Die Mittelstreckenproblematik aus sowjetischer Sicht
The Intermediate-Range Missile Problem from the Soviet Point of View

Summary/Abstract: For a long time, the Soviet Union modernized its nuclear weapon carriers of all ranges. In the eurostrategic sector, the introduction of the heavy Backfire bomber and the conversion of the medium-range missiles to the SS-20 have attracted the attention of the Western public, but these are only the most spectacular but not most significant events. Even if the two Soviet systems mentioned above (which have no equivalent on the Western side) wouldn’t exist, there would be a decisive qualitative change in the eurostrategic balance of power according to the Western view - namely an increasing vulnerability of the American nuclear weapons carriers in Western Europe. As a result, it is feared, the USSR may in the near future gain an ability to eliminate Wes-tern eurostructure carriers by means of a surprise attack. A weapon like the SS-20 seems parti-cularly suitable for such a purpose: in contrast to the missile types replaced by it, it can very likely hit "hard targets" and cannot be classified as a mobile system in the Western counter-strike plan.

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