Everything about The Giuk totally explained
The
GIUK gap is an area in the northern
Atlantic Ocean that forms a
naval warfare chokepoint. Its name is an
acronym for
Greenland, Iceland, and the
United Kingdom, the gap being the open ocean between these three landmasses. The term is typically used in relation to military topics.
Importance to Royal Navy
The GIUK gap is particularly important to the
Royal Navy, as any attempt by northern European forces to break into the open Atlantic would have to do so either through the easily defended
English Channel or through one of the exits on either side of
Iceland. When also considering British control over the strategic fortress of
Gibraltar at the entrance to the
Mediterranean, Spain (northern coast), France (Atlantic coast) and
Portugal are the only mainland European nations that have direct access to the Atlantic ocean in a way that can't be easily blocked at a choke point by the Royal Navy.
History
In the modern period, the exploitation of the GIUK gap by northern forces and measures to patrol and secure the gap by opposing forces has played an important role in naval and overall military planing.
World War II
During
World War II the gap was used by German ships to break out from their bases in northern
Germany and
Norway in an attempt to attack
convoys, but these actions were generally unsuccessful due to blocking efforts in the
North Sea and the GIUK gap. The Germans were aided tremendously with the fall of France, when they were able to base their
submarines on the French coast. Between 1940 and 1942 the
Denmark Strait between Iceland and Greenland was one of the few areas that
RAF patrol bombers couldn't reach, and thus became the center for considerable action.
The origin of the term "gap" can be traced to this period, when there was a gap in air coverage known as the
Mid-Atlantic gap or "Greenland air gap". This gap was an area that landbased aircraft couldn't reach and as a result were not able to carry out their
anti-submarine duties. The gap was eventually closed in
1943 with longer-ranged versions of aircraft such as the
Short Sunderland and
B-24 Liberator, making submarine actions in the Atlantic nearly impossible.
Cold War
The gap again became the center of naval planning in the
1950s, as it would be the only available outlet into the ocean for
Soviet submarines operating from their bases on the
Kola Peninsula. The primary concern that was if the
Cold War "turned hot", naval convoys reinforcing Europe from the U.S. would suffer unacceptable losses if Soviet submarines were allowed to operate in the North Atlantic. The United States and British based much of their post-war naval strategy on blocking the gap, eventually installing a chain of underwater listening posts right across it, known as
SOSUS.
The Royal Navy's primary mission during the Cold War, excluding the nuclear deterrent role, was that of
anti-submarine warfare (ASW). The development of the
Invincible-class anti-submarine carriers was part of this doctrine with their primary mission being anti-submarine warfare using the
Sea King helicopter. The
Type 23 frigate was to be a pure ASW platform, its mission expanded following the
Falklands War.
Likewise, the Soviets planned to use the gap to intercept any NATO ships, especially
aircraft carriers, heading towards the Soviet Union. Ships and submarines as well as
Tu-95 Bear maritime surveillance aircraft to keep tabs on the threatening ships.
In popular culture
The GIUK line is mentioned in a few books as a significant
plot element, such as
Tom Clancy's
Red Storm Rising and
The Hunt for Red October.
Birds
The GIUK gap is also a route for
migratory birds such as the
northern wheatear to cross the Atlantic to reach Greenland and Eastern Canada.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Giuk'.
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