Ogarkov Doctrine in the Past and Present
In recent decades, the most developed and powerful states have been modernizing their armed forces, taking into account the specifics of the international situation and the development of technology. The USA, Russia, China and other countries use similar solutions and methods, the creation and formation of which are often associated with the name of one of the Soviet military leaders. Similar ideas were once proposed and promoted by the Chief of the General Staff of the USSR, Marshal of the Soviet Union Nikolai Vasilievich Ogarkov (October 17 [30], 1917, Molokovo, Tver Province - January 23, 1994, Moscow).
Hero of his era
The future marshal and chief of the General Staff was born in 1917 in a peasant family. From the age of 14, he worked in various organizations and studied at the same time. In the late thirties, he entered the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute, and in 1938 went to the army, where he was sent to the Military Engineering Academy. In 1941, Ogarkov graduated from the rank of military engineer of the 3rd rank.
During the attack of Nazi Germany, the military engineer Ogarkov was engaged in the construction of fortified areas in the western direction. During the war years, he held various positions in engineering units and units. Subordinates of the future marshal were engaged in the construction and repair of infrastructure, mine clearance and other engineering tasks.
In the postwar period N.V. Ogarkov served in the Carpathian and Primorsky military districts. In the late fifties, after he was promoted to major general and trained at the General Staff Military Academy, he was sent to the GSVG. Later, the general changed several posts in the command of the military districts, and in 1968 he ended up in the General Staff.
January 8, 1977 Army General N.V. Ogarkov was appointed chief of the General Staff; soon he was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union. The position of chief of the General Staff made it possible to propose and implement the most daring ideas, but because of them often disputes arose with the highest military and political leadership of the country. In 1984, the post of chief of the General Staff was transferred to Marshal S.F. Akhromeeva, and Ogarkov was appointed Commander in Chief of the West.
Subsequently, Marshal Ogarkov held various positions in the Ministry of Defense, civil and public organizations. After the collapse of the USSR, he was engaged in advising the new military leadership of independent Russia. Marshal passed away on January 23, 1994.
The Doctrine of Ogarkov
Climbing the career ladder, N.V. Ogarkov carefully studied the front of work entrusted to him and formulated certain proposals. Since 1968 he served in the General Staff, which made it possible to propose, promote and implement various ideas related to the modernization of the armed forces. The positions of the chairman of the State Technical Commission (1974-77) and the chief of the General Staff (1977-84) to a certain extent simplified this.
Over the years of service in the General Staff, Marshal Ogarkov proposed and implemented a number of rather bold ideas in the field of troop development. Such ideas touched on all the basic issues, from armaments to the organization of the army, which, as claimed, was supposed to increase combat efficiency in various conditions and situations.
The ideas of the Soviet General Staff, implemented since the seventies, did not go unnoticed by foreign strategists. In foreign materials, all these concepts appear under the general name "Ogarkov Doctrine." At one time, data from the USSR attracted the attention of foreign experts and underwent a thorough analysis. According to some sources, certain provisions of the doctrine were finalized and adopted by foreign countries.
Main ideas
One of the foundations of the Ogarkov Doctrine was the idea of a parallel balanced development of nuclear and conventional forces. Nuclear missile arsenals were of great importance for the country's defense, but in a number of situations developed and modern conventional means of warfare were required. It was assumed that the modern army would be able to create the conditions for ending the conflict before its transition to the full-scale use of nuclear weapons.
One of the main directions of improving the troops was considered the development of communications and control. In the seventies, industry created and introduced a command command system for combat command (KSBU) of strategic level and an automated command and control system (ASUV) with the code "Maneuver". Various connected communication and control facilities were also created, which made it possible to speed up and simplify the transfer of data and orders. Not without the participation of N.V. Ogarkov was formed and developed the Unified Field Automated Command and Control System (EPASUV), unified for the USSR and the countries of the internal affairs department.
New ACCS and KSBU were tested during tests and in the framework of exercises, incl. large ones, such as West-81. It was found that these systems actually provide an increase in the effectiveness of troops. In particular, there was a multiple increase in efficiency aviation and artillery strikes.
The Ogarkov Doctrine provided for the creation of new units and divisions. In the context of a non-nuclear conflict, not all combat missions could be solved by forces of existing formations. As a result, smaller structures were required, characterized by better equipment and high mobility. These ideas were realized through the formation of special forces in a number of military branches.
Not without influence of the conditional doctrine in the seventies and eighties was the development of new weapons and military equipment. New samples were supposed to show higher characteristics and correspond to the general course of development of the army. The development of fundamentally new directions, such as precision weapons, also began. With the help of such developments, it was possible to realize the concept of non-nuclear strategic deterrence.
It should be noted that the implementation of the ideas of N.V. Ogarkov and his colleagues were quite complex, lengthy and expensive. In the late seventies and early eighties it was necessary to increase the defense budget, which was associated with the need to develop and produce a mass of modern samples, the formation of new units, etc.
Past and present
From a certain time, information about reforming the Soviet Army and the “Ogarkov Doctrine” began to flow to foreign experts. It was analyzed in NATO countries and, probably, in China. The proposed concepts were generally highly rated. Moreover, publications of frightening content regularly appeared. Their authors argued that the USSR, having completed the implementation of the whole doctrine, would have easily finished off with NATO.
In the seventies and eighties, leading foreign countries also engaged in the improvement of their armies. A substantial part of their plans was similar to the Soviet Ogarkov Doctrine - apparently, it was the result of the parallel development of concepts in similar conditions, although a direct borrowing of ideas cannot be ruled out.
Unlike the USSR, foreign countries did not try to do “perestroika” and did not break up. As a result, one can observe by their example what results could lead to timely and full-fledged implementation of new ideas. Thus, the modern US army relies on advanced information management systems, precision weapons and other means to improve the efficiency of the troops. The results of such modernization are visible from the results of recent local conflicts involving the American army.
Since 2015, China has been renewing its armed forces. According to known data, the current reform provides for a slight reduction in the number of troops while increasing their effectiveness. In parallel, China is creating new electronic systems, controls and modern weapons. All these processes make one recall both Soviet developments and American programs.
Finally, the Russian army in recent years has received the necessary financial and organizational capabilities, which allowed it to begin reforming and re-equipping in accordance with current threats and challenges. The strategic nuclear forces are being seriously updated, and at the same time, non-nuclear forces are being modernized. The modernized troops have already shown their capabilities in the Syrian operation.
Ratings and Events
General, and then Marshal N.V. Ogarkov began work on new concepts about half a century ago and promoted them until the mid-eighties. Some of his proposals were successfully implemented, while others could not be implemented. In addition, similar reforms have been and continue to be carried out abroad.
Activities N.V. Ogarkova in senior positions in the Ministry of Defense and his ideas still cause controversy, and diametrically opposed opinions are expressed. There is no need to wait for the appearance of a generally accepted balanced opinion on this topic. However, the observed events seem to sum up at least part of such disputes.
A number of provisions of the "Ogarkov Doctrine" at one time really could ensure the growth of the combat effectiveness of the army. In addition, a number of concepts still remain relevant, despite the change in the military-political situation in the world, the cessation of some “cold” conflicts and the beginning of others. The ideas of the doctrine, implemented in our country and abroad, have already been confirmed in practice in the course of real modern wars.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Wikimedia Commons, Kp.ru, Bmpd.livejournal.com
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