Military Exercise Operational Directive of the Commander of the OBF

Secret

Copy Nº 1

[Original Polish receipt and

declassification stamps]

OPERATIONAL DIRECTIVE

OF THE COMMANDER OF THE OBF

1. Conclusions from an assessment of the enemy.

2. The Maritime Front (30^th and 31^st Armies, air forces, 49^th td, 50^th mdd, 53^rd vdd [Airborne Division], 13^th rbr, and 13^th tobr [expansion unknown, but probably some sort of tank brigade) are completing a regrouping and preparing to commit beginning on the morning of 21 January with the goal of seizing the Vejle-Esbjerg line and the island of Fyn by 27 January and seizing the Jutland Peninsula and the islands of the Baltic Approaches by 1 February.

The air defense troops of the SVD, fronts, and air defense forces of the fleet are repulsing raids by enemy aircraft and protecting the advance of the Maritime Front and the 3^rd Front.

The Commanding General of Air Defense Forces in the TVD is exercising centralized command of all air defense resources. The boundary line of the areas of responsibility of the 9^th iad [Fighter Division] and the IA of the 13^th d PVO [Fighter Aviation of the 13^th Air Defense Division] is the island of [Møn], Darsser Ort, Neurunmen [SIC, possibly Neuruppin].

3. The defeat of the opposing grouping of the OVMS [Combined Naval Forces] of the Westerners in the first fleet operation is to be accomplished piecemeal and by the successive winning of control in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, the zone before the Baltic Approaches (24 January), the Baltic Approaches [prolivnaya zona] and the eastern part of the North Sea (4 February) with the simultaneous destruction of the most important facilities to the entire depth of their tactical order of battle by carrying out [the following] naval operations:

- to win control in the southern part of the Baltic Sea;

- to land an amphibious operational assault force;

- to win control in the depth of the Baltic Approaches and the eastern part of the North Sea.

Conduct a naval operation to win control in the Baltic Sea to the line Vejle-Cape [Gnibben]-[Point] Holmen-Cape Malmö when carrying out the immediate objective of the fleet (by 27 January). Concentrate main efforts in the zone before the Baltic Approaches and the Great Belt Strait and Øresund Sound. Destroy the avm [possibly "multipurpose aircraft carrier"] with part of the forces in coordination with DA [Long Range Aviation] and the forces of the Northern Fleet, defeat the assault landing formations in the North Sea, and disrupt naval lines of communications.

Plan for the use of the forces of the OBF from 25 to 27 January in a joint airborne-amphibious assault operation in the form of a naval operation with the landing of an amphibious assault landing force on the islands of the Baltic Approaches at the decision of the Commander and an airborne-amphibious assault operation [at the decision] of the Commanding General of the Maritime Front.

Provide for the landing of tactical assault groups to seize the islands of Langeland, Lolland, Falster, and [Møn]. Determine the main sector of the landing, the island of Zeeland, from the results of the operations of the troops landed in tactical assault groups on the southern islands.

Provide for two variations of the landing.

The primary variation is the main sector of the landing southwest, where the 51^st msd (less an msp) and the 346^th pmp are to be landed on two beach areas.

Land a diversionary assault landing force composed of the 4^th msp of the 51^st msd from the southeast in the area of the bay of Faxe.

The backup variation is the main sector of the landing southeast, the bay of Faxe, where the 51^st msd (less an msp) and the 346^th pmp are to be landed on two beach areas.

The diversionary assault landing force, consisting of the 4^th msp of the 51^st msd, is to landed according to the situation.

When performing the subsequent mission in the first fleet operation during the period 28 January to 4 February (eight days) conduct a second naval operation to win control in the Kattegat and Skaggerak Straits and the eastern part of the North Sea to the line Leeuwarden-Mandal.

4. Combat mission:

When conducting the first fleet operation be ready to destroy enemy ship forces in the Øresund-Kattegat operational sector with the forces of the 2^nd Fleet in coordination with the forces of the 1^st and 3^rd Fleets. Support the landing of part of the amphibious assault forces on the islands of the Baltic Approaches. Support the basing, deployment, regrouping, security, defense, and operations of the OBF forces, sealifts, and ensure a favorable operating environment in the zone of responsibility. Assist the troops of the Maritime Front in PDO of the coast.

Immediate mission:

Complete the defeat of enemy ship forces in the Øresund sector (west of the line Cape Simrishamn-Point Darlowo to the line Cape Arkona-Cape [Møn]) by 24 January with the forces of the 2^nd Fleet and the attached 136^th brka (12 rka and 4 tka [torpedo boats]) from the 1^st Fleet and the support of the 112^th dirk (three mrk [small missile boats] and 18 kr [possibly, "cruise missiles"]), the 946^th omshap (two regimental sorties from AS Kolobrzeg) of the 1^st Fleet, and in coordination with the 22^nd omrap of the 1^st Fleet.

On 25 January at the order of the CP of the OBF land an amphibious assault force composed of the 2^nd and 3^rd dp of the 50^th mdd of the Maritime Front on the islands of Lolland and Falster with the forces of assault landing formation Nº 2 with the mission of seizing them by 0900 26 January.

Three regimental sorties of IBA of the Maritime Front are being allocated to suppress PDO. Protection of the landing forces from attack from the sea is to be made:

from the Grønsund direction by the forces of the 2^nd Fleet, from the Øresund direction by forces of the 1^st Fleet, and from the Kiel-Great Belt direction by the forces of the 3^rd Fleet which is landing an amphibious assault group simultaneously on the island of Langeland.

The submarines of the 23^rd Flotilla are to destroy enemy ship forces, submarines, and transports in the Skaggerak strait.

Then (on 27 January), in accordance with the plan of the Commanding General of the Maritime Front, the forces of the 2^nd Fleet with the attached assault formations of the 1^st and 3^rd Fleets are to land an amphibious assault force consisting of the 51^st msd and the 436^th pmp on the island of Zeeland in the course of an airborne-amphibious assault operation and protect the landing forces from attack from the sea from the direction of the landing of the main forces of the assault force.

Next, as the Baltic Approaches are seized, take control to its entire depth together with the forces of the 1^st Fleet by 4 February and ensure the OBF forces reach the North Sea from the Øresund and Kattegat and support their basing on an island naval base.

5. In the period 20-24 January it has been planned to launch strikes on Jagel, Eggebek, Tirstrup, Husum, Karup, the PU [Mul'tiberg], [Skovhuse], and [the] US [communications center] on behalf of the operations of the forces of the allied fleets.

Protection from enemy airstrikes is to be done by the air defense resources of the Maritime Front in accordance with the air defense instruction of the OBF staff and at your request.

The forces of the 3^rd Fleet with the attached 124^th brka of the 1^st Fleet are operating west of the line Cape Arkona-Cape [Møn].

The forces of the 1^st Fleet are operating east of the line Cape Simrishamn-Point Darlowo.

Coordination is organized:

- between the forces of the allied fleets and mra [naval missile aviation] by the Commander of the OBF;

- with the allocated support forces by the Commander of the 2^nd Fleet.

6. Submit reports to the OBF HQ in accordance with the table of periodic reports.

OKP OBF - Kaliningrad

ZKP OBF - Liepaya

KPZ [SIC, should be KPU]- the Cruiser Oktyabr'skaya Revolyutsiya

VPU - Swinoujscie

Second deputy - the Commander of the 3^rd Fleet

Third deputy - the Commander of the 2^nd Fleet

Report the decision for the assigned missions by 2400 20 January.

Readiness of the forces to perform the mission is 0000 21 January.

Five copies printed - to file

BF Print/16.01.1980

Nº PF-31/1