The 1967 June War: Soviet Naval Diplomacy and the Sixth Fleet - A Reappraisal

This report discusses the June War as a turning point in Soviet deployments to the Mediterranean. The USSR doubled its force during the crisis period and force levels have continued to rise ever since. Furthermore as a direct result of the war the Russians were able to gain access to both Alexandria and Port Said, which had hitherto been denied them on the scale and for the periods which they had desired. Such was the rate of Soviet increase that by the October War in 1973 the United States Sixth Fleet was outnumbered by Soviet units. Unlike in 1967 the Soviets were able to deploy amphibious ships in large numbers and also used anti-carrier tactics. Although Soviet activity was still marginal compared with its later efforts the 1967 war is important because the Soviets were observed attempting to use Naval power in ways which would have been impossible a decade earlier.