Soviet is Reported to Be Amassing Unprecedented Naval Power in Mediterranean

Official American sources said today that the Soviet Union appears to be massing unprecedented naval power in the Mediterranean apparently in a display of Russian backing for the Arab states and to deter Israel from reprisals.

The U.S. Navy disclosed that Russian warships in the Mediterranean outnumber the U.S. Sixth Fleet for the first time. Navy headquarters in Naples reported that 63 to 65 Soviet warships and auxiliaries have been spotted in the Mediterranean. The Sixth Fleet numbers 50 ships and 200 combat aircraft.

According to official sources, 36 Russian naval units entered the Mediterranean through the Turkish Straits so far this month. They include an aircraft carrier equipped for helicopters and vertical takeoff planes, guided missile cruisers, at least 20 destroyers, 35 auxiliary, amphibious landing and support ships and an estimated 8-10 submarines including nuclear-powered craft equipped to fire missiles. Some of the Russian ships were reported to have arrived in Egyptian waters. The Russians have established naval base facilities at Port Said and Alexandria.

SEE BUILDUP AS RESULT OF LACK OF PROGRESS IN U.S.-SOVIET TALKS ON MIDEAST

(Western defense circles in London said today that the Soviet naval build-up in the Mediterranean, stemmed from the lack of progress in the Middle East talks with the U.S. and growing Arab disillusionment with Soviet assistance. The sources said that ship-for-ship the Russians have assembled the largest and most powerful force they have ever had in the Mediterranean. A Soviet naval squadron that recently visited Cuba is expected to augment the fleet shortly, naval sources said. They believed the Soviets were preparing for a major naval exercise in the Mediterranean.)

State Department officials said today that the Department was “interested” in the Soviet naval deployment in the Middle East but had so far drawn no conclusions.