station troops and aircraft there. Since it is an isolated post, a smart defense planner would also make sure that the forces there were trained up and well armed; otherwise you wind up with a 1941 Singapore or Philippines, important, with lots of numbers assigned, but totally vulnerable.
 
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